Reading Ruler

A horizontal reading ruler that follows your mouse to improve readability.

Reading Ruler — Focused, Comfortable, Accessible Reading on Every Website Reading Ruler is my very first web-extension, It is a lightweight, privacy‑first accessibility tool designed to make online reading easier, calmer, and more focused. It adds a clean, customizable horizontal highlight bar that helps you keep your place while reading long articles, documentation, emails, PDFs, or any webpage. The ruler dims the surrounding text and visually isolates the line you’re reading, reducing eye strain and helping you stay on track without losing your place. Many people (Including me) struggle with line‑tracking, visual overwhelm, or drifting focus when reading on screens. Reading Ruler solves this by giving you a simple visual guide that moves with your mouse or keyboard. It works instantly on just about every website, requires no setup, and never collects or sends any data. If you read a lot online, this tool becomes seamless additions to your browser/ and browser experience. Why I think you should install Reading Ruler? 1. Better focus while reading Online text can be visually stressful. Ads, sidebars, bright colors, and dense paragraphs make it easy to lose your place. Reading Ruler dims everything except the line you’re currently reading, giving you a calm, distraction‑reduced reading experience. 2. Helps with line‑tracking and visual stability If you’ve ever reread the same line multiple times, skipped a line by accident, or lost your place in a long paragraph, the ruler gives you a stable anchor. It’s especially helpful for users with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, visual processing differences, or anyone who benefits from guided reading. 3. Reduces eye strain The dimming effect softens the surrounding text, lowering visual load and making long reading sessions more comfortable. You can adjust the ruler height and dim intensity to match your preference. 4. Works (almost) everywhere Reading Ruler activates on any website, including: ⦁ articles and blogs ⦁ research papers ⦁ documentation ⦁ email clients ⦁ online textbooks ⦁ forums ⦁ PDFs opened in the browser If it’s text on a webpage, the ruler works on it. 5. Fully customizable You control how the ruler behaves: ⦁ adjust the ruler height ⦁ change dim intensity ⦁ toggle it on/off instantly ⦁ move it with mouse or keyboard 6. No accounts, no tracking, no data collection Reading Ruler is completely local. It does not: ⦁ send data anywhere ⦁ track your browsing ⦁ require login ⦁ connect to external services I aim for privacy. What Reading Ruler does When enabled, Reading Ruler places a horizontal highlight bar across the page. As you move your mouse or scroll, the ruler stays aligned with the line you’re reading. Everything above and below the ruler dims slightly, helping your eyes stay centered on the active line. You can toggle the ruler at any time using a keyboard shortcut. You can also adjust the ruler height to match different text sizes, and you can change how strong the dimming effect is. The goal is to give you a reading experience that feels natural, comfortable, and distraction‑free. Who Reading Ruler is for Reading Ruler is built for anyone who reads online, but it’s especially helpful for: ⦁ students reading long articles or textbooks ⦁ developers reading documentation ⦁ researchers reviewing papers ⦁ people with ADD, and/or ADHD who benefit from visual guidance ⦁ people with dyslexia who need help with line‑tracking ⦁ readers who experience eye strain or fatigue ⦁ anyone who wants a calmer reading experience If you’ve ever wished websites had a built‑in reading guide, this extension gives you exactly that. Key Features • Toggle instantly Turn the ruler on or off with a single shortcut. It activates only when you need it. • Adjustable ruler height Make the highlight bar thicker or thinner depending on the text size or your personal preference. • Adjustable dim intensity Control how much the surrounding text fades. Light dimming for subtle focus, or stronger dimming for maximum clarity. • Smooth movement The ruler follows your mouse or keyboard navigation without lag or jitter. • Works on every site No special permissions, no compatibility issues. If the page has text, the ruler works. • Lightweight and efficient The extension is optimized to run smoothly without slowing down your browser. • Privacy‑first No analytics, no tracking, no external requests. Everything stays on your device. Why I think this tool matters Reading on screens is harder than reading on paper. Lines are longer, spacing varies, and websites are filled with distractions. Many people don’t realize how much cognitive load goes into simply keeping your place while reading, especially online. Reading Ruler reduces that load. It gives your eyes a stable anchor, helps your brain stay oriented, and turns disorienting webpages into something closer to a clean, guided reading experience. Whether you’re reading for work, school, or personal interest, the ruler helps you stay focused and comfortable. Simple, effective, and built for real users Reading Ruler adds a single, powerful accessibility tool that works with the page exactly as it is. a small tool that makes a big difference. Install Reading Ruler if you want: ⦁ clearer, calmer reading ⦁ fewer distractions ⦁ better line‑tracking ⦁ reduced eye strain ⦁ a simple tool that works everywhere ⦁ a privacy‑respecting extension with no hidden behavior If you read online every day, Reading Ruler becomes an essential part of your workflow. Final note Reading Ruler is designed to be minimal,It simply gives you a reliable visual guide that helps you stay focused and comfortable while reading anything on the web. Install it once, toggle it when you need it, and enjoy a smoother reading experience on (almost) every site you visit.