Set Up Sidepanel and On-Page Playback for Different Reading Workflows

Readox can show playback in more than one place.

The easiest way to think about it is this:

• the sidepanel is the full reading area
• the on-page controls let you stay on the page you are reading
• the player widget is the small control box that appears on the page during playback

You do not need to use all of them all the time. The point is to let you choose a lighter or fuller setup depending on what you are reading.

What the sidepanel is for

The sidepanel is the main place for longer or more involved reading.

Use it when you want to:

• read a full page
• read a PDF
• change voices or playback settings
• follow the transcript while listening
• paste your own text
• open a file
• save something to your library

If you are reading a long article, a report, a paper, or anything you expect to stay with for a while, the sidepanel is usually the easiest place to work.

What the on-page playback controls are for

Readox can also keep playback on the page itself.

That helps when you do not want to keep looking over at the sidepanel. You can still see the page, follow along, and control playback without moving into a separate workspace.

This is especially useful when:

• you are reading selected text
• you only want to hear a short section
• you want the page to remain the main thing you are looking at

What the player widget does

The player widget is the small box that appears on the page while something is playing.

It gives you quick controls like:

• play or pause
• stop
• move to the previous or next sentence
• change speed

You can drag it if it is covering something important.

The widget is helpful when you want simple controls nearby, but do not need the full sidepanel open in front of you.

What the floating play button does

When you select text, Readox can show a Floating play button right next to that selection.

This is the fastest way to start listening to a short passage. Instead of opening the sidepanel first, you can select the text and press play right there on the page.

In Settings, you can choose whether that button looks like:

• Small button
• Pill

If you usually highlight a paragraph and just want to hear it immediately, this is one of the most useful parts of the extension.

How these parts work together

These are not separate modes you have to pick once and keep forever.

You can move between them during normal use.

A common quick-reading workflow

You select some text on a page. The floating play button appears. You press it. Readox starts reading, and the player widget stays on the page so you can pause, stop, or change speed.

That is the lightest workflow.

A common longer-reading workflow

You open the sidepanel and start reading a full page, PDF, or pasted text from there. While the sidepanel is open, Readox can still show highlights and playback controls on the page if you want them.

That is useful when you want the transcript and controls in the sidepanel, but still want to follow the original page visually.

A mixed workflow

A lot of people will use both.

They may use the floating play button for quick selections, then use the sidepanel when they want to settle into a longer reading session.

How to make Readox simpler in Settings

If you want fewer controls on the page, you can change that.

Go to Settings -> Playback.

Floating play button

This setting controls whether Readox shows a play button near selected text.

Turn it off if:

• you do not want anything to appear when you select text
• you usually start reading from the sidepanel
• you prefer keyboard shortcuts or the right-click menu

Leave it on if:

• you often read highlighted text
• you want the fastest way to start playback from a selection

Page overlays with sidepanel

This setting controls whether the on-page player and highlights stay visible while the sidepanel is open.

Turn it off if:

• you want the page to stay cleaner while using the sidepanel
• you want the sidepanel to be your main playback area
• you find it distracting to have controls in two places

Leave it on if:

• you like seeing the text highlighted on the page while reading
• you want the sidepanel open but still want playback controls on the page

Three simple setups

1. Keep it mostly on the page

This works well if you mainly read short selections.

• leave Floating play button on
• leave Page overlays with sidepanel on

This gives you quick playback with very little setup.

2. Keep it mostly in the sidepanel

This works well if you usually read full pages, PDFs, OCR results, or your own pasted text.

• turn Floating play button off
• turn Page overlays with sidepanel off

This gives you a quieter page and puts most controls in one place.

3. Use both depending on the situation

This works well if you do a mix of short selection reading and longer listening sessions.

• leave Floating play button on
• decide whether you want Page overlays with sidepanel on or off based on how much on-page UI you like

If you are unsure, this is the best place to start.

Which one should you use?

If you want the short answer:

• use the sidepanel for full control
• use the floating play button for quick selections
• use the player widget when you want simple controls on the page

The best setup depends on how you read. Some people want everything in one place. Others want the page to stay as untouched as possible. Readox supports both.