Emboldened is a browser extension that makes any web page, PDF, Google Doc or Kindle book easier to read and write in. Built for dyslexia, ADHD and light sensitivity.
Works in Chrome and Edge. What you read stays on your computer.
Why reading on a screen is tiring
Reading on a screen shouldn’t be hard work. Emboldened gives every word a clear start, so your eyes always know where to land.
Add a little space between letters and lines, a soft tint to take the glare off, or a ruler that follows your pointer and keeps the rest of the page quiet.
And when you’d rather listen, it reads to you, highlighting each word as it goes.
This is a small sample. The extension has 28 tools, including a PDF reader, Kindle reading, writing help and dictation. See all 28
- Add it to ChromeSearch “Emboldened” on the Chrome Web Store and add it. There is no account to create.
- Open the panelClick the Emboldened icon on any page. Pick a preset or flip the switches you want.
- Read your way, everywhereYour settings follow you to every site. Switch it off for any site in one click.
Watch it work.
Two short films with narration. The first walks through every tool from top to bottom. Every tool it shows is also described in words under Features.
Made for the way you read.
Three presets come built in. Each one is a starting point you can change.
Dyslexia
Syllabic emphasis gives each word a clear start. Add letter and line spacing, syllable dots, a dyslexia-friendly font, meanings on double-click and read-aloud that highlights each word.
ADHD and focus
A reading ruler keeps one line clear and quiets the rest. Calm mode pauses animations and autoplay, and reader view strips a page down to the article.
Light sensitivity
Soft colour tints, cream instead of glaring white, a dimmer for bright rooms, and a dark mode that leaves photographs alone.
Every tool, shown working.
The free tools stay free. Every Pro tool is switched on for 14 days when you install.
Syllabic emphasis
The first part of each word is darkened, so your eye has an anchor to jump to. Normal or heavy.
Readable fonts
Switch any page to Atkinson Hyperlegible, Lexend or OpenDyslexic. All three are built in.
Colour tints
A soft colour over the page takes the edge off bright white. Six tints to choose from.
Dark mode
Rewrites each page’s colours for dark reading, hover states and gradients included, with no white flash. Photographs stay as they were.
Dim screen
A dimmer for bright rooms and late evenings, for when the screen itself is too much.
Reading ruler
A clear band follows your pointer while the rest of the page is shaded. Set its height and shade.
Read aloud
Select text and hear it. Every sentence and word is highlighted as it is spoken.
Highlighter and notes
Highlight in three colours and attach notes on any page. They are there on your next visit.
One calm panel
Every setting in one place, in six groups, with presets for dyslexia, focus and light sensitivity.
Your sites, your rules
Switch Emboldened off for any single website, and use keyboard shortcuts for the tools you use most.
Spacing Pro
Letter, word, line and paragraph spacing on separate sliders, on any page.
Syllable colours Pro
Alternate syllables in two colours, so long words break into parts you can sound out.
Syllable dots and more emphasis Pro
Small marks between syllables, emphasis on a third or half of each word, or a colour-only style.
Line focus Pro
One line stays clear and follows you down the page. A column ruler handles tables and code.
Soft white and calm mode Pro
Cream instead of glaring white. Calm mode pauses animations, GIFs and autoplaying video.
Reader view Pro
Any article as a clean page with no adverts or sidebars, in your own settings.
PDF reader Pro
Open any PDF with every reading tool. Scanned PDFs can have their words recognised.
Google Docs Pro
One click opens a Google Doc in reader view, where everything works. Editing stays in Docs.
Kindle books Pro
Open a book in Kindle for Web and read the page with syllabic emphasis, spacing, text width, the ruler, meanings and read-aloud that turns the pages. Pictures stay in place.
Send to Kindle Pro
Any article becomes an e-book with syllabic emphasis written in, ready for your Kindle.
Screenshot reader Pro
Drag a box over a picture, diagram or video frame and hear the words inside it.
Read from anywhere Pro
Start from any paragraph with a small player for pause, skip and speed. Or rest your pointer on a sentence to hear it.
Meanings with pictures Pro
Double-click any word for its meaning, offline, with a picture for everyday things.
Notebook Pro
Every highlight, note and saved word in one place, with search and export.
Simplify, summarise, translate Pro
Plainer wording, key points or another language, using the AI built into Chrome on your own computer.
Word prediction Pro
Words are offered as you type. It understands spelling by sound, so “fone” offers “phone”.
Check my writing Pro
A spelling check built for the slips dyslexic writers make, with a listen button on every fix.
Dictation Pro
Speak instead of typing, into any text box. It uses Chrome’s speech service, and tells you so first.
The basics are free, for good.
Pro adds the tools for longer reading and for writing. Try all of it for 14 days with no card.
- Syllabic emphasis on any page
- Three readable fonts, built in
- Colour tints, a thorough dark mode and dim screen
- Reading ruler
- Read selected text aloud, word by word
- Highlighter, notes and presets
- Spacing sliders, syllable colours and dots
- Line focus, soft white and calm mode
- Reader view for any article
- PDF reader, with scanned pages recognised
- Google Docs and Kindle books
- Send to Kindle
- Screenshot reader
- Read from any paragraph, with a player
- Meanings with pictures, offline
- Notebook for highlights, notes and words
- Simplify, summarise and translate
- Writing help: prediction, spelling check, dictation
One licence works on up to 5 of your devices. Cancel any time.
What you read is yours.
There is nothing to sign up for and no analytics. The extension doesn’t know what you read.
Emphasis, spacing, the ruler, dark mode, read-aloud, the dictionary and word prediction all run locally.
Checking a Pro licence key, fetching a word’s pronunciation, and dictation, which uses Google’s speech service and tells you first. Privacy policy
Questions
Does it work on every website?
Yes, on any normal web page, including web apps and pages that load more as you scroll. The one place Chrome doesn’t allow extensions is its own settings pages and the Web Store. You can switch Emboldened off for particular sites in one click.
Does it work with PDFs, Google Docs and Kindle?
Yes, with Pro. PDFs open in Emboldened’s own reader with every reading tool, and scanned pages can have their words recognised. A Google Doc opens in reader view with one click. Kindle books open in Kindle for Web read in a clean view with every reading tool, pictures in place, and any article can be sent to your Kindle with syllabic emphasis written in.
Will it change what I type or copy?
No. The emphasis is applied in a way that doesn’t change the page’s text, so copying gives you the original words. Syllable dots are drawn, not inserted. The writing tools only act when you ask them to.
Are there keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Alt+Shift+B toggles emphasis, Alt+Shift+R the reading ruler and Alt+Shift+D dark mode. You can change them at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.
Which browsers?
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Other Chromium browsers such as Brave generally work too. Firefox and Safari versions are planned.
What does Pro cost, and can I try it first?
£8.29 a month, billed annually at £99.50. Every Pro feature is switched on for 14 days when you install, with no card and no sign-up. If you buy, you get a licence key by email that works on up to five of your devices. Cancel any time; the free features keep working.
Is my reading sent anywhere?
No. The only things that can leave your computer are a Pro licence key (to check it’s valid), the single word you double-clicked (to fetch its pronunciation), and your voice while you use dictation, which goes to Google’s speech service after a clear notice.
I’m a school, university or employer. Can I buy for several people?
Yes. Write to info@emboldened.co.uk for a per-seat licence and an invoice.