We’ve all had to do it before. In the last few years, numerous websites have added paywalls. If you wish to read their posts it is necessary to join as well as pay them a monthly subscription. Certain websites offer paywalls that are “metered” paywalls, which means you can access a set amount of articles free of charge before they request payment. However, some have a paywall that is hard that requires you to pay for even one article.
Most news websites have paywalls, mostly because the sole source of revenue is advertising. It is no longer feasible and news organizations are looking for the possibility of more revenue-generating sources, such as subscriptions that are monthly. Naturally, there’s nothing wrong with paywalls. And we’re sure you aren’t. If you’re able to pay to read online articles it’s a must. If you’ve lost your password, didn’t save it on your smartphone or computer, are in a rush or are simply short of cash and can assure yourself that you’ll pay later There are many ways to get around paywalls on the internet.
You might be able to utilize certain of these techniques effectively today, but this might change in the future when websites tighten their grip on methods to bypass. I hope that you support the websites that you read by signing up for memberships–especially your friendly local news outlet–but if you can’t right now, here are some of the best ways to bypass paywalls online.
Paste the headline into Google
The most straightforward methods are usually the most efficient. Many paywalled sites have arrangements that let users who visit them via Google search access their content for no cost. The first step is cutting the headline into a text file and then putting it into the search bar of Google. The article will show up in the first search result, so you can click it to read the article at no cost.
Try a redirect on Facebook
Some paywalled websites let people who are logged into Facebook access articles at no cost, and the method works even if do not have an existing Facebook account. To get started, you must go to the page you wish to read, and then go to the address bar in your browser. Now paste https://facebook.com/l.php?u= before the URL of the paywalled article and open the page. The page will display the Facebook redirect page. Once you’ve done that, you can select “Follow Link” to access the site. The paywalled content will now be available for access for free.
Open the link inside an incognito browser
Another option is to open paid-for articles inside an anonymous window within your browser, be aware that this option is only applicable to metered paywalls. If you’ve reached the end of the free article limit each month, on any site opening the articles with an incognito mode will allow you to read without having to pay.
Delete JavaScript in your browser.
Certain websites employ JavaScript to block content behind paywalls. You can bypass these blocks by turning off JavaScript within your browser. It is important to note that disabling JavaScript may (and can) cause problems for many websites. Some might not allow you to view comments, and some may not be able to load at all. It’s a good idea to try it for those who just want to understand the contents of the blog post.
Ideally, you’ll use a different browser so that you don’t need to be constantly enabling and disabling JavaScript. Once you’ve picked your secondary browser, you can read our guide on disabling JavaScript in a variety of browsers.
Make edits to a few elements on the web page
If you can grasp a little about HTML and CSS it is possible to edit elements in your browser to get past paywalls. You’re changing the content to eliminate the ads that block the content to the use of a subscription. It’s like opening your curtains to show the view that is outside your window.
It’s working with some sites However, some have added a block which only displays the content after you’ve signed in using an account that is paid. However, it’s worth giving it a shot to determine if this is working:
On any site click the banner right below the final visible paragraph of the article and then select inspect element. This will open an option to find the element that is causing the problem and then hide or alter the content. The exact type of element differs from one site to the next however, it’s usually referred to as display, paywall and Subscribes. Here’s a great GIF that’s posted to Reddit which will show you how to accomplish it.
Make use of an annotation service
Annotation services let you remove the clutter of websites and make notes or highlights just like you would in magazines or printed books. These services allow you to bypass paywalls. The outline is one such example of a service.
Go to outline.com Outline website and paste in the link to the paywalled article. Select “Create Outline” and let the website perform its magic. You’ll be directed to a new page which will load all the articles. This can help you get over the paywalls. Outline creates a new URL for every article you attempt to load on its website. Therefore, you should keep these pages in your bookmarks to revisit in the future.
Certain websites have been able to block Outline users from visiting their sites If Outline is unable to show the article, attempt using an URL shortener such as is. gd as an alternative. Copy and paste the URL shortened onto Outline to bypass the block.
Try adding browser extensions
There are a variety of browser extensions that permit you to bypass paywalls for the majority of websites. Check the extensions the Bypass paywall extension (works with Edge, Chrome and Edge as well as Firefox) and bypass paywalls clean ( Firefox). For academic papers, Unpaywall ( Firefox, Chrome) is a great option.
Find out how to bypass paywalls on iPhone
The final method that we have listed works only on iPhones. Apple’s free Shortcuts application lets you automate routines using your iPhone and its apps are used to circumvent paywalls for various websites. There are many of these shortcuts, and they might not work on all websites. You could try AntiPaywall, Bypass Paywall, Paywall and Cookie Bypass as well as Unpaywall.