WPM Reading Time - How Long to Read This Text

Know exactly how long your notes take to read.

Stop guessing reading times. This Obsidian plugin calculates accurate estimates for any selected text using your personalized reading speed. Perfect for podcast scripts, YouTube content, presentations, and any writing where timing matters. Get real-time feedback as you write to better estimate how long your text will take to read aloud or silently.

Who is this for?

Podcasters & Video Creators

Time your scripts accurately before recording. Know exactly how long your content will run when read aloud, helping you hit your target episode length every time.

Public Speakers & Presenters

Prepare presentations with confidence. Calculate speaking time for your slides and notes to stay within your allocated time slot.

Content Writers

Optimize article length and set accurate reader expectations. Understand how long your content takes to read, helping you match your audience's time constraints.

Features

Personalized Accuracy

Get reading time estimates based on your actual reading speed. Create multiple presets for different scenarios and switch between them instantly.

Flexible Presets

Set up different speed profiles for silent reading, speaking, presenting, or any scenario you need. Each preset includes a custom name and WPM value.

Quick Switching

Switch between presets via dropdown menu whenever you need different speeds for different content types.

Clear Results

View reading time, word count, and current speed in a clean, easy-to-read format. All the information you need at a glance.

Desktop Only

Currently optimized for desktop use. Mobile support coming soon.

Native Design

Matches Obsidian's design language. Feels like a built-in feature.

Installation

1. Open Settings → Community plugins
2. Turn off Safe mode
3. Select Browse and search for "WPM Reading Time - How Long to Read This Text"
4. Select Install, then Enable

How it works

1. Select your text

Highlight any text in your Obsidian note that you want to analyze.

2. Run the command

Open Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and run "Calculate reading time".

3. Choose your preset

Select from your custom presets using the dropdown menu. Switch anytime to see different estimates.

4. Get instant results

View reading time, word count, and speed information displayed clearly in the sidebar.

Finding your reading speed

To get the most accurate reading time estimates, you'll want to know your personal reading speed (WPM).

Need help calculating your WPM? Use our companion web app to determine your words per minute reading speed. Once you know your WPM number, enter it in the Obsidian plugin settings for accurate, personalized reading time estimates.

Settings

Access settings via Settings → Community plugins → WPM Reading Time - How Long to Read This Text, or select the gear icon in the dropdown menu.

Default Preset

Choose which preset should be selected by default when calculating reading time. This saves your preference for future calculations.

Reading Speed Presets

Create and manage multiple reading speed presets. Each preset has:

• Preset name - A descriptive name (e.g., "My Reading Time", "My Speaking Time", "Slow Reader", "Fast Reader")
• Reading speed (WPM) - Words per minute for this preset

Default Presets

The plugin comes with two default presets:

• My Reading Time: 250 WPM (average silent reading speed)
• My Speaking Time: 200 WPM (average speaking/reading aloud speed)

Adding a New Preset

1. Select "Add Preset" button in the settings
2. Enter a name for your preset
3. Set the WPM (words per minute) value
4. Your new preset will appear in the dropdown menu

Editing a Preset

• Select the preset name or speed field
• Type your changes
• Changes are saved automatically

Deleting a Preset

• Select the "Delete" button next to the preset
• You must have at least one preset (cannot delete if only one remains)

Recommended WPM Values

• Silent reading: 200-300 WPM (average: 250 WPM)
• Speaking/Reading aloud: 150-200 WPM (average: 175 WPM)
• Slow reading: 100-150 WPM
• Fast reading: 300-400 WPM

Understanding the Display

When you calculate reading time, you'll see:

You'd read this in:
53 seconds
because it's: 87 words long
at a speed of:
100 Words Per Minute
(slow)

• "You'd read this in:" - The estimated time to read your selected text
• Time format - Displays as "X seconds", "X minutes", or "X minutes & Y seconds"
• Word count - Total number of words in the selected text
• Preset info - Shows the speed (WPM) and preset name being used

Tips

• Match your context: Create separate presets for silent reading, speaking, and presenting—each has different timing needs
• Use clear preset names: Descriptive names help you quickly choose the right speed for each scenario
• Consider your material: Technical or dense content may require slower speeds than casual reading
• Find your actual speed: Use the companion web app to measure your personal WPM for the most accurate estimates

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you'd like to contribute to this plugin, please feel free to submit a Pull Request or open an issue on the GitHub repository.

License

MIT

Support

If you encounter any issues or have feature requests, please open an issue on the GitHub repository.

Credits

Created by Santi Younger to help creators and professionals master their content timing.