Top Tricks to Save Time with the New York Times ReaderReading The New York Times efficiently can turn a daily chore into a fast, informative habit. Whether you’re catching up on news during a commute, skimming headlines between meetings, or digging into a long feature on the weekend, the NYT Reader offers tools and features that help you save time without missing what matters. Below are practical, time-saving tricks organized by how and when you read.
1. Customize your home feed
Personalize the sections and topics that appear when you open the app or site. Hide sections you rarely read and pin those you consult daily (e.g., Morning Briefing, Business, or Opinion). This reduces scrolling and surface noise.
- Turn on “For You” to surface articles aligned with your interests.
- Reorder sections so high-priority topics are at the top.
2. Use the Morning Briefing and Daily Newsletters
Subscribe to the NYT Morning Briefing and topical newsletters. They provide concise summaries of the day’s most important stories, saving time you would spend scanning multiple articles.
- Scan the briefing for headlines, then open only the full stories you need.
3. Master article navigation shortcuts
Learn keyboard shortcuts and in-app gestures to move through content faster.
- On desktop, use the browser’s find (Ctrl/Cmd+F) to jump to keywords.
- Use article “Next” links or swiping gestures in the mobile app to move quickly between pieces.
4. Save and queue articles for later
Use the save/bookmark feature to build a reading queue. Instead of interrupting your workflow to read long pieces, save them and batch-read during dedicated time.
- Create custom collections (if available) for topics like “Long Reads,” “Research,” or “Weekend.”
5. Use text-only or reader mode
Switch to text-only or reader mode to strip away ads, images, and sidebars. This reduces loading time and helps you focus on content.
- Reader mode often improves readability and reduces distractions, letting you speed-read.
6. Leverage audio versions and playback speed
Use NYT audio articles or text-to-speech to listen while commuting, exercising, or cooking. Increase playback speed slightly (1.25–1.5×) to listen faster without losing comprehension.
- Create a playlist of saved articles to listen to in sequence.
7. Use search and topic pages smartly
Rather than browsing broadly, search for specific keywords or visit curated topic pages. Topic pages collect the latest and most relevant coverage, saving time spent filtering results.
- Use filters (date, relevance) to narrow results.
8. Skim smartly with headlines, subheads, and ledes
Train yourself to skim effectively: read headlines, subheads, and the first paragraph (lede) to determine whether the full article is worth your time.
- If the lede answers your question, you may not need to read further.
9. Turn on notifications selectively
Enable Breaking News or topic-specific alerts for only the most critical updates. This prevents distracting, low-value pings and ensures you only stop to read when it’s important.
- Fine-tune notification settings to reduce noise.
10. Integrate with productivity tools
Connect saved articles to your note-taking or read-later services (Pocket, Evernote, Notion). Tag and organize items for quick retrieval during focused reading sessions.
- Use browser extensions or sharing features to add items to your workflow.
11. Use offline reading
Download articles or enable offline mode for times with poor connectivity. Having articles ready offline avoids wasting time waiting for pages to load.
12. Batch your reading
Set aside short, regular reading windows (e.g., 15–30 minutes morning and evening). Batch-processing news prevents constant context switching and saves cumulative time.
13. Rely on summaries and analyses for deep topics
For complex issues, read concise explainer pieces or Q&A articles instead of multiple long-form reports. NYT often publishes explainers that distill background and implications.
14. Optimize time with keyboard and browser tools
Use browser tab groups, reader extensions, and one-click bookmarklets to organize and open multiple saved articles quickly.
- Use “open all in tabs” for a saved collection, then close tabs after reading.
15. Keep subscription and account settings streamlined
Ensure you’re signed in and have subscription access across devices to avoid interruptions. Syncing saves time when switching between phone, tablet, and desktop.
The NYT Reader provides many small features that, combined, can dramatically reduce the time you spend finding and consuming news while keeping you well informed. Try implementing two or three of these tricks this week and measure how much time they free up.
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