Guide
Free digital bookmarking tools for low vision
A must-have tech skill for college, here's a list of free bookmarking tools that offer low vision accessibility features.
I started using digital bookmarking tools and bookmarking apps to organize research sources, website links and other multimedia content after I realized that my previous strategy of adding everything to my bookmarks or copying links into a single document wasn’t particularly effective. Learning to use bookmarking tools is an important skill for students to develop, especially when preparing for college transition or entering the workforce, as they are a valuable way to organize several different types of content and have it synchronize across multiple devices. Here is an overview of several free digital bookmarking tools that offer accessibility features for low vision and print disabilities, and the types of content supported. When available, I’ve also shared links to posts I’ve written about how I use individual apps.
Characteristics of bookmarking tools for low vision
Bookmarking tools save web content and other types of digital media for later reading, and apply custom font sizes/styles, spacing and background colors to saved content for a consistent reading experience. Users can save content from online sources, upload their own content from a device or cloud storage, or utilize a mix of both methods to organize multimedia content and topics of interest using headings, tags, folders and other organizational tools. Many tools also provide options for adding notes or applying visual formatting to text, which can aid in the notetaking process or when organizing content from multiple sources, as well as support for simplified reading displays or reading PDFs.
All of the applications I’ve listed are available across multiple platforms, including (but not limited to) Android, iOS, ChromeOS, Windows, Mac and some offer additional operating systems as well. In lieu of downloading an application, users can also access bookmarking tools through their web browser, no download required.
Related links
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
A note on privacy
By default, all of the applications listed on this page offer private accounts and content, meaning that no one else can see what another user saves to their bookmarking tools and accounts do not show up in search results. However, nothing uploaded to the internet is ever guaranteed to be 100% secure, so exercise caution and common sense when uploading sensitive files or content. More information can be found about data collection and privacy on each application’s website.
Related links
- Online Safety For Visually Impaired Users: Safer Internet Day
- How I Organize Digital Files For My Classes
Made for students and educators: Wakelet
Cost
Free, premium plan available for $72/year that offers unlimited collaboration and publishing for public collections, as well as video upload options. For users who created a Wakelet account prior to July 4th, 2023, Wakelet is 100% free to use and all premium features are included as part of their legacy plan.
Platforms supported
Wakelet is available as a web browser application with no additional downloads required, which can also be accessed in mobile web browsers. Wakelet also offers free mobile apps for iOS, Android,and Amazon.
Supported content
- Websites and links
- Articles and blog posts
- Text (Note) copied/pasted from another source or typed in Wakelet.
- Images (from web or uploaded from device)
- Content from Bookmarks/My Items
- PDF uploaded from device (web only)
- Drawing canvas (mobile only)
- Embedded content such as YouTube videos, content from cloud storage such as OneDrive or Google Drive, Flip Video or another third-party application
Options for saving content
- Copy/paste links or upload content within the web app or mobile app
- Free web browser extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox
- For devices with the mobile app installed, users can share links directly to the app
- Make a copy of another collection on Wakelet with the “Make a Copy” option
Unique feature
All text content in Wakelet collections can be read with Immersive Reader by selecting the Card Options menu on a piece of text content (the three-dot icon) or long-pressing in the mobile application, followed by selecting Immersive Reader. This does not work with image captions or other types of content, so I strongly recommend adding separate text cards for image captions, video details or website descriptions to improve readability and ensure readers can access Immersive Reader.
Users do not need to set up a Microsoft account or Wakelet account in order to access Immersive Reader, however Immersive Reader settings do not sync across apps or devices so users will need to configure display options like font size, style and background color within Wakelet.
Related links
Open-source and growing: Omnivore
Cost
Free
Platforms supported
Omnivore is available as a web browser application with no additional downloads required, and can be accessed on mobile web browsers as well. Free mobile apps are also available for Android and iOS devices.
Supported content
- Websites and links
- Articles and blog posts
- Emails and newsletters
- RSS feeds
- PDF uploaded from device
Options for saving content
- Save content directly from the Omnivore library (home screen)
- Free web browser extensions for Safari, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox
- For devices with the mobile app installed, users can share links directly to the app
- Subscribe to newsletters by generating an Omnivore email address to sign up
Unique feature
Users can subscribe to newsletters or email lists and have content delivered directly into their Omnivore library instead of to their email inbox. This is a helpful way to read and organize emails sent out by professional organizations or content creators and ensures that they don’t get lost in an inbox, as well as provide an option for organizing content into folders.
Related links
Free with premium options: Pocket
Cost
Free, premium/pro subscription available at $4.99 per month or $44.99 annually (USD). Premium removes ads and offers additional options for font styles and spacing, as well as organizing content.
Platforms supported
Pocket is available as a web browser application with no additional downloads required, and also offers options for apps on Mac, iOS, Android, Windows and Amazon Alexa.
Supported content
- Websites and links
- Articles and blog posts
- Videos (from web)
- Images (from web)
- Files that are hosted online and have their own URL, such as a PDF uploaded to a website
Options for saving content
- Save links and articles directly from the Pocket library (home screen)
- Free web browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Edge
- For devices with the mobile app installed, users can share links directly to the app when opening the Share menu on their device
- Share a link via email – use the email address associated with the Pocket account to [email protected] (send only one link per email)
Unique feature
Users can listen to articles by selecting the Listen icon within an article, which looks like a pair of headphones. Pocket will read the article back using text-to-speech or streaming voices, depending on if the device is connected to the internet or not. The audio recording can be paused, rewind/fast forward in 15 second increments, and playback speed can be adjusted as well.
