Make "simplified view" more subtle

[traumenCapote]

Adding my voice to this request. As a recent Android tablet owner, the main thing I do on it is read. The current reader view implementation is bonkers counter-intuitive. Why would anyone opt for a pop up?! It's so obnoxious and makes it hard to toggle it on and off. Vivaldi is otherwise the best browser on Android by far, but this makes it kind of annoying to use. This is my #1 request, and would be a great quality of life improvement.

[S_Paternotte]

It's time to bring this issue to the forefront again, as it is driving me crazy.

The "simplified view" banner is:

• intrusive, blocking the webpage header including logo (home button) and menu
• displayed far too long. I mean: really far too long!

If there's one setting that's badly needed in Vivaldi Android, than it's this:

• dramatically shortening the display time of the "Simplified view" banner
• add an extra option in the main menu "show simplified view"
• and add these "simplified view" texts to weblate for translation

[S_Paternotte]

I've filed a bug report VAB-6799

[S_Paternotte]

Interesting article about setting a Chrome flag to adjust the Reader mode heuristics.
https://techwiser.com/how-to-turn-off-show-simplified-view-pop-up-on-chrome-on-android/

Btw, opening chrome://flags may choke your Vivaldi browser. At least it does mine. Just be patient and wait for it to do its thing.

[S_Paternotte]

Filed an extra bug report "chokes on chrome://flags" VAB-6929

[S_Paternotte]

BTW, the option “Non-mobile-friendly articles” as mentioned in the article does not help much in preventing the Simplified view notification.

The saga continues....

[mib2berlin]

@S_Paternotte
Hi, before I set VAB-6929 as CNR(eproduce), it work fine on:

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Android 12
5.6.2868.29

We need some user to verify this.

Cheers, mib

[S_Paternotte]

HA!
Good that you included a screenshot where I notice that you've got the url bar at the top while mine has been at the bottom for like ages.

After setting my url bar at the top, I'm experiencing no choking with chrome://flags.
Could you try again, but this time with the url bar at the bottom?

Environment: Vivaldi version: 5.6.2868.29
Operating System: Android 12
Device model: SM-A415F (Samsung A41)

[tedcurran]

Just a humble request to consider moving the Reader View prompt to the bottom of the screen or somewhere in the browser chrome. I have a tall phone and it's a feature I enable several times per day. Would be nice if it were easier to invoke.
Thanks for considering.

[S_Paternotte]

See also https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/43319/make-simplified-view-more-subtle/

[Zalex108]

Hi,
The flags works here on A10.

Using it since some time, no more top banners, just the Address Bar button.

Had the "available mobile version" and just turned to "All", now even Forum triggers the button.

---

[S_Paternotte]

@Zalex108 BRILLIANT!
Confirmed om my Samsung A41.
Ever so pleased.

[scampbll]

I just got this working for myself and breathed a sigh of relief. In case it's not clear to anyone else:

To use the button in the menu rather than the banner, set Contextual page actions - reader mode: Enabled

Set Reader mode triggering to whatever settings works for you to get the option when you need it.

[S_Paternotte]

After having adjusted the Reader mode flags to "enabled" and "always" I found out that the Reader mode infobar is no longer displayed. HOORAY!
But the new Reader mode icon in the address bar was being offered way too often, including web pages where the Reader mode doesn't work.

So, I adjusted the Reader mode Heuristics option to "with article structured markup".

[edit] The option "Default" seems to do a good job as well in determining wether the Reader mode icon should be offered or not.

[S_Paternotte]

Still, I keep hoping for a main menu item "View webpage in Reader mode"

[stna1981]

I also would need the manual Reader mode. I tried fiddling around with the Chrome flags, but this is also not a solution. Even when forced, sometimes the button is there, sometimes it's not. Sometimes the reader dialog is shown, sometimes it's not. Even for the same website. So it is totally unreliable.

Are there any plans to add an option to have this button always available so that reader mode can be triggered manuelly by the user like it is available for e. g. Edge? It's the only drawback so far that I have with Vivaldi unfortuinately...