MaxFocus

Preview any link without leaving the page you are reading

Beginner
Screenshot of MaxFocus, Preview any link without leaving the page you are reading

What is MaxFocus?

MaxFocus is a cross browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Vivaldi that previews links in an overlay on the current page. It adds reader mode, a distraction free video mode, a configurable preview UI and an in page AI assistant, and the developer says browsing history is never tracked.

MaxFocus is a browser extension that turns link previews into a first class part of desktop browsing. Hover, click or use a keyboard shortcut on a link and the destination opens in an overlay on the page you are already reading, so articles, videos, wiki entries, GitHub repositories and news stories can be checked without spawning another tab. The developer pitches it as the desktop answer to the link preview behaviour found in iOS Safari or the pinned site previews in Arc, and it works across Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Vivaldi. Two companion modes extend the idea beyond a simple popup. Reader mode reformats a page into a clean, ad free layout, and video mode strips sidebars and surrounding clutter so only the player remains. An AI assistant sits inside the preview and can answer questions or produce summaries about the content on screen. Preview behaviour is configurable: users adjust how previews are triggered, how long they stay open, their size and their appearance, which is the feature reviewers single out as missing from rival tools. The audience is anyone who spends the day working through link heavy surfaces. Sales prospecting from a spreadsheet, research over a feed, editorial triage of a news list and casual social scrolling all benefit from checking a link in place. Because previews render any webpage, no site specific setup is required. Against alternatives, MaxFocus competes with native browser features and with reading list or tab management extensions. Its differentiators are cross browser availability, deep customisation and the built in reader, video and AI modes. The developer states that browsing history is not tracked, no personal data is stored and trackers are blocked, which matters for a tool that sees every link a user opens. The homepage does not publish pricing tiers beyond testimonials calling the pricing fair.

How do you use MaxFocus?

  1. 1Install the extension for your browser
    Open the install page and pick the build for Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Brave. The store listing adds the extension to your toolbar, where its settings page is one click away.
  2. 2Preview your first link
    On any page with links, hover or long click a link to open the content in an overlay. The preview loads in place, so the underlying page and your scroll position stay untouched.
  3. 3Learn the alternative trigger methods
    The blog walks through each way of opening a preview, including click and keyboard shortcut options. Picking the gesture that matches your habits is the fastest route to dropping the open in new tab reflex.
  4. 4Tune preview behaviour and appearance
    Open the extension settings and adjust how previews are triggered, how long they persist, their size and their look. The controls are grouped on a single settings page reached from the toolbar icon.
  5. 5Switch on reader or video mode
    For long articles, reader mode reformats the page into a clean, ad free column. For video links, video mode removes sidebars and surrounding elements so only the player shows.
  6. 6Try previews inside Google Search
    The blog explains how to preview result links directly from Google Search. This is useful when scanning a results page where opening every candidate would be wasteful.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Previews open in an overlay on the current page, so link checking no longer adds tabsAI
  • Reader mode and video mode strip ads and sidebars for cleaner reading and watchingAI
  • Preview trigger, duration, size and appearance are all user configurable, a gap reviewers note in rival toolsAI
  • Available on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Brave, with users reporting it works in Vivaldi tooAI
  • Developer states no browsing history tracking, no stored personal data and tracker blockingAI

Cons

  • Desktop browsers only; there is no mobile app, so phone users rely on native previewsAI
  • The AI assistant and reader mode are secondary to preview and get little detail on the homepageAI
  • No published pricing table, tiers or limits, only testimonials describing the pricing as fairAI
  • Overlay previews depend on how each site renders in a frame, and the site does not list known exceptionsAI
  • Pricing is not the only unknown: support channels and update cadence are not documented on the homepageAI

How much does MaxFocus cost?

Features

Hover, click or shortcut triggered link previews that open on the current page; reader mode for clean, ad free articles; video mode with sidebars removed; an AI assistant for questions and summaries about the page in view; adjustable trigger, duration, size and appearance for previews; stated privacy protections including no browsing history tracking, no stored personal data and tracker blocking; support for most websites.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions about MaxFocus

  • How do you use MaxFocus?
    The walkthrough on this page covers 6 steps: 1. Install the extension for your browser 2. Preview your first link 3. Learn the alternative trigger methods 4. Tune preview behaviour and appearance 5. Switch on reader or video mode 6. Try previews inside Google Search.
  • What platforms does MaxFocus support?
    MaxFocus is available on Browser extension.
  • What are the limitations of MaxFocus?
    Desktop browsers only; there is no mobile app, so phone users rely on native previews. The AI assistant and reader mode are secondary to preview and get little detail on the homepage. No published pricing table, tiers or limits, only testimonials describing the pricing as fair.

Status

StatusActive
Views0
Outbound clicks0
Added10/21/2026

Platforms

Browser extension

Pricing

Freemium