Another option is to ask Amazon Alexa to read Pocket articles. Users can say “Alexa, tell Pocket to get articles,” and Alexa will list the three most recent articles. Users can then ask Alexa to play number 1, 2 or 3 and Alexa will read the article out loud, with options for pausing, rewind/fast forward controls as well.
Related links
Collecting inspiration: Pinterest
Cost
Free (includes ads)
Platforms supported
Pinterest is available as a web browser application with no additional downloads required, and also offers free mobile applications for iOS and Android.
Supported content
- Websites and links
- Articles and blog posts
- Videos (from web or uploaded from device)
- Images (from web or uploaded from device)
- Files that are hosted online and have their own URL, such as a PDF uploaded to a website
Options for saving content
- Create new pin or upload links/contents from Pinterest home page
- Free web browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
- For devices with the mobile app installed, users can share links directly to the app when opening the Share menu on their device
Unique feature
Unlike the other applications listed, Pinterest boards and accounts can be made public and show up in search results, unless the user has their boards set to secret and/or a private account. With Pinterest, users can also get recommendations for other accounts and content to follow, which can be helpful for finding additional sources or ideas related to a specific topic.
Related links
- How I Use Pinterest For Studying In College
- Veronica With Four Eyes (@Veron4ica) on Pinterest
- How To Modify Accessible Anatomy Graphics For Low Vision
Organizing bookmarks in a visual way: Collections (Microsoft Edge)
Cost
Free
Platforms supported
Collections is built into the Microsoft Edge web browser and can be accessed across multiple devices that are signed into the same Microsoft account. Edge is available on Windows 10 and 11, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux.
Supported content
- Websites and links
- Articles and blog posts
- Videos (from web)
- Images (from web)
- Files that are hosted online and have their own URL, such as a PDF uploaded to a website
Options for saving content
- Pin the Collections tool to the toolbar or open it in the More Tools menu located in Settings and More (three dots icon)
- For Windows, use keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Y
- Open a collection and select Add Current Page to save it as a visual link (link title and featured image)
Unique feature
Instead of using the Bookmarks tool and viewing a text-based list of links and titles, Collections uses visual links that include the title for the page and an accompanying image, which can make content easier to locate. Users can also search their collections list and read content with Immersive Reader, which is built into the Edge web browser for supported text content.
Related links
- Organize your ideas with Collections in Microsoft Edge – Microsoft Support
- My Favorite Web Browser Extensions For Virtual Learning
Sideload content for eReading: Send-to-Kindle
Cost
Free
Platforms supported
Users can read content sideloaded with Send-to-Kindle in their Kindle library, which can be accessed with a web browser application (no downloads required), or with Android, ChromeOS, iOS, Mac or Windows applications.
Supported content
Content can be saved from a web browser or uploaded from a device with a 200 MB size limit.
- DOC/DOCX
- TXT
- RTF
- HTM/HTML
- PNG
- GIF
- JPG/JPEG
- BMP
- EPUB
Options for saving content
- Use the Send-to-Kindle website and upload content from the device file browser
- For devices with the mobile app installed, users can share links directly to the app when opening the Share menu on their device
- Users can set up a Send-to-Kindle email address and add approved email addresses that can be used to send content by going to Digital Content (Manage Your Content & Devices), Preferences and then Personal Document Settings. Once that is set up, users can send content for sideloading by sending a blank email with no subject line to the device’s email address, with the content for sideloading as an attachment.
- Free web browser extensions for Chrome and Edge for HTM/HTML content only (like websites)
- Send content from Microsoft Word (paid Microsoft 365 subscription required)
- Download the Send-to-Kindle app for Windows or Mac computers to send files directly from the file browser or using drag-and-drop within the app
Unique feature
While not a traditional digital bookmarking tool, Send-to-Kindle offers multiple options for sideloading content and organizing content in the user’s digital library for offline reading, as well as options to use the same text customization features and organizational tools available in the free Kindle app. Users are not required to purchase an Amazon Kindle to use Send-to-Kindle, though they will need to have a free Amazon account to access their Kindle library.
Related links
- How I Use Send-To-Kindle With Low Vision
- Sideloading and Low Vision
- How I Use My eReader For School and Online Classes
- Amazon Kindle App and Low Vision Accessibility
More resources on digital bookmarking tools for low vision
- Even though I don’t use it as a digital bookmarking app, I love using Microsoft Office Sway to organize multimedia content and organize my projects and presentations. I share more about how I use it in How To Use Microsoft Office Sway With Assistive Technology
- Looking for a way to bookmark websites so they can be accessed from a home screen? I strongly recommend reading Helpful Ways To Bookmark Websites For Low Vision Users
- Want to know how I organize my citations? Read How I Create Citations For Research Papers
- I created this resource for digital bookmarking tools as part of my EDAT 649 class (AT Assessment) at George Mason University. Check out more free resources I created for this class by visiting EDAT 649 Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
Back to Paths to Technology’s Home page
