How To Get Around Paywalls: The Ultimate 2024 Guide

Paywalls can be frustrating. You find an article you want to read, click on it, and bam – hit with a subscription prompt or paywall blocking you from seeing the content.

While paywalls allow publishers to earn revenue and fund quality journalism, no one likes seeing a roadblock when they just want to read an article.

The good news is there are ways to ethically get around paywalls to access content for free. With a little effort, you can bypass many paywalls and satisfy your reading needs.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover actionable tips to bypass paywalls in 2024.

Overview of Paywall Bypassing Methods

Here‘s a quick overview of the paywall bypassing tactics we‘ll cover:

• Use incognito/private browsing mode
• Clear cookies and site data
• Modify the URL
• Use a VPN or proxy service
• Browser extensions and addons like Bypass Paywalls Clean
• Web archives like Wayback Machine
• Third-party aggregation sites
• Access through social media
• Use a library card
• iOS shortcuts
• Reader mode
• Print friendly view

Not every method will work for every paywall. Publishers use different paywall systems, so it often takes trying a few different tactics.

The good news is with so many options, you‘re almost guaranteed to bypass most paywalls with a little trial and error. Let‘s dive in!

1. Use Incognito/Private Browsing

Incognito or private browsing is one of the easiest go-to methods for bypassing soft paywalls.

Many publishers like New York Times allow readers to view a certain number of articles per month before hitting the paywall. They use cookies saved in your browser to keep count.

By using incognito/private mode, you browse without saving cookies. The site doesn‘t recognize you‘ve already read articles that month and lets you view more content.

The steps to activate private browsing:

Chrome

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + N
• Mac: ⌘ + Shift + N

Firefox

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + P
• Mac: ⌘ + Shift + P

Safari

• Safari menu > Private Browsing

Edge

• Ctrl + Shift + P

Once you‘re done viewing the content, close all incognito windows. Then you can open a new private browsing session to bypass the paywalls again later.

2. Clear Cookies and Site Data

Similar to using incognito mode, clearing cookies and site data resets your access count to a site.

This method works if you don‘t want to browse in private mode but still want to bypass paywalls. Here are the steps:

Chrome

1. Click the 3 dots in the top right
2. Settings
3. Privacy & Security
4. Clear browsing data
5. Check cookies and site data
6. Choose the timeframe (all time recommended)
7. Clear data

Firefox

1. Click the 3 lines in the top right
2. Options
3. Privacy & Security
4. Scroll down to Cookies and Site Data
5. Clear data

Safari

1. Safari menu
2. Clear History and Website Data

Clearing this data resets your access count for that site‘s paywall. You can now view more articles past the limit.

3. Modify the URL

Some paywalls use the specific URL to determine if you have access. By modifying the URL, you can sometimes trick the paywall into letting you in.

For example, try:

• Adding or removing www
• Switching between http and https
• Deleting everything after .com

Here are two examples:

Original URL:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/04/technology/big-tech-FTC-investigation.html

Modified URL:

http://nytimes.com/2023/01/04/technology/big-tech-FTC-investigation

This simple URL modification lets you access the full New York Times article for free.

4. Use a VPN or Proxy Service

VPNs and proxies allow you to change your virtual location. This can help bypass paywalls that restrict access based on your geographic location.

For example, some sites limit international readers but allow access from certain countries like the US. Using a VPN with US-based servers lets you view the content regardless of where you are located.

Some other ways VPNs and proxies help bypass paywalls:

• Mask your IP address so sites that limit by IP won‘t recognize you
• Allow you to clear site cookies/data and appear as a new reader
• Access US versions of sites that may have fewer paywalls

Some top-rated VPN services to try for bypassing paywalls include:

• NordVPN – fast speeds, reliable connections, easy to use.
• ExpressVPN – great for streaming with fast servers.
• Surfshark – unlimited devices and a low monthly cost.

Most VPN services offer free trials or money-back guarantees, so you can test them out risk-free.

5. Use Browser Extensions and Addons

Specialized browser extensions exist to help bypass paywalls with the click of a button. They automatically detect paywalls and remove access restrictions when possible.

Some top options:

• Bypass Paywalls Clean – Open source extension that works on many major paywalls. Currently available for Firefox.
• Paywall Bypasser – Chrome extension that bypasses paywalls on 200+ sites. Available on the Chrome Web Store.
• Anti-Paywall – Open source Firefox extension that removes many paywalls automatically. Get it on GitHub.

These extensions do the hard work for you, detecting paywalls and allowing access with a single click. They can bypass most soft paywalls while you browse effortlessly.

6. Use Web Archives

Web archives crawl and store old versions of websites, including content originally behind paywalls.

The Wayback Machine is the largest and most popular web archive. It contains hundreds of billions of web pages dating back to the 1990s.

To use it to bypass paywalls:

1. Go to the article you want to read but can‘t access due to a paywall. Copy the URL.

2. Go to Wayback Machine and paste the URL in the search bar.

3. Click on an archived version before the site had a paywall.

4. You can now read the full article for free!

For example, here is an archived Washington Post article from 2014 available for free via Wayback Machine.

Using web archives takes a few extra clicks but unlocks paywalled content on many sites. Google “[site name] wayback machine” to quickly find archived versions.

