Description
Init Reading Position enhances the reading experience by remembering how far a visitor has read on a post.
When they return, it automatically scrolls back to where they left off.
Perfect for:
- Long-form articles
- Tutorials or guides
- Web novels or manga
- Any content where readers often stop and come back later
This plugin is part of the Init Plugin Suite — a collection of minimalist, fast, and developer-focused tools for WordPress.
GitHub repository: https://github.com/brokensmile2103/init-reading-position
Features
- Saves scroll position using localStorage (guests) or user_meta (logged-in users)
- Smart device-based sync: remembers position separately for PC, Mobile, and Tablet
- Automatically scrolls back on page load
- Lightweight, no jQuery, no bloat
- Easy to extend via filters
- Optional settings page to control which post types are enabled
License
This plugin is licensed under the GPLv2 or later.
You are free to use, modify, and distribute it under the same license.
Screenshots
Simple settings page — choose post types and optionally enter a CSS selector (e.g. .entry-content) to limit where reading progress is tracked.
Installation
- Upload the plugin folder to
/wp-content/plugins/or install via Plugins Add New. - Activate the plugin.
- Go to Settings Reading Position and choose which post types should support this feature.
FAQ
-
Does it sync across devices?
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Yes. For logged-in users, scroll position is saved in user_meta, and stored separately for each device type (PC, Mobile, Tablet).
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Will it work with custom post types?
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Yes. You can enable it for any public post type in the plugin settings page.
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Will it slow down my site?
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No. It only runs a small JS script on enabled single pages and stores data efficiently.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Init Reading Position – Remember, Return, Continue” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Init Reading Position – Remember, Return, Continue” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.2 – November 12, 2025
- Added: Support for multiple CSS selectors separated by commas (e.g.
.entry-content, .post-content, #main) - Added: Option “Auto-clear saved position at content end” (enabled by default)
- Improved: Scroll tracking now activates if the reader is inside any of the configured selector areas
- Improved: Percent calculation prioritizes the selector in scope, falls back to whole page when outside all selectors
- Behavior: When auto-clear is enabled, progress is cleared at the end of the content area; when disabled, it falls back to clearing at page end
- Zero breaking changes — existing settings, localStorage keys, and user_meta structure remain compatible
1.1 – November 5, 2025
- Added: CSS Selector option — plugin now only tracks progress inside the selected content area (e.g.
.entry-content) - Added: i18n ready strings for new settings field (English + Vietