Paywalls can limit access to content, demanding subscriptions for what was once free. Fortunately, there are ways to bypass these paywalls legally and ethically. This guide explores seven effective methods
1) removepaywalls.com homepage
On the removepaywalls.com homepage you can enter the URL of a Bloomberg article, and it will give you access to the article content without a paywall. It works by finding the article you are trying to access from an archive site. It also provides options for alternative archive sites, or other paywall supression techniques (eg. by disabling Javascript) if the initial method did not work.
2) Chrome Extension
Download the removepaywalls.com chrome extension to enable one-click instant paywall removal. The extension adds a button to your browser, which if you pin it, will be placed right next to the search bar. If you don’t pin it, you’ll need to click on the extensions button (which looks like a puzzle piece), and find it under the list of your extensions
When you are on a Bloomberg article, just click on the button, and you should be able to access the article for free. Note that this only works on desktop browsers.
3) iOS shortcut for iphones
Download the removepaywalls.com iOS shortcut to install a button into your share options sheet on your web browser. With this installed, when you are on a Bloomberg article you can just click the share options, and select Removepaywalls.com from the list. When you click it, you’ll bypass the paywall and access the article.
- Visit the shortcut link on icloud.com here
- Click “Get Shortcut” on that page
- Click “Add shortcut” on the iOS popup that appears
- Done!
4) Append Social Media Sharelink
The Bloomberg algorithm is sometimes more lenient on traffic that comes from social media platforms, so that it can maximize the virality on articles. Try taking your URL and adding the following to the start of it:
https://facebook.com/l.php?u=
5. Private Browsing, Incognito Mode, VPN
One of the simplest methods to bypass some paywalls is by using your browser’s Private Browsing or Incognito Mode. This mode can sometimes bypass paywalls by not allowing the website to track how many articles you’ve viewed.
Some websites implement paywalls based on geographical location. A VPN can help you bypass this by changing your IP address to a different location, potentially giving you access to the content. Try out NordLayer, or Hola Unblocker.
Let us know how it works
We’re doing our best to understand what works for each of the media platforms. If you are a regular reader of Bloomberg, let us know which of the above methods works, and which doesn’t. Ideally send us a link to the article that you were trying to access. We’ll keep learning, improving removepaywalls.com, and sharing insights with you on this page. You can find us at info@removepaywalls.com