How to Use Helperbird for Dyslexia

Reading online with dyslexia can be hard. The text is often too small, too close together, or in a font that is difficult to track. Helperbird was built to fix those small things that add up to a hard reading day. This guide walks through how to use Helperbird if you or someone you support has dyslexia.

Overview

Helperbird has a group of tools that work well together for dyslexia. You do not need to use all of them. Most people pick two or three that help the most and stick with those.

Tools work on supported pages in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Some websites limit what an extension can change. To use your preferences on another device, follow the settings sync guide.

Fonts That Help

The font on a webpage can make a huge difference. Some fonts are designed specifically for dyslexia, and others are just easier to read because the letters are more distinct.

Helperbird includes dyslexia-friendly fonts like OpenDyslexic, Lexend, Lexie Readable, and Comic Sans. You can change the font on any website in one click.

• To change the font on any website, see How to change the font on any page.
• To switch to a dyslexia-friendly font specifically, see How to use a dyslexic font on any page.

You can also adjust letter spacing, word spacing, and line height. Giving the text a little more room is one of the simplest changes that makes reading feel easier.

Reading Rulers and Focus

Losing your place while reading is one of the most common dyslexia challenges. Helperbird has three tools that help with this, and each one works a bit differently.

• Dyslexia Ruler puts a colored bar across the page that you can move with your cursor.
• Reading Guide is a solid bar that sits under the line you are reading, like a ruler under a book.
• Focus Ruler dims the whole page except for one line, like a spotlight.

Try each one for a few minutes and see which feels best. Many readers start with the reading guide because it is the most familiar, then switch to the focus ruler when they need to block out distractions.

Text to Speech

Hearing text read aloud is one of the most powerful supports for dyslexia. It lets you understand long passages without burning out on decoding.

Helperbird can read any selected text or the whole page. You can change the voice, speed, and language to whatever feels natural.

• See How to use text to speech in Helperbird for the basics.
• For reading long PDFs out loud, see How to Use Helperbird for Reading Long PDFs.

If you are studying, try reading a paragraph silently first, then listening to it. That combination helps a lot of dyslexic readers understand and remember better.

Color Overlays

Many people with dyslexia find that a tinted overlay reduces glare and makes text easier to track. This is sometimes called a color filter or an Irlen overlay.

Helperbird lets you add a color overlay to any website and choose the exact color and opacity. If a specialist has recommended a specific overlay color, you can match it.

See How to add a color overlay to any website for the full walkthrough.

You can also change the background color of a page, which is a different way of softening harsh white backgrounds.

Writing Support

Dyslexia affects writing as much as reading. Helperbird has a full set of writing tools to take the pressure off spelling, word-finding, and proofreading.

• Voice typing lets you dictate instead of typing.
• Word prediction suggests the next word as you type, so you do not have to spell everything from scratch.
• Spell check uses your browser's spelling underlines in supported fields.
• Grammar checks a passage after you press Check.
• Dictionary helps you look up words without leaving the page.

For a full walkthrough of using Helperbird to write essays and assignments, see How to Use Helperbird for Writing Essays and Assignments.

Building Your Setup

If you are just starting, here is a good dyslexia setup to try:

1. Change the font to OpenDyslexic or Lexend.
2. Increase the font size and line height a little.
3. Turn on a color overlay in a soft cream or blue.
4. Turn on the Reading guide. It follows your pointer.
5. Set up text to speech with a voice you like.

Once you have these on, Helperbird remembers them. You do not have to set it up again every time.

For a ready-made starting point, preview Reading Comfort in Accessibility Profiles, then adjust the settings to suit you.

Related Guides

• How to Use Helperbird for ADHD and Focus
• How to Use Helperbird for Writing Essays and Assignments
• How to Use Helperbird for Reading Long PDFs
• How to Use Helperbird as a Teacher
• How to Use Helperbird at Home
• How to Use Accessibility Profiles in Helperbird
• Switching from Read&Write to Helperbird

Need Help?

If you are setting Helperbird up for yourself, your child, or your student and want help picking the right features, reach out to our support team. Helperbird was founded by someone with dyslexia, and we are always happy to help.