Centered RSVP and ADHD: a promising result
The ADHD group understood short passages better in the centered, one-word condition than in two layouts that required eye movements. See what the study found and where its limits begin.
Pressly
One word at a time
A focused speed reader for iPhone and iPad.
Bring your EPUBs, PDFs, TXT files, pasted text, and web articles. Pressly keeps each word at one focus point while you choose the pace.
Your library stays on your device.
Pressly Pro is a one-time purchase.
Live reader preview
Your
Your eyes do not glide across a sentence.
18%1,244 / 6,900
300 WPM
One fixed focus point
Keep your eyesin one place.
Pressly uses Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, or RSVP, to show one word at a time. Adjust the pace from 270 to 700 words per minute and slow down whenever the text asks for more attention.
Optional ORP alignmentPressly can anchor each word around its recognition point or keep the word centered.
Context when you want itShow nearby words, add focus marks, or clear the screen for a quieter view.
Your files, your reading list
Bring the reading you already own.
Pressly turns books, documents, copied text, and readable web pages into the same focused reading experience.
EPUB
Keep chapter structure and saved progress as you move through a book.
Turn text-based papers, reports, and documents into a word-by-word stream.
TXT + paste
Save notes, drafts, copied passages, and plain-text files as readable books.
Web links
Paste an article link and save the readable text to your Pressly library.
Reading needs control
Pause where you are. Step back when you need to.
Pressly keeps the main controls close to your hand and gives each gesture one job.
Read while you press
Hold the bottom area to move forward. Lift your finger to pause on the current word.
Find the thread again
Tap the top area to step back one word, or hold it to rewind through the passage.
Let your hand rest
Add a second finger before you lift to keep playback running until your next tap.
Stay with the sentence
Tap the current word to open your device dictionary, then return without losing your place.
Local by design
Your library stays with you.
Pressly stores imported files and reading progress on your device. You do not need an account, and the app contains no ads.
Pressly Pro
One-time purchase.
No recurring subscription.
Pressly is free to download. Pressly Pro unlocks the import tools listed in the current version.
View Pressly on the App StoreThe Pressly reading journal
Read with less friction.
Practical notes on word-by-word reading, difficult documents, and turning saved articles into finished reading sessions.
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Visit the reading journal
PDF reading · 7 min
How to read a PDF one word at a time on iPhone
Move from cramped PDF pages to a paced reading stream, including the files that need OCR first.
Reading methods · 8 min
RSVP reading: how one-word-at-a-time readers work
Learn what the fixed focus point changes, how to choose a pace, and when a normal page serves the text better.
Web articles · 6 min
How to read saved articles without endless scrolling
Turn open tabs into a short reading queue, remove page clutter, and keep your place when you stop.
Questions
About the Pressly RSVP reader
What is RSVP reading?
RSVP stands for Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. Pressly presents one word at a time at a fixed focus point while you choose the pace.
Can RSVP reading help people with ADHD?
A 2025 study of 76 undergraduates found better comprehension in its ADHD group with centered RSVP than with two reading conditions that required eye movements. This is promising early evidence from one study, not proof that RSVP works for every person or text. Pressly is a reading tool, not an ADHD treatment. Read our study review.
Can Pressly read PDF files on iPhone?
Yes. Pressly imports text-based PDF documents and presents their text in its word-by-word reader on iPhone and iPad.
Can I read EPUB books with Pressly?
Yes. Pressly imports EPUB books, keeps their chapter structure, and saves reading progress on your device.
Can Pressly import web articles?
Yes. Paste an article link into Pressly and the app saves the readable text to your library. Some sites may block article extraction.
Does Pressly require a subscription?
No. Pressly is free to download. Pressly Pro unlocks the listed Pro tools through a one-time, non-consumable in-app purchase with no recurring subscription.
Where does Pressly store my library?
Pressly stores imported files and reading progress on your device. Restoring a purchase restores the purchase entitlement, not your files or reading history.
Start with the welcome book
Open Pressly.
Find your pace.
Download the focused speed reader for iPhone and iPad.
Download on theApp Store