Paywalls I Have Known
You might want to print this article out before it goes away
I frequently search the Internet, or scholar.google.com for research on different topics. Sometimes I find just the right thing, but it is ‘paywalled’. That is to say, I can’t read it, without paying someone, or logging in with my university credentials, or joining some limited-time offer. I see this often, and usually, my student credentials from one school or another allow me to read it. But it is very annoying.
When you browse to a website, and then a pop up window blocks the article, it can be disheartening. But one easy workaround that often works, is to just disable javascript for that page. Sound hard? Just get a plug in or browser extension that can toggle it off and on. For example in Firefox, you could install the web extension called:
Disable JavaScript (v2.3.2resigned1)
which will give you a little green browser switch to do this:
There are many other tools like this. I have no idea if it’s legal but I know that a lot of students do it.
Or you could just have one of your browsers set up to Always Disable javascript. If you browse hacker sites, you probably do that already.
If you are looking for research articles, you could also try UnPaywall, which automatically searches for alternative free copies of research.
If you search for research articles and see a page like this one,
which is trying to sell you access. You could pay, or use your university access if you have that, or you could click the green unlock symbol put there by your UnPaywall browser extension. That will take you to a legal unpaywalled version of the article in Science, PLOS One, or a pre-publication version like arXiv.
You can read more about that here.
If those ideas don’t work, and you want to learn more on the subject, you can ask any AI something like “what are good ways to handle a paywall that is blocking access to a web site”
Here is a helpful short checklist of ideas, extracted from AIs, and some hands on:
1. Disable JavaScript
Many paywalls are implemented through JavaScript. Disabling JavaScript on the site may remove the paywall overlay. Here's how to do this:
Chrome: Use an extension like Disable JavaScript.
Manually Disable JavaScript:
In Chrome or Edge, go to Developer Tools (Ctrl+Shift+I or Cmd+Opt+I on Mac), then select the "Settings" menu and disable JavaScript.
Reload the page to see if the content is accessible.
1b. Use Other Browser Extensions/Ad blockers
Certain browser extensions are designed to bypasslib paywalls. Some other examples follow.
Bypass Paywalls: Available on GitHub for Chromium-based browsers and Firefox (GitHub link).
uBlock Origin: Some overlays can be removed by using an ad-blocker like uBlock Origin. You may need to manually block elements on the page.
2. Check for Other Free Options
Search for Alternative Sources: Many websites syndicate or repost similar content. Copy the headline or a portion of the text and search for it on Google to see if it's available elsewhere for free.
Sci-hub is a common alternative for students.
Sci-hub sites ignore copyrights, and do not care if you have access through your university, etc. They believe in free access to science information. They may or may not have your paper, but often does. There is a big ethical discussion on this in online forums, but things are still in progress in the legal theaters. From what I gather, the legal people for the paywalls go after the many sites that host sci-hub (and try to get them taken down) not the individual students. But that means Sci-hub websites come and go with wild abandon, in various countries, and some new ones can even be hacker or scam sites. Caveat emptor. Read more here:
Use Google Cache or Wayback Machine:
Search for the page on Google and click the small down arrow next to the URL in the search results to access the cached version.
Alternatively, paste the URL into Wayback Machine to see if an archived version exists.
Use a Library Account: Many libraries have free access to paywalled services, such as newspapers and academic journals. Check with your local library for digital subscriptions.
3. Clear Cookies or Use Incognito Mode
Clear Cookies: Some paywalls track how many articles you've read using cookies. Clear your cookies for that website (or use your browser's incognito/private browsing mode) to reset the limit.
Incognito Mode: Open the site in a private or incognito window to bypass soft paywalls that track browsing history.
4. Use a Reader Mode
Browser reader modes strip unnecessary elements from the page, including some paywalls. Here's how to enable it:
Safari: Click the "Reader" button in the URL bar.
Firefox: Click the "Reader View" icon in the URL bar.
Chrome: Enable the experimental reader mode by typing
chrome://flags/in the address bar, searching for "Reader Mode," and enabling it.
5. Inspect the Page Source
Right-click the page and select "Inspect" or "View Page Source" to look for the article's text in the HTML code. Some paywalls hide content behind overlays but still load the full text in the background.
6. Subscribe or Use a Free Trial
If it's content you value, consider supporting the site by subscribing or using a free trial if offered. Many publications rely on subscriptions to fund quality journalism.
7. Leverage Social Media or Sharing Tools
Social Media Links: Often, paywalled articles are available for free through links shared on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook.
Referral Links: Some sites allow free access if you visit through a referral link. Try sharing the article with yourself via email or social media to see if the paywall is removed.
8. Use a VPN or Proxy
Some paywalls are region-specific or track your IP address. Switching to a different location using a VPN might grant access.
9. Contact the Publisher/Author:
Sometimes reaching out to the publisher or author or website directly can help. They might offer a discount, a one-time access pass, or other solutions.
Science research articles list the authors of the article, and often there is someone mentioned for ‘correspondence’, and this person will often respond to requests for a copy of the article. Scientists want their work to be read - it’s just politics and other reasons that cause the work to end up behind a paywall. They aren’t thrilled with this idea either.
And here we need a big disclaimer. Some of these ideas are in a legal gray area, and may not be legal in your area. That is your responsibility, not ours. See below.
Great intel!
Found a new method. This site does various bypasses, when you give it a URL. https://byebyepaywall.com/en/