NOTE: Pocket is shutting down on July 8th 2025. So ignore this post.
Find out more detail how to use the Pocket to bypass paywall.
This post is for informational purposes only.
Please take note that bypassing paywalls can violate the terms of service of some websites, so users should be mindful of ethical considerations.
This is one of the helpful content from The DiGiztal Bypass Paywalls Tips series.
For those who do not know, Pocket started out as Firefox extension, used to be known as Read It Later.
It is a social bookmarking service for storing, sharing and discovering web bookmarks.
In June 2015, Pocket was included in Firefox toolbar and link to user's Pocket list in the bookmark's menu.
Pocket can also be used to bypass paywalls of many publication websites.
You just save the blocked article to your Pocket account.
From there you can read the full unblocked article together with all its accompanied images.
How does it work: There is a possibility the full content might be saved before the website's paywall system recognizes that you've exceeded your free article limit.
Another reason is when Pocket extracts the main content of an article, it could capture the full article text, even if the original webpage has a paywall that obscures parts of it.
Since Pocket saves the article independently, it might not be subject to the same cookie restrictions as your web browser.
Maybe it gets the paywalled articles from those which have being accessed and and cached by Pocket.
How to use Pocket to bypass paywalls
First you need to sign up an account to use this free service.
Sign up from here.
The two ways to use the Pocket are: browser extension and bookmarklet.
Browser extension
Mozilla Firefox Browser:
For Firefox, the Pocket tool is already included in the browser.
You can see its gray color icon (pocket with the letter V) on its toolbar, which is at the top right hand corner of your laptop screen.
First you need to log in to your Pocket account.
There are three (3) ways to save the blocked articles to your Pocket account.
FIRST: Right click the article title
A context menu box pops up, click "Save Link to Pocket".
A box pops up below the Pocket icon at the toolbar, and the icon changes to RED color.
Click "View My Saves".
It takes you to "Saves" of your Pocket account.
Here you can see the article title together with all its main image.
To read the article, click either the article title or the image.
Now you can see the full unblocked article there, with all its accompanied images or pictures.
NOTE: Do not click the "View Original" link. It will take you back to the blocked article.
After reading it, remove the article from your Saves list, click the dustbin icon above the article.
Similarly you can go back to Saves, click the three dots below the saved article, then click "Delete".
TWO: Paste article url to Pocket
Right click the article URL which you want to read.
A context menu pops up, then click "Copy Link".
Go to your Pocket account, click the + plus symbol (Save a URL).
Paste the article URL in the space provided.
Then click the "Add" button.
The article is saved under "Saves".
To read it, click the article title or the image.
THREE: Click Pocket icon
Click the article which you want to read.
The article is blocked by its paywall with the remark requesting you to sign up for the free trial subscription.
Ignore it, instead click the the gray Pocket icon at the top right hand corner of the toolbar.
The Pocket icon turns to red color, and a box pops up below.
Click "View My Saves" button.
It takes you to "Saves" of your Pocket account.
You find the article title together with the main image.
Google Chrome Browser:
First you need to install the Pocket extension to your Chrome browser.
Unfortunately Chrome Web Store has removed the Pocket extension,
But for the moment, you can still enable it back from here.
I have already showed you how to enable back the Chrome browser extension in these two posts.
Next pin the Pocket extension onto the toolbar.To do that, click the Chrome extensions icon (gray color puzzle piece) at the toolbar, which is at the top right hand corner of the computer screen.
A context menu pops up.
Click the gray color push pin icon next to "Save to Pocket".
The push pin icon will change to blue color and at the same time, red outlined Pocket icon (a pocket with the letter V) appears at the toolbar.
Now you have pinned the Pocket extension onto the Chrome toolbar.
There are two ways to use Pocket to get paywalled articles.
ONE: Click the Pocket icon
Click the article title that you want to read.
The article is blocked by the paywall.
Ignore it, instead click the red outlined Pocket icon at the top right hand corner of the page.
The red outlined Pocket icon turns to full red color, except with the white V outline, and at the same time a box pops up below.
Inside the box, you can see the article title together with its main image.
Click "Saves" at the bottom left hand corner.
It leads to your Pocket account, where you can see the article title together with its main illustration/image.
To read the article, click either the article title or the accompanied image.
Now you can view the full unblocked article there.
TWO: Paste article url on Pocket account
Now you can view the full free Boston Globe article there.
Go to your Pocket account, click the + plus symbol (Save a URL)
Paste the article URL in the empty space provided.
Then click the "Add" button.
The article is now saved under "Saves".
You can read the free unlocked article right there.
For Chrome users, you can also install this Quick Pocket extension.
Likewise you can download and install Pocket extension from Chrome-stat.
Pocket bookmarklet
This is the easiest way to save the blocked articles to the Pocket with one click.
Create a JavaScript bookmarklet at your toolbar or bookmark.
When you come to the paywalled article, just click the bookmarklet.
Instantly it is saved in your Pocket folder, and to view click "View Saves".
This is the set of code:
javascript:(function(){
var url = encodeURIComponent(window.location.href);
var pocketUrl = "https://getpocket.com/save?url=" + url;
window.open(pocketUrl, '_blank');
})();
To set it up with the Bookmark Manager, read this tip, "How to use JavaScript to bypass paywalls".
I have been using the social bookmarking service Pocket to remove paywalls of The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and even The New York Times.
NOTE: This method may not involve direct hacking or unauthorized access, it can still violate anti-circumvention laws and terms of service. Consider using the legal and ethical ways to access paywalled web articles.
DISCLAIMER: This post is for educational purposes only. It aims to help you better understand web technologies and digital security. It does not endorse breaking website rules or illegal activity. Use responsibly; the author is not liable for misuse or legal issues.