Tech fixes and hacks • DiGiztal

LAST UPDATED: October 2023

Do you know you can still bypass Scientific American paywall with these tips below?

In other words, you can read Scientific American site articles for free.

Back in April 15, 2019, scientificamerican.com announced that readers will receive three articles for free before being asked to subscribe.

Currently you still need to subscript to get access to its articles.

If you really want to read the important and exciting research, ideas and knowledge in science, health, technology, the environment and society, then subscribe to Scientific American.

But if you just want to browse an article or two occasionally, then you like to know how to get around Scientific American paywall.

How to bypass Scientific American paywall

So how do you continue reading the rest of Scientific American articles online without being a subscriber?

Just follow any of these methods how to get over Scientific American paywall below.

They work for both browsers: Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

MOZILLA FIREFOX BROWSER:

1. Clear Browser Cookies

When you reach the blocked article, this is what you do:

1. Click on "History" at the menu bar at the top of your computer screen.

2. Then click on "Clear Recent History..."

NOTE: Make sure the "Cookies" under "History" is checked (with a tick in the box).

3. Click on "Clear Now" button.

4. Now click on the "Reload current page" icon (next to Firefox Home Page icon)

5. It will reload the page, and from here you can start reading its free articles again.

Then when you come to the blocked article again, you clear clear the browsing history again.

To keep on reading the complimentary Scientific American online articles, you just clear the browser history, and reload its website.

2. Add A Dot After Com

This is what you do:

1. When you come to the blocked article, you add a dot AFTER the top level domain com.

2. For example if the article URL is:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-forget-so-many-of-our-dreams1/

3. You add a dot after the top-level domain.

4. It means after the word "com".

5. So now the URL should looks like this:

https://www.scientificamerican.com./article/why-do-we-forget-so-many-of-our-dreams1/

NOTE: The dot is highlighted in yellow color.

6. Now, press on the “Enter” key or click on the arrow icon at the end of the URL at the address bar, to reload the page.

7. Now the full article should appear without being blocked by the Scientific American paywall.

3. Reader View

You use the "Reader View" tool readily available on the toolbar of the Firefox browser.

This is the gray color icon of the Reader View at the toolbar.

This is what you do.

1. When you come to the blocked Scientific American article, click on the Reader View icon.

2. Immediately the gray color icon changes to blue color

3. At the same time, the blocked article will reload itself.

4. This time, the article appears in full and uncluttered too.

When you come to next blocked article, you click on the Reader View icon again at the toolbar.

4. Open Link In New Private Window

1. Go to the Scientific American homepage.

2. Right click on any of the article title, which you want to read.

3. A context menu drops down, click on “Open Link in Private Window“.

How To Get Over Scientific American Paywall

4. It will open the full unblocked article in a new window.

NOTE: To read the next article, DO NOT click it from this newly opened Private Window page.

You need to go back to the Scientific American homepage to get your new article.

5. Firefox Temporary Containers Extension

This method you install the Firefox extension called "Temporary Containers".

This is what you do:

1. Install the Firefox Temporary Containers extension.

2. After you have installed it, you can start reading unlimited free articles right away.

3. To keep reading the Scientific American articles, just RIGHT CLICK on any of the article title.

4. A menu pops up next to the article title.

5. Click on "Open link in new Temporary Container tab".

6. Once again, the new article will open in a new tab.

7. You can keep on reading all the available articles without being blocked by its paywall.

8. Remember just RIGHT CLICK on the article titles, then click on "Open link in new Temporary Container tab".

6. Bypass Paywalls Firefox Extension

Install the free Bypass Paywalls Firefox extension onto your Firefox browser, and you can access unlimited free Scientific American articles.

This is what you do:

1. Install the Bypass Paywalls Firefox extension.

2. A box pops up and instantly it will download to your browser.

3. Click on the blue color "Continue to Installation" button.

4. Then another box pops up and click on the blue color "Add" button.

5. The bypass paywalls extension will be installed to your Firefox browser right away.

6. You can see the small Bypass Paywalls extension icon on the Firefox toolbar, as shown below.

7. That's all you need to do.

After you have installed this browser extension, you can continue to read all the Scientific American articles for free.

