Don’t let a flaky internet connection or a disappearing webpage stand between you and your favorite articles. Here’s how to save articles for offline reading.
There are plenty of reasons to save articles offline. Maybe you’re heading into a long flight without Wi-Fi, trying to build a personal archive of useful reads, or just want to make sure an article doesn’t disappear later.
Whatever the case, Apple devices offer several ways to store content for offline reading. These include built-in options to more advanced tools that help with organization and long-term preservation.
While some methods prioritize convenience, like Safari‘s Reading List, others focus on keeping articles readable and accessible for years to come.
Why preserving web content matters
The World Wide Web feels permanent, but web pages can disappear overnight. Articles get taken down, paywalls go up, and links break, leaving valuable information lost.
Saving content offline is a way to preserve knowledge, whether for personal reference or historical record.
Professional archivists emphasize the importance of choosing the right formats to ensure information remains accessible long-term. Some methods work well for quick reading, while others focus on true preservation.
For example, text files are a good choice because nearly all operating systems can read and access them. Archivists recommend universal formats like these while also warning against proprietary ones, which means they might not fully approve of this tip .
However, every little bit counts, and the purpose of this tip is the “quick reading” aspect, where everyone can create a personal archive, rather than as a comprehensive guide to true preservation.
Safari Reading List – the easiest way to save articles
If you want a quick, no-fuss way to save articles for later, Safari’s Reading List is built into the browser. It syncs across all your Apple devices through iCloud and automatically downloads articles for offline reading.
- Open an article in Safari.
- Tap the share button, and select Add to Reading List.
- On Mac and iPad, right-click a link and choose Add to Reading List or use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + D.
To ensure articles are downloaded for offline use, you’ll need to manually enable the “Automatically Save Offline” option in Safari’s system settings.
Safari Reading List
Reading List is great for short-term use, but it doesn’t have organization. There’s no tagging, folder system, or advanced search, so it can get cluttered over time. If you need more control, third-party apps offer better options.
Safari Web Archives
A web archive is a saved copy of a web page that preserves its content, layout, and media for offline viewing. Apple’s “.webarchive” format, used by Safari, captures the full page, including images and styles, so it looks the same as when it was first saved.
However, web archives have limitations. They aren’t widely supported outside of Apple’s ecosystem, making them less portable than PDFs or plain text. Some interactive elements, like embedded videos or dynamic content, may not function properly when viewed offline.
Alongside Safari there is a free third-party app called Web Archive Inspector. Available for iPhone and iPad, it lets you read and access Web Archive files offline.
Saving webpages as PDFs
PDFs are one of the best formats for saving articles because they preserve the original layout while remaining widely compatible. On Apple devices, you can save PDFs directly to Files, Apple Notes, or Apple Books, depending on how you want to organize them.
Saving webpages as archives or PDFs
- To save a web page as a PDF in Safari, tap the share button and choose PDF or Reader PDF in Options.
- Or, press Command-P on Mac and iPad to open the print window and save as PDF.
Files is the best choice for general storage, while Apple Notes and Apple Books allow you to add annotations or organize PDFs alongside other notes. While Apple Books doesn’t support the tagging feature found in Notes and Files, you can add ebooks and PDFs into collections that you create.
Apple News – offline downloads for subscribers
Apple News makes it easy to save articles, but offline access depends on whether you have a subscription. Non-subscribers can save articles to their Saved Stories section, but they won’t be available without an internet connection.
Apple News+ subscribers, however, can download full articles and even entire magazine issues for offline reading. To make sure, go to Settings,Apps,News, and find the News+ Offline Mode section.
- To save an article, tap the share button and select Save Story.
- You can also swipe left to find the Save button.
If you have Apple News+, you can also download full issues of supported magazines by opening an issue and tapping the download icon. Downloads sync across devices, making it a good option for travel or reading without Wi-Fi.
Saved articles in Apple News
A major limitation is the lack of a search function. Saved articles are listed chronologically, so finding a specific one can be frustrating if you’ve saved a lot.
Automating with Shortcuts for offline storage
If you save articles often, Apple’s Shortcuts app can automate the process. A custom shortcut can grab the text of a webpage or Apple News article and save it as a PDF, Markdown, or plain text file for offline reading.
I have an article clipper shortcut that saves articles directly to Apple Notes, making it easy to organize and access them offline. With some modifications, it could also save articles as plain text or even PDFs, depending on your needs.
Saving articles with other apps
While Apple’s built-in tools work well for basic offline saving, third-party apps like Pocket and Instapaper offer more flexibility and organization. These two are perhaps the best known, and while they have optional paid premium versions, even their free tiers save articles and provide at least some tagging, search, and annotation features.
Pocket is a solid choice for saving and organizing articles, especially if you like using tags to keep things tidy.
Instapaper takes a more minimalist approach, focusing on a clean reading experience. It lets you highlight passages, take notes, and access saved articles offline across multiple devices.
Then there is also GoodLinks, which costs $10, and is designed specifically for Apple users and stores articles in iCloud without requiring a subscription. It supports full-text search and lets you export saved content in Markdown, making it a great choice for long-term archiving.
Kiwix on the App Store
Kiwix is an offline reader that lets users download entire knowledge databases like Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg, and TED Talks for access without the internet. It stores content in ZIM files, which compress large amounts of data for efficient offline use across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.
Taking a few extra steps to save articles offline ensures that your valuable content remains accessible. Apple’s built-in tools offer simplicity, but third-party apps can include additional organization features.
Choose the method that fits your reading habits and storage goals to avoid the frustration of losing essential information.
