Reading aids / Focus
Reading Ruler: An On-Screen Reading Guide for Any Text
Paste a text and read it with an on-screen reading ruler: a tinted window of one to four lines follows the pointer or the arrow keys and dims the lines above and below, to help you keep your place and stop lines from running together.
Reading Ruler: An On-Screen Reading Guide for Any Text: The text is shown in a panel with a coloured band over the lines you are reading and a shade over the rest. The band follows the pointer, or moves one line at a time with the up and down arrow keys, and the panel scrolls with it. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
- Category
- Text tools
- Runs
- In your browser
- Cost
- Free · no sign-up
- Availability
- Ready to use
Runs entirely in your browser
Paste or type the text you want to read in the box above.
Move the pointer over this panel, or click it and use the up and down arrow keys, and the ruler follows your place line by line, dimming the lines above and below so that your eyes do not wander.
A reading ruler, or reading guide, helps readers who lose their place or find lines swimming, including many people with dyslexia, visual stress, or ADHD. It works on the text in this page only; nothing you paste is uploaded.
Using the keyboard
Click the text panel, then use the down arrow to move the ruler down one line at a time and the up arrow to move it back.
Fonts and spacing
To change the font, spacing, and background as well, use the dyslexia-friendly reader.
How to use it
- Paste the text you want to read.
- Choose the window height, tint, dimming, and text size.
- Move the pointer, or click the text and use the arrow keys.
Privacy & limitations
Your text stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
Who is a reading ruler for?
Anyone who loses their place or skips lines, which is common with dyslexia, visual stress, ADHD, or tired eyes; it is also handy for long, dense documents.
Which tint should I choose?
There is no single best colour; try each and keep the one that makes the text feel steadiest and most comfortable.
Can it work over other websites?
No: a web page cannot draw over other sites or apps, so paste the text here, or use a browser extension or your system's accessibility tools.
Free tool · runs in your browser · no account required