Helperbird Quick Start Guide

Get started with Helperbird in under 2 minutes. Learn how to install, pin, and use your first accessibility feature on any website.

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Step 1: Install Helperbird

Go to your browser's extension store and search for Helperbird, or use one of these links:

Click Add to browser and follow the prompts to install.


Step 2: Pin Helperbird to Your Toolbar

After installing, pin the Helperbird icon so it is always visible:

  • Chrome — Click the puzzle piece icon in the top-right corner, find Helperbird, and click the pin icon
  • Edge — Click the three dots menu, go to Extensions, and pin Helperbird
  • Firefox — Click the hamburger menu, go to Add-ons, and pin Helperbird

For detailed steps, see our full pinning guide.


Step 3: Turn Helperbird On

Click the Helperbird icon (a small owl) in your toolbar. The Helperbird menu will open. Make sure the main toggle at the top is turned on — it will turn green when active.


Step 4: Try Your First Feature

Here are three great features to try first:

Text-to-Speech — Select any text on a webpage and have it read aloud to you. Find it in the Helperbird menu or use the Highlight Menu that appears when you select text.

Reading Mode — Click Reading Mode in the Helperbird menu to strip away ads and distractions from any article. Just the content, clean and easy to read.

Font Size — Increase the text size on any page to make it more comfortable to read. Find it in the Helperbird menu and use the slider to adjust.


Step 5: Explore More Features

Helperbird has over 40 features. To see them all, scroll down in the Helperbird menu and click All Features to expand the full list. You can also use the search bar at the top of the menu to find a specific feature by name.

Tip: Click the star icon next to any feature to add it to your favorites for quick access at the top of the menu.


What's Next?

Now that you are up and running, here are some helpful guides:


Video Tutorial

Coming soon


Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions about getting started, reach out to our Helperbird support team. We are happy to walk you through anything!

What People Are Saying

Join over 1,000,000 people who use Helperbird every day.

This tool helps so many of our students at school - not only those students who have dyslexia, but students and adults who have other learning differences (and those who don't!). It helps ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in their learning!

Kim Norris

Kim Norris

Helperbird user

Wow what great tool, I love it! Keep up the excellent work. Add more fonts in the future and cant wait for the ios version!!

A Google User

A Google User

Helperbird user

It's helped me immensely with being able to focus and process words on any website

Emily Chan

Emily Chan

Helperbird user

This chrome extension is absolutely amazing. I'm a Primary school teacher and it helps children with a broad range of needs. It's so easy to set up. I love the way it syncs across devices so set up is seamless across all the children's computers. The customizable features are a game changer for allowing children to enjoy reading and accessing the web in our school. The best application I have ever seen for school children. Looking forward to trying the iPad application soon.

Luke Mccarthy

Luke Mccarthy

Teacher

It's a great tool! Really simple to use and works as described.

shivashree vysali

shivashree vysali

Helperbird user

The best in its class - SUPERB - It does everything I need for my aging eyes.

Jen Ridge

Jen Ridge

Helperbird user

Helperbird logo: Stylized owl with large yellow eyes and a beige face, against a green background.

Download Helperbird

Make browsing easier and more accessible with tools like Text to Speech, Immersive Reader, and more.