Medium Paywall Reading Mode

WHAT IT DOES

Medium Paywall Reading Mode automatically detects and removes paywall overlays, blur restrictions, and content limitations on Medium articles. The tool removes the paywall overlay, eliminates blur and opacity restrictions that obscure article text, restores full scrolling functionality, and enables text selection. A subtle notification confirms when reading mode is active, and you can restore the paywall view at any time. This makes Medium articles fully readable and usable, just like free content.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension works exclusively on Medium at medium.com. It functions on all article pages, including those with metered paywalls, member-only content, and subscription overlays. The tool works across all Medium subdomains and adapts to dynamically loaded content.

HOW TO USE

Install the extension and navigate to any Medium article. The tool automatically removes paywall restrictions and displays the full article. Use the overlay panel to control the behavior: toggle "Enable on this site" to enable or disable the tool, choose which restrictions to remove (paywall overlay, blur/opacity, selection restrictions, scrolling restrictions), and toggle the reading mode notice on or off. Click "Apply Reading Mode" to manually reapply the fixes after dynamic content updates, or click "Restore Paywall" to reload the page and restore the original paywall view. The status area shows the current reading mode status.

TECHNICAL SECTION — MEDIUM PAYWALL DETECTION AND REMOVAL

The extension uses a comprehensive detection engine to identify Medium's paywall and restriction mechanisms. It scans for paywall overlays using selectors like .paywall-overlay, .meteredContent, .postMeteredContent, and [data-testid="paywall"]. It also detects blur and opacity restrictions applied to content containers (.meteredContent, .post-content, .article-content) and removes them by setting filter:none, opacity:1, and maxHeight:none. Selection restrictions are removed by setting user-select:text on all content containers and removing onselectstart handlers. Scrolling is restored by removing overflow:hidden from body and html elements. A MutationObserver monitors DOM changes to reapply fixes when Medium dynamically loads new content. The tool also processes CSS style sheets to remove blur and opacity rules that may be applied at the stylesheet level.

THE PANEL — DRAG / PER-SITE POSITION / SNAP / COLLAPSE / RESIZE / ESCAPE

The overlay panel is fully interactive and designed for seamless multitasking. Drag it anywhere on the screen using the handle at the top of the panel; the position is saved per site so it stays where you left it across sessions. The panel includes a snap-to-edge feature that gently anchors the overlay to the nearest screen edge when released. Click the collapse button to minimize the panel to a compact pill showing the current reading mode status; expand it again with a single click. Resize the panel vertically by dragging the bottom-right corner to view more controls. Press the Escape key at any time to instantly close the overlay; it reappears on the next page navigation or refresh.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz companion extension to function, as it provides the underlying content script injection and cross-origin communication framework. No personal data, browsing history, or Medium data is stored, transmitted, or shared. Settings are stored locally in your browser using GM_setValue and are never sent to any external server. The extension does not access or store login credentials, financial data, or personally identifiable information. The tool modifies the DOM and CSS of the page to remove paywall restrictions; this is intended for personal use and accessibility purposes. Medium may update its paywall implementation; the extension includes multiple detection strategies to maintain compatibility, but major redesigns may temporarily affect functionality. Use of this tool is subject to Medium's terms of service.