iPad - can't force a mobile version of the web

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Level 1

4 points

iPad - can't force a mobile version of the web

Hello,

I have an iPad mini 2021 for a long time (now iPadOS 16.1) and I can't force a mobile version of the site on almost any website. I use the tablet when reading on high, and if the page is unzoomed so that I can see all the content, the font is too small - if I zoom out, various sidebars/advertisements often interfere with the text and make it unusable.

I try setting the site version both via Settings/Safari/Full Site Version and directly in the Safari browser via the AA icon in the address bar. There, the mobile/full versions switch but the site is still the same (idnes.cz, alza.cz, etc.). I also tried in safari settings to make the font size bigger so that I don't need the mobile version of the site, but again this setting doesn't change anything (the text is still the same).

I'm getting pretty desperate. I got the tablet for convenient content consumption and this problem is really annoying me. Yet on android tablets switching mobile vs full version of the site works reliably. I will add that I have tried installing other browsers (chorme, firefox) but it didn't work here either.

iPad mini 6, iPadOS 16

Posted on Mar 13, 2023 5:43 AM

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Answer 1

Demo

Level 10

166,747 points

Mar 17, 2023 12:49 PM in response to Kroun1

Have you tried using a combination of reader mode and the text enlargement feature in the Safari toolbar? This won’t work on all sites, like this forum, but it works on many news, sports and other websites. Text enlargement should work on all sites.

If you are reading a news article, try tapping the reader icon in the Safari url field. I just picked a random article on cnn.com to illustrate this. When you tap the AA on the left side of the Safari url field, you can select Show Reader. After you select Show Reader, you can enlarge the text even more by tapping the A on the right side of the window that pops up. Reader mode removes the annoying ads that pop up.

Customize your Safari settings on iPad - Apple Support

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Answer 2

JJRASC

Community Specialist

Mar 14, 2023 4:25 PM in response to Kroun1

Hello Kroun1,

Thank you for posting to the Apple Support Communities.

Please try to reset the browsing data in Safari before testing this feature again:

If the problem persists, it would be helpful to find out if this issue occurs when you are opening a website in Private Browsing mode: Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPad.

Please reply back with the results.

Cheers!

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Answer 3

Kroun1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 17, 2023 12:22 PM in response to JJRASC

Unfortunately, none of these steps resolved the problem. I cant still see the mobile version of the web. What is interesting, that on iPhone I can see a mobile version, but can not switch to Full site version.

I do think that it might not be a problem of settings but the way how whole iOS/iPad OS handles the web.

[Link Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 4

Kroun1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 19, 2023 7:01 AM in response to Demo

Yes, I know and use this feature. But as you say, reader mode doesn't work on every page. Typically for some news articles, when you turn on reader mode, some embedded videos are hidden. Also, the discussion below the article is hidden. So you have to constantly turn reader mode on/off, which is not very convenient.

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iPad - can't force a mobile version of the web

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