Title: Readlyte – Reading Time
Author: munizasultan
Published: September 10, 2026
Last modified: September 10, 2026
---
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# Readlyte – Reading Time
By [munizasultan](https://profiles.wordpress.org/munizasultan/)
[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/readlyte-reading-time.1.0.0.zip)
* [Details](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/#description)
* [Reviews](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/#reviews)
* [Installation](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/#installation)
* [Development](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/#developers)
[Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/readlyte-reading-time/)
## Description
Readlyte estimates how long it will take a visitor to read a post, based on its
word count and a configurable words-per-minute rate, and displays it as a small
badge.
**Features**
* Automatic display before or after post content — no template edits required.
* `[rdlt_reading_time]` shortcode for manual placement, including `[rdlt_reading_time
id="123"]` for another post.
* A “Reading Time (Readlyte)” Gutenberg block, server-rendered so it always matches
your current settings.
* An Elementor widget (when Elementor is active), with per-instance overrides for
words-per-minute/text/icon and full Style tab controls (color, typography, icon
gap).
* Configurable words-per-minute, display text (`{time}` / `{unit}` placeholders),
and which post types it applies to.
* Word count strips HTML tags, shortcodes, and block-editor comments so the estimate
reflects visible text only.
* Theme-friendly: styled entirely with CSS classes and custom properties (`--rdlt-
color`, `--rdlt-icon-color`, `--rdlt-font-size`, `--rdlt-gap`), so a theme can
restyle the badge from its own stylesheet.
* Developer filters: `rdlt_word_count`, `rdlt_calculated_read_time`, `rdlt_read_time_text`,`
rdlt_read_time_icon`.
## Screenshots
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## Blocks
This plugin provides 1 block.
* Reading Time (Readlyte) Displays the estimated reading time for this post.
## Installation
1. Upload the `readlyte-reading-time` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`.
2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
3. Go to Settings Readlyte to configure words-per-minute, display text, position,
and enabled post types.
## FAQ
### Can I place the read time somewhere specific in my template?
Yes. Set “Display mode” to “Shortcode / block only” in Settings Readlyte, then
use the `[rdlt_reading_time]` shortcode or the “Reading Time (Readlyte)” block wherever
you like, or call `RDLT_Display::instance()->render_badge( $post_id )` directly
in a theme template.
### Does it work with Gutenberg and the Classic Editor?
Yes. The shortcode works with both. The block requires the block editor (Gutenberg/
WordPress 5.8+).
### How is word count calculated?
HTML tags, shortcodes, and block-editor comments are stripped before counting whitespace-
separated words in the visible text.
### Can I change the icon shown next to the read time?
Yes, with the `rdlt_read_time_icon` filter. Return your own HTML (inline SVG, a `
` icon-font tag, or an `![]()
`), or return an empty string to remove the icon
entirely.
```
// Swap in a Font Awesome icon.
add_filter( 'rdlt_read_time_icon', function( $icon, $post_id ) {
return '';
}, 10, 2 );
// Remove the icon.
add_filter( 'rdlt_read_time_icon', '__return_empty_string' );
```
The icon is sanitized with `wp_kses` (svg/path/circle/i/span/img only), so only
presentational markup gets through.
## Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
## Contributors & Developers
“Readlyte – Reading Time” is open source software. The following people have contributed
to this plugin.
Contributors
* [ munizasultan ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/munizasultan/)
[Translate “Readlyte – Reading Time” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/readlyte-reading-time)
### Interested in development?
[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/readlyte-reading-time/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/readlyte-reading-time/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/readlyte-reading-time/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/readlyte-reading-time/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).
## Changelog
#### 1.0.0
* Initial release as Readlyte (previously submitted under the name “Read Time Calculator”;
renamed at the request of the WordPress.org Plugin Review Team for name distinctiveness—
all identifiers, the shortcode tag, CSS classes, and the option name were updated
accordingly).
* Automatic display, `[rdlt_reading_time]` shortcode, Gutenberg block, and Elementor
widget.
* Developer filters: `rdlt_word_count`, `rdlt_calculated_read_time`, `rdlt_read_time_text`,`
rdlt_read_time_icon`.
## Meta
* Version **1.0.0**
* Last updated **20 hours ago**
* Active installations **Fewer than 10**
* WordPress version ** 5.8 or higher **
* Tested up to **7.1**
* PHP version ** 7.4 or higher **
* Language
* [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/)
* Tags
* [blog](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/blog/)[content](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/content/)
[gutenberg](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/gutenberg/)[read time](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/read-time/)
[reading time](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/reading-time/)
* [Advanced View](https://mfe.wordpress.org/plugins/readlyte-reading-time/advanced/)
## Ratings
No reviews have been submitted yet.
[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/readlyte-reading-time/reviews/#new-post)
[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/readlyte-reading-time/reviews/)
## Contributors
* [ munizasultan ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/munizasultan/)
## Support
Got something to say? Need help?
[View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/readlyte-reading-time/)