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Read TXT online, save your place, and transfer your library

Published · Fastreader editorial team

Open a UTF-8 TXT file up to 2 MB in Fastreader, keep your reading position after a reload, and transfer your library using a backup.

A TXT file contains plain text without formatting. You can open it in Fastreader when you need paragraphs, word-by-word display, and a reading position saved in your browser. Before importing, check that the encoding is UTF-8 and the file is no larger than 2 MB.

A library backup preview before restoring it.
Check the date, material count, and titles before replacing the library. Restoring replaces the entire current library.

How to open a TXT file in your browser

  1. Create a file with the .txt extension in a text editor and save it as UTF-8.
  2. In the reader, click “Add text”, then “Open TXT”, and choose the file.
  3. Check the text that appears. The title comes from the filename, and you can replace it.
  4. Click “Open text”. After a successful save, the form closes and the material appears in the library.
The first paragraph describes the task: prepare a short meeting summary.

The second paragraph contains an action: check the deadlines and send the outcome to the participants.

Save the example in a TXT file with a blank line between the paragraphs. After importing, select “Word by word”, reach the second paragraph, and pause. Reload the page. The saved material should open at the same position without starting automatically. Check the context and continue.

Where your saved material lives

Your text and settings are stored in this browser on this device under fastreader.ru. Saving does not change the original TXT file on disk. Another browser or phone has a separate library; clearing website data can leave the library empty. In the reader, you can save a library backup as a JSON file and restore it from that file. The backup includes full texts, positions, and settings and is created on your device without being uploaded to a server. There is no automatic synchronization between devices. Keep your backup and original files separately.

Transfer your library to another device

  1. Pause reading. In settings, open “Library backup” and select “Save backup”.
  2. Transfer the downloaded JSON file to the other device using a method that suits you. It contains complete texts, so choose a suitable place to store it.
  3. Open fastreader.ru on the other device. If that browser already has materials, save a separate backup first: restoring replaces the entire library, positions, and settings rather than merging them.
  4. In settings, open “Library backup”, select “Choose backup”, and choose the transferred file. Check the date, number of materials, and their titles, then select “Replace library”.
  5. Open the text you need and check its saved position before continuing. Later changes on the first device will not appear here automatically.

If importing or saving fails

Resave an unsupported encoding as UTF-8. Split an oversized file into meaningful passages. PDF, EPUB, and FB2 files cannot simply be renamed to TXT: copy their text or convert them with an appropriate tool before importing.

If storage is full or blocked, the form stays open with an error. Copy the text you entered, address the cause, and try saving again. If another tab has newer changes, the outdated tab will not overwrite them with its own copy. Keep your draft separately before refreshing that tab.

Saving requires a modern browser with Web Locks and a secure HTTPS address. Declining analytics does not affect importing or the library.

Try this technique with your own text.

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