Study
Papers and textbooks
Work through papers, online textbooks and documentation without losing the line you were on.
Free extension for Chrome
A reading ruler for the web. One line at a time.
Simple Reader Line puts a clear reading band under your mouse and dims the page above and below it, like a reading mask. Your eyes stay on one line through long articles, papers and dense pages.
Also works in Edge, Brave, Opera and other Chromium browsers.
At a glance
- What it does
- Shows a horizontal reading band that follows your mouse and dims the rest of the page, or tints only the band, on the sites you enable.
- Who it is for
- People who lose their place in long text: students, proofreaders, people reading in a second language, readers who use a ruler or a coloured strip on paper.
- Price
- Free. No account, no paid version.
- Data
- Keeps your color, height, mode, hotkey and enabled sites in Chrome sync. No analytics, no network requests.
- Works in
- Chrome and other Chromium browsers that install from the Chrome Web Store, on regular web pages. Not Firefox or Safari.
- Limits
- Off until you enable a site. Moves with the mouse or trackpad, not the keyboard. Not on Chrome's own pages or the Chrome Web Store. A reading aid, not a medical device.
- Version
- 2.6.0, updated October 23, 2026
Keep your place
- 1
Add it to Chrome
One click on the Chrome Web Store. It stays off until you choose a site.
- 2
Turn it on for a site
Open a page you read, click the toolbar icon and switch on Enable for this site.
- 3
Move the mouse
The band follows the pointer down the text. Set its height, color and opacity in the same popup.
What people use it for
Proof
Proofreading
Check a draft or a web page line by line, with everything around it quiet.
Wide
Wide screens
On a big monitor lines run long and it's easy to land on the wrong one. The band keeps your place.
What it does
px band height
A slider sets the band from a slim 20 px to a generous 200 px, for small print or large type.
color and opacity
A color picker with an opacity bar shows the hex value as you drag. A soft tint or a strong dim.
modes
Normal dims the page above and below the band. Inverted leaves the page as it is and tints only the band.
Off by default
The ruler appears only on the sites you enable. One switch in the popup turns it on or off for the site you're on.
Your own hotkey
Record any key combination to switch the ruler for the current site. It uses physical key positions, so it works on any keyboard layout.
clicks blocked
The band lies on top of the page: clicks and text selection pass straight through, and it hides when the pointer leaves the window.
How a reading ruler helps you keep your place
Long lines, small type and busy layouts make it easy for your eyes to slip to the wrong row. On paper people lay a ruler, a card or a tinted strip under the line they are reading.
Simple Reader Line does the same on screen. A band follows your mouse; the page around it dims, or only the band is tinted. The page itself never changes, and you move the band the way you would move a finger along the text.
Private by design
No account
Nothing to sign up for, nothing to log in to, no ads.
No tracking
No analytics, no network requests. It never reads or changes the text of the page.
Two permissions
Storage keeps your settings and enabled sites. Active tab lets the popup see which site is open, to switch the ruler for it.
Finger or pointer vs Simple Reader Line
| Finger or pointer vs Simple Reader Line | A finger on the screen or the mouse pointer | Simple Reader Line |
|---|---|---|
| Marking the line you read | A finger covers words; the pointer is a thin arrow | A clear band across the whole line |
| The rest of the page | Stays bright and busy | Dimmed, or left as it is with a tinted band |
| Size and color | Fixed | 20 to 200 px, any color and opacity |
| Price | Built in | Free |
Questions
How do I get a reading ruler in Chrome?
Add Simple Reader Line to Chrome and open the page you want to read. Click the toolbar icon, switch on Enable for this site, then move the mouse over the text.
Why don't I see the reading line?
It's off by default. Open the popup on the site, switch on Enable for this site and move the mouse over the page.
Can I change the color, height and opacity?
Yes. The popup has a height slider from 20 to 200 px and a color picker with an opacity bar. Changes apply at once, with no reload.
What is inverted mode?
In normal mode your color dims the page above and below the band. In inverted mode the page stays as it is and only the band is tinted, like a highlighter.
Can I switch it on with a keyboard shortcut?
Yes. Record a key combination in the popup; it switches the ruler on or off for the site you're on. No hotkey is set until you choose one.
Does it get in the way of clicking or selecting text?
No. The band lies on top of the page and lets every click and text selection pass through.
Does it help with dyslexia?
Some readers with dyslexia or ADHD use reading rulers to keep their place. Simple Reader Line is a reading aid you can adjust, not a medical device or treatment.
Is it free? Does it collect any data?
It's free, with no account, no ads and no analytics, and it makes no network requests. Your settings stay in Chrome sync.
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