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Having trouble with Rapid Reader? Find solutions to the most common issues below. If your problem is not listed here, check the FAQ or contact support.
Problem: PDF shows no content, displays garbled text, or only shows a few words.Cause: Your PDF is likely scanned or image-based rather than text-based. Rapid Reader can only extract text from PDFs that contain actual text data, not images of text.Solution:
  • Open the PDF in any viewer and try to select text with your cursor. If you cannot highlight individual words, the PDF is image-based.
  • Run the PDF through an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool first. Free options include Adobe Acrobat’s online OCR, Google Drive (upload and download as text), or dedicated tools like Tesseract.
  • If possible, obtain a text-based version of the document from the original source.
Problem: You see a message saying the app “cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified” or similar security warning.Cause: The Rapid Reader Mac app is not notarized with Apple, which triggers macOS Gatekeeper protection.Solution:
  1. Locate the Rapid Reader app in Finder
  2. Right-click (or Control-click) on the app icon
  3. Select Open from the context menu
  4. Click Open in the dialog that appears
You only need to do this once. After the first launch, macOS will remember your choice and open the app normally.
Problem: Keyboard shortcuts do not respond, the extension appears disabled, or the popup does not appear.Cause: Chrome extensions are restricted on certain pages for security reasons.Solution:
  • The extension cannot run on Chrome’s internal pages: chrome:// URLs, the Chrome Web Store, or the new tab page
  • Navigate to any regular website (like a news article or blog post) and try again
  • Check that the extension is enabled in chrome://extensions
  • Verify keyboard shortcuts are configured in chrome://extensions/shortcuts
  • Try refreshing the page or restarting Chrome
Problem: Your library is empty and all your saved reads are gone.Cause: Rapid Reader stores your library data locally in your browser or app. If browser data was cleared, or you are using a different browser or device, your reads will not appear.Solution:
  • Unfortunately, locally stored reads cannot be recovered once browser data is cleared
  • To prevent future loss, consider exporting important reads or keeping source files accessible
  • If using multiple devices, note that reads are stored separately on each device
  • Check if you are signed into the same browser profile you were using before
Problem: You cannot keep up with the words at current speed, or reading feels sluggish and frustrating.Solution:
  • Start at 250 WPM if you are new to RSVP reading. This gives your brain time to adapt to the format.
  • Increase speed gradually in 25 WPM increments as you become comfortable
  • Match your speed to the content. Dense technical material needs slower speeds than casual reading.
  • Use arrow keys during playback to adjust speed on the fly
  • See Choosing Your Speed for detailed guidance on finding the right pace for different content types
Problem: Pressing keyboard shortcuts does nothing or triggers the wrong action.Cause: The app may not have focus, or another application or browser extension may be intercepting the shortcuts.Solution:
  • Click directly on the reading area or display to ensure Rapid Reader has focus
  • Check for conflicting browser extensions that might capture the same keys
  • Verify that your operating system has not assigned global shortcuts to the same keys
  • On Mac, check System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts for conflicts
  • Try using the on-screen controls to confirm the app is responding, then test shortcuts again

Still need help?

Contact support if your issue is not resolved above