7. Use Third-Party Aggregation Sites

Certain sites crawl content from other publications then republish it freely without paywalls. By accessing articles on these sites, you can read paywalled content for free.

Some top news aggregation sites include:

• Yahoo News
• MSN News
• Google News
• Drudge Report

For example, this New York Times article has a hard paywall on NYTimes.com. But the full article text is available for free on Yahoo News here.

These news aggregators legally obtain syndicated content and provide a backdoor to access paywalled articles. Bookmark sites like Yahoo News to read for free.

8. Access Articles Through Social Media

In a similar vein, some publishers allow free previews of articles if accessed through certain social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

You can take advantage of this by clicking the Facebook or Twitter sharing link instead of the main article link.

For example:

This Guardian link is paywalled:

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/feb/14/energy-bills-advice-financial-support-uk-households

But this Facebook share link of the same article isn‘t:

https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmoney%2F2023%2Ffeb%2F14%2Fenergy-bills-advice-financial-support-uk-households

When you land on the Facebook redirect page, there will be an option to click out to the full article. This allows you to bypass the paywall.

This hack can provide free access on some sites. Look for the social media share links on articles and use those doors to get around paywalls.

9. Use Your Local Library Card

Your local library likely pays for subscriptions to premium publications and databases. As a library card holder, you can often access this paywalled content for free through your library‘s website.

Most libraries participate in services like:

• OverDrive/Libby – ebooks and audiobooks
• RBdigital – digital magazines and newspapers
• ProQuest, JSTOR, and EBSCOhost – academic journals
• Lynda, Mango Languages, Rosetta Stone – online learning

Visit your library‘s website and check out all the offerings. You can read digital copies of premium publications without paying by logging in with your library card.

Libraries make tons of valuable paywalled content available for free to their members. Don‘t sleep on this option.

10. Leverage iOS Shortcuts

On iOS devices, you can use the Shortcuts app to help bypass paywalls with a couple taps.

Here are some handy shortcuts you can add:

• Unpaywall – uses the Unpaywall database to find free versions of paywalled articles.
• Reader View – enables Reader View on the current page to remove paywall restrictions.
• Paywall Bypass – performs a series of steps like using Facebook sharing links to bypass soft paywalls.

After adding these shortcuts in the Shortcuts app, you‘ll have new options when sharing an article link on iOS. Tap the shortcut you want to run, and it will work to remove the paywall.

11. Use Reader Mode

Reader View is an article mode available in most browsers that strips away site styling and formatting to provide a clean reading experience.

As a bonus, activating Reader View can sometimes get around soft paywalls. It essentially tricks the site into thinking you‘re a search engine bot vs a human reader.

To try this method:

1. Navigate to the paywalled article you want to read.

2. Turn on Reader View using the browser menu or keyboard shortcuts:

   • Chrome: Click the 3 vertical dots then ‘Distill page‘
   • Safari: Click ‘Show Reader View‘ in the address bar
   • Firefox: Click the Reader View icon in the address bar
   • Edge: Click the Books icon in the address bar

3. Scroll down and see if you have access to the full paywalled content in Reader Mode.

This workaround doesn‘t work on all sites but can help provide free access on some.

12. Use Print Friendly View

Similarly, Print View removes site styling and ads to display a clean version intended for printing.

Some sites forget to enable the paywall on the Print View version – so switching to this mode can sometimes get around paywalls.

On most browsers, you can access the Print View using the Ctrl/Cmd + P keyboard shortcut or through the Print options in the browser menu.

Don‘t Forget to Support Quality Journalism

While the tips in this guide can help you access paywalled content for free, please consider directly supporting publications you gain value from.

Quality journalism relies on paid subscribers. If you find yourself using these bypass methods frequently for a certain site, strongly consider taking out a paid subscription.

Many publications offer discounted promo rates, student discounts, or temporary "guest passes" if you want to try it out first.

Don‘t deprive great journalists and publications of compensation for their work. Use paywall bypassing ethically and judiciously.

When you come across great reporting and writing, vote with your wallet to encourage more.

Bypassing Paywalls: The Ethical Approach

There are a few considerations to keep in mind when bypassing paywalls:

• Use bypassing judiciously rather than extensively avoiding payment for all content.
• Only use free access for articles relevant to your interests vs browsing aimlessly.
• Disable adblock before accessing content to allow the site to monetize your visit.
• When you find value in the publication, subscribe or donate to support their work.
• Avoid sharing or republishing paywalled content excessively without permission.

The web is filled with amazing, HIGH QUALITY content that costs time and money to produce. While occasionally accessing that content for free is understandable, be mindful in how you bypass paywalls.

Support journalists who create value in your life. And use these tips responsibly to supplement your reading rather than replace a subscription.

Final Thoughts

With so many options to access content past paywalls, you should never struggle to read an interesting article again.

Browser extensions, private browsing modes, web archives, aggregators, and clever tricks give you the tools to get around most hard and soft paywalls.

Bookmark this guide for reference whenever you hit a pesky paywall. With trial and error, you‘ll figure out which methods work best for the sites you frequent.

Happy reading! Just don‘t forget to support quality journalism when you find it.