ReadTrack
ReadTrack is a lightweight plugin that improves the user experience by displaying: – ⏱️ Estimated reading time based on post word count – 📊 A visual progress bar that fills as the reader scrolls You can fully customize the text shown before the post using a settings page in the WordPress admin pane
ReadTrack is a lightweight plugin that improves the user experience by displaying: – ⏱️ Estimated reading time based on post word count – 📊 A visual progress bar that fills as the reader scrolls
You can fully customize the text shown before the post using a settings page in the WordPress admin panel. The default template is:
⏱️ Estimated reading time: %minutes% min
Simply place %minutes% in your message to dynamically show the calculated reading time.
New in version 1.2: – The plugin now uses the WordPress database (via get_option() / update_option() ) instead of saving configuration to a file in the plugin folder. – This ensures full compatibility with WordPress.org guidelines and multisite installations.
License
This plugin is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 or later.
- 01Upload the plugin folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory, or install it via the WordPress Plugin Directory.
- 02Activate the plugin through the “Plugins” menu in WordPress.
- 03Go to Settings > ReadTrack to customize the message.
- 04Make sure your theme supports the_content filter (most do).
Frequently asked questions.
Can I change the reading time label?
Yes! Just go to Settings > ReadTrack and enter your custom message. Use %minutes% where you want the number to appear.
Does it work with custom post types?
Currently, it only affects single blog posts ( is_single() ). You can modify the condition in readtrack_add_elements() if needed.
Is JavaScript required?
Yes, JavaScript is used to update the scroll progress bar in real time.
