SaveThenRead is built around one idea: get the content in, read it without friction. But there are actually five different ways to save something, and knowing which one to use for which situation makes the whole thing significantly smoother.

Here's the full breakdown.

Method 1: The Browser Extension (Best for Most Things)

The extension is the fastest and most universal method. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, and a small button appears in your toolbar. When you're on any page you want to read later — an article, a Substack post, a long X thread — click it. The content is saved instantly, cleaned up, and waiting in your library.

The extension works on virtually any public website. It's also the only method that works for paywalled content: if you're subscribed to the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, or the Financial Times, the extension can capture the full article text as long as you're logged in to that site in your browser.

For X/Twitter, the extension has dedicated support — it captures the full thread in order, not just the first post.

Install the extension → use it on any page. This covers 95% of use cases.

Method 2: Paste a URL (No Extension Required)

If you don't have the extension installed, or you're on a device where you can't install it, you can paste any URL directly into the search bar on your dashboard. The server fetches the page and extracts the text.

This works well for:

• Articles on open-access sites (dev.to, arXiv, GitHub, Hacker News, Stratechery)
• Blog posts that don't require a login
• Any publicly accessible long-form content

It doesn't work for paywalled sites — the server can't log in to your NYT account. For those, you need the extension.

Method 3: Upload a PDF or EPUB

The dashboard has a file import button. Drag in a PDF or EPUB and it gets processed, added to your library, and formatted for reading — including automatic chapter detection for books with multiple chapters.

This is the method for:

• Books you've bought as ebooks
• Research papers and reports
• Long documents you've downloaded and want to read properly

Once imported, books get the full reader experience: focus mode, text-to-speech, AI chat, highlights, and the new Contents panel for jumping between chapters.

Method 4: Mention on X

If you're on X/Twitter and come across a link you want to read later, you can save it without ever leaving the app. Just quote the tweet or reply to it and mention @savethenread — the bot will pick it up and add the article to your library automatically.

It works for any URL posted on X, not just X-native content. Link to a New Yorker piece, a blog post, a YouTube transcript — mention the bot and it's saved.

Method 5: RSS Feeds

If you follow publications or blogs that publish via RSS, you can subscribe to their feeds directly in SaveThenRead. New posts arrive in your library automatically as they're published — no manual saving required.

Go to Dashboard → add a feed URL. The app checks for new content on a regular schedule and imports it straight to your inbox.

This is the set-and-forget method. Good for newsletters, blogs you follow consistently, and any publication with a public RSS feed.

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Which Sites Work Best

| Site / Type | Best method | Notes | |---|---|---| | X / Twitter threads | Extension or @mention | Extension captures full threads | | Substack | Extension | Best quality; captures full post | | NYT, WSJ, FT, Bloomberg | Extension only | Must be logged in to the site | | dev.to, arXiv, HN, GitHub | URL paste or extension | Both work fine | | Stratechery, Ghost blogs | URL paste or extension | Open posts work via paste | | Medium | Extension | Paywalled posts need extension + login | | Any public article | URL paste | Quickest if you already have the link | | PDFs, EPUBs | File upload | Drag and drop from dashboard | | Blogs you follow | RSS | Set once, arrives automatically | | Everything else | Extension popup | Universal fallback |

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The short version: install the extension and use it everywhere. Add RSS feeds for the publications you follow consistently. Upload files for books and documents. Use URL paste when you just have a link and want to save it quickly.

That's the whole system. Everything you want to read, in one place, ready when you are.