How it works
- Drop your PDF into the upload box, or click to choose a file.
- The text is pulled out of the PDF in your browser, page by page.
- Click Start Reading. Words appear one at a time, at a speed you control with the slider.
What kinds of PDFs work
Any PDF with real, selectable text works: reports, papers, ebooks, contracts, exported documents. A quick check is whether you can highlight the words in a normal PDF viewer.
Scanned PDFs, where each page is a photo of paper, won't work, because there's no text to read. Files can be up to 500,000 characters, roughly 80,000 words.
Getting through long PDFs
Long documents are where reading one word at a time helps most: no losing your place on the page, no rereading the same paragraph. If you're logged in, your position is saved, so you can read a long PDF in short sessions and pick up where you left off.
Start at a comfortable speed and raise it as you settle in. If you're not sure where to start, take the reading speed test, or work out how long your PDF will take.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
The PDF itself is read in your browser and isn't uploaded. If you're logged in, the extracted text is saved to your library so you can come back to it.
Why won't my PDF load?
Usually because it's a scan with no text layer, or it's password protected. Try a version with selectable text.
Is it free?
Your first 3 documents are free, with no account needed. Pro gives you unlimited reading and a saved library.