7. Disable Firefox Javascript

This is what you do:

1. Open your Firefox browser.

2. Copy the following line and paste it into the Firefox address bar:

about:config

3. Press on the Enter key.

4. Next click the blue button: "Accept the Risk and Continue".

5. Now type: javascript.enabled in the search box provided.

6. You should see "javascript.enabled" shows under it.

7. Double click anywhere within the javascript.enabled box to change the value from "true" to "false".

8. Now go to the blocked Scientific American article again, to reload the page by clicking on the "Reload current page" icon in the address bar of that page.

9. The article should be unblocked right away.

REMINDER: Remember to activate the browser JavaScript function back after used. If not, some websites may not work properly, others may not work at all

8. Block Cookies And Site Data

Again this method, you set it up once and you can get past the Scientific American paywall.

This is what you do:

1. Go to your Mozilla Firefox browser.

2. Click on the three short lines icon (Application Menu) at the top right hand corner of your computer screen.

3. It drops down the context menu.

4. Click on "Settings" and a page appears.

5. Next click on "Privacy & Security" on the left side of the page.

6. Scroll down a little bit until you see "Cookies and Site Data".

7. Click on "Manage Exceptions..." button.

8. A box pops up, titled "Exceptions - Cookies and Site Data".

9. In the space below "Address of website", type in:

https://www.scientificamerican.com

10. Click on the "Block" button.

11. You can see the Scientific American domain listed under "Website" and its "Status" as "Block".

12. Finally click the "Save Changes" button.

Now go to the Scientific American website to read any articles free from being blocked by its paywall no more.

GOOGLE CHROME BROWSER:

1. Clear Browser Cookies

The tip is similar to what I have explained for Firefox browser.

1. When you come to the blocked article, click on the three dots (Customize and control Google Chrome) at the top right hand corner of the page.

2. Place your mouse cursor to "More tools" and move to the left to "Clear browsing data...".

3. Click on it.

4. A box pops up and click on the blue color "Clear data" button.

5. Now go back to the blocked article and reload it.

6. Instantly you can read the full unblocked Scientific American article.

2. Add A Dot After Com

This method as explained above for Firefox browser, also works for Chrome browser.

Just add a dot after the top level domain com..

3. Reader Mode

This trick is the same as the Firefox Reader View.

Just click on the Reader Mode icon at the toolbar.

4. Open Link In Incognito Window

The step is the same as Open Link In New Private Window for Firefox.

Go the blocked article, right click on the title.

A context menu pops up, click on "Open link in incognito window".

5. Bypass Paywalls Extension

Again this method is the same as explained in the Firefox above.

But you have to install the Bypass Paywalls for Chrome extension.

6. Disable Javascript Of Chrome Browser

1. Go to Google Chrome browser.

2. Click on the three dots on the top right hand side of the address bar.

3. A menu drops down, click on "Settings".

4. Next click on "Privacy and security" on the left side of the page.

5. Scroll down a little, and click on "Site settings".

6. It opens a new page, scroll down until the "Content" section.

7. Click on "Javascript".

8. Under "Customized behavior", go to "Not allowed to use Javascript".

9. Click on the "Add" button.

10. A box pops up, type in this line.

[*.]scientificamerican.com

11. Click on the blue "Add" button.

Now go to the Scientific American website to read all the articles free of charge and free from from its paywall.

7. Block Cookies Of Chrome Browser

This is what you do:

1. Go to Google Chrome browser.

2. Click on the three small dots (Customize and control Google Chrome) and the context menu pops up.

3. Click on "Settings".

4. When you come to settings page, click on "Privacy and security".

5. Now click on "Cookies and other site data".

6. Scroll down to the last option "Sites that never use cookies".

7. Click "Add" button

8. A box pops up for you to add the site domain.

9. Type [*.]scientificamerican.com

10. Then click the blue color "Add" button.

Besides these workable ways to bypass Scientific American paywall, you can also use the Pocket tool as well.

February 2, 2021

How to bypass Scientific American paywall 2023

LAST UPDATED: October 2023

1. Clear Browser Cookies

2. Add A Dot After Com

3. Reader View

4. Open Link In New Private Window

5. Firefox Temporary Containers Extension

6. Bypass Paywalls Firefox Extension

7. Disable Firefox Javascript

8. Block Cookies And Site Data

1. Clear Browser Cookies

2. Add A Dot After Com

3. Reader Mode

4. Open Link In Incognito Window

5. Bypass Paywalls Extension

6. Disable Javascript Of Chrome Browser

7. Block Cookies Of Chrome Browser