Speedreader removes unnecessary elements from pages it recognizes as articles and displays them in a simplified format. It is similar to “reader modes” that come shipped in other browsers, with a few key differences. The main difference being that, unlike most “reader-mode” features, Brave Speedreader modifies the page content before the page is loaded, rather than after, which saves you data and provides faster load times.

Enabling Speedreader mode

In Brave, the browser will detect whether or not a page can be distilled (simplified) while browsing. If it can, you will see the default “reader mode” icon located in the address bar:

When clicked, the icon will turn blue and the page you’re currently reading will be reloaded in a simplified format:

Using Speedreader

Once enabled, observe the Speedreader controls that appear at the top of the page you are viewing:

Clicking "tune" icon on the left side of the controls allows you to tell the browser to enable Speedreader by default for the specific site you're on and/or to enable it by default globally across all sites (note that you can also toggle these options on/off by right-clicking on the Speedreader icon in the address bar):

Clicking the "Appearance settings" icon in the Speedreader controls allows you to change the font used for the text, the zoom level, as well as the background color of the page you are on for optimal viewing:

Enable/Disable the Speedreader in Settings

To turn the Speedreader feature on/off; launch Brave, go to Menu → Settings → Appearance (brave://settings/appearance) and toggle the Speedreader option: