DISCLAIMER: This content is purely for informational purposes regarding web technology and content access. It does not endorse or condone violating terms of service or laws. User discretion and responsibility are advised. Always seek legal and ethical access methods.
These are the latest working tips on how to read Washington Post for free.
I am explaining this question found in Quora, "How can I get around the Washington Post online paywall?"
I don't condone you accessing The Washington Post (TWP) illegally.
Its terms of service #7 clearly states:
Access parts of the Services to which you are not authorized, or attempt to circumvent any restrictions imposed on your use or access of the Services.
I am just sharing the numerous ways how people manage to read TWP for free.
By the way, forget all those unworkable tips found in Google search that include
X private browsing
X Reader View/Reading Mode
X Google cache
X 12ft.oi
X outdated Greasy Fork user scripts
Just like The Telegraph and The Boston Globe, The Washington Post also uses a metered paywall, which is a kind of soft paywall.
The good thing with the metered paywall is that it allows casual readers to try it out, hoping they will subscribe.
The setback of this kind of paywall is people can circumvent it, like using the private browsing mode, clearing browser cookies, or accessing articles directly through search engine or social media links.
This is another post from The DiGiztal Paywall Access Tips Series.
Practcal ways to read The Washington Post articles
Table of Contents:
Now let's find out how people could access unlimited www.washingtonpost.com articles without a subscription.
1. Disable JavaScript
This trick works for both the Firefox and Chrome browsers.
You can use any of the three methods to unlock paywalled Washington Post breaking news and latest headlines.
For the Chrome browser, one of the best way is to configure the JavaScript settings with this: [*.]washingtonpost.com.
Now you can continue reading without seeing the subscription pop-up banner anymore.
Follow this detailed tutorial on how to disable browser JavaScript to bypass paywalls.
2. Archive.Today
Another popular way is using the web-archiving site.
When they encounter the paywalled TWP content, they just click the extension icon on their toolbar.
For instance, you want to unblock this news report, "Manufacturers struggle with uncertainty, chaos in Trump tariffs".
This is what you do:
Go to Archive.Today.
Paste this article URL:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/04/13/trump-tariffs-us-manufacturing-impacts/
in the empty space provided under "My url is alive and I want to archive its content".
Then click the "save" button.
Now you can read this full unblocked article here without having to subscribe.
There are more ways how to use it, fully explained in how to use Archive.Today to unlock paywalled articles.
3. Textise
Basically, Textise is not designed to circumvent paywalls.
However, when it is stripping away all the non-text elements, it removes the overlay that hides the content.
One more thing is the Textise tool uses its own servers, so The Washington Post doesn't have access to your browser's cookies or local storage.
So the website does not have any tracking record of your visits and count how many free articles you've read.
For more detail, read "How to use Textise to retrieve full articles for free."
4. User script
Three key steps:
2. Install user script
3. how to unlock paywalled articles
1. Install Violentmonkey extension
First you have to install a user script manager.
You need to use different user script manager for different browsers:
For Chrome, you can use either: Tampermonkey or Violentmonkey
For Firefox, you can use Greasemonkey, Tampermonkey, or Violentmonkey
Those of you who are using Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera or Maxton browser, you can find the links at the Greasy Fork homepage.
For this tutorial, I am using the Chrome browser with the Violentmonkey userscript manager extension.
- NOTE: Chrome Web Store has disabled Violentmonkey, To get it back, follow this tutorial, "How to enable back Violentmonkey in Chrome Web Store." Likewise, you can also install Violentmonkey extension to Chrome with code in GitHub.
If you have enabled the Tempermonkey extension as I have mentioned above, now click the blue "Add to Chrome" button.
A box appears; click the "Add extension" button.
Immediately, Violentmonkey is installed to your browser.
Go to the toolbar (top right corner), click the Extension icon (jigsaw puzzle piece), then pin the Violentmonkey icon.
2. Install user script
Next, go to the Washington Post Paywall Bypass userscript.in Greasy Fork and click the "Install this script" button.
A page pops up; click the "Install" button.
Then this orange-colored remark: Script installed appears.
3. How to unlock paywalled articles
Go to The Washington Post homepage, and click the Violentmonkey icon, this box pops up.
Make sure The Washington Post Paywall Bypass user script is enabled (toggle switch is in black color).
Now you can read The Washington Post's news reports, opinions, and stories without being blocked by its paywall.
These are the latest tips on how to read The Washington Post without subscribing.
You can also watch the video of how to bypass The Washington Post below:
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