Reading, re‑imagined.
A browser extension that makes every web page easier to read, for people with dyslexia, ADHD and light sensitivity. Try it on the sample text.
Works in Chrome and Edge. Free features are free for good. Nothing you read leaves your computer.
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 off, or a ruler that follows your mouse and keeps the rest of the page quiet.
And when you’d rather listen, it reads to you, highlighting each word as it goes.
Dyslexia
Bold word starts, extra letter, word and line spacing, dyslexia-friendly fonts built in, syllable dots, a definition for any word on double-click, and read-aloud with every word highlighted.
ADHD and focus
A reading ruler (row or column) that follows your mouse, calm mode that pauses animations, GIFs and autoplay, a reader view that strips a page to just the article, and read-aloud from any paragraph with an on-page player.
Light sensitivity
A soft colour tint in six shades, cream instead of pure white, a dim control for bright rooms, and a dark mode that analyses each page’s colours and recolours it but leaves pictures alone.
Everything applies live, on any page, with no reloads.
Open the extension, flip a switch, and the page you’re reading changes. Switch it off and the page goes back exactly as it was.
Bold starts, spacing and fonts
The first syllable of each word is emboldened so your eyes move along the line in confident steps. Set how much to bold (first syllable, a third or half of each word), how heavy, or a colour-only mode that is safe to use in editors. Add syllable dots to break long words up. Add letter, word, line and paragraph spacing, the best-evidenced help for dyslexia. Choose Atkinson Hyperlegible, Lexend or OpenDyslexic, all bundled so they work everywhere.
- Reading ruler that follows your mouse — a row, or a column for tables and code — with adjustable height and shade
- Tint, dim screen, soft white and a dark mode that leaves photographs alone
- Calm mode pauses animations, GIFs and autoplaying video
- Shortcuts: Alt+Shift+B bolding, Alt+Shift+R ruler, Alt+Shift+D dark
Reader view and read aloud Pro
Turn any article into a clean page with your settings applied, then listen. Each sentence and word is highlighted as it’s spoken; a small player on the page gives you pause, skip and speed. Start from any paragraph with one click.
- Read selected text: highlight anything, right-click, “Read selected” — free on every page
- Read from here: Alt+click (or “Pick”) any paragraph and it reads to the end of the page
- On-page player: pause, skip back and forward, speed from 0.5× to 3×
- Double-click a word for its meaning — 147,000 words built in, works offline, with pronunciation
- Works with the voices already on your computer; prefers a UK English voice when one is installed
Simple controls, made to be read
The extension’s own screens use the same legibility rules it applies to the web: one clear typeface, nothing smaller than 11.5px, big targets, one accent colour. Presets set up Dyslexia, Focus or Light-sensitive in one tap, and you can switch everything off per site — your email editor, say — with one toggle. Switch a setting off and the page goes back exactly as it was, no reload. Copy and paste still gives you the original text.
Every feature, at a glance
Bold the start of every word, normal or heavy weight.
Atkinson Hyperlegible, Lexend, OpenDyslexic, bundled.
Six soft colour overlays to take the glare off white pages.
Recolours text and backgrounds; pictures stay as they are.
Turn the whole page down for bright rooms or late nights.
A clear band that follows your mouse; set its height and shade.
Highlight, right-click, listen — with sentence and word highlighting.
Dyslexia, Focus and Light-sensitive set several things at once.
Turn it off for a site in one tap; keyboard shortcuts for bold, ruler, dark.
Any article as a clean page, with your settings applied.
Alt+click to start; a small on-page player gives pause, skip and speed.
147,000 words built in; works offline, with pronunciation.
Letter, word, line and paragraph spacing, each on its own slider.
Soft dots between syllables (in·for·ma·tion), drawn, not inserted.
Bold a third or half of each word, or colour-only for editors.
Cream instead of pure white, everywhere, without changing colours.
Pauses animations, GIFs and autoplaying video.
A vertical band for tables, spreadsheets and code.
The basics are free. For everyone. For good.
Pro adds the tools for longer, deeper reading. Every Pro feature is on for 14 days when you install, no card needed.
- Bold first syllables on any page, normal or heavy
- Tint, three bundled fonts, dark mode, dim screen
- Reading ruler with height and shade controls
- Read selected text aloud with word highlighting
- Presets, per-site switch, keyboard shortcuts
- Reader view: any page as a clean article
- Read from any paragraph, on-page player (pause, skip, speed)
- Definitions on double-click, 147,000 words offline
- Letter, word, line and paragraph spacing
- Syllable dots, colour-only and partial bolding
- Soft white, calm mode, column ruler
14-day free trial in the extension · up to 5 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.
Bolding, spacing, the ruler, dark mode, read-aloud and the dictionary all run on your computer.
Checking a Pro licence key, and fetching a word’s pronunciation. That’s the full list. Privacy policy.
Questions
Does it work on every website?
Yes — 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, such as your email editor, in one tap.
Will it change what I type or copy?
No. Text boxes and editors are left alone, and the bolding is applied in a way that doesn’t change the page’s text, so copying and pasting gives you the original words. Syllable dots are drawn, not inserted.
Are there keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Alt+Shift+B toggles bolding, Alt+Shift+R the reading ruler and Alt+Shift+D dark mode. Alt+click a paragraph to read aloud from there (Pro). You can change them at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.
Which browsers?
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge (Edge installs Chrome extensions). Other Chromium browsers such as Brave generally work too.
What does Pro cost and can I try it first?
£85 a year. 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 ever leave your computer are a Pro licence key (to check it’s valid) and, if you use definitions, the single word you double-clicked, to fetch its pronunciation. Definitions themselves come from a dictionary inside the extension.
I’m a school, university or employer. Can I buy for several people?
Yes. Get in touch at info@emboldened.co.uk for a per-seat licence and an invoice.
Give your eyes somewhere to land.
Free to install. Pro free for 14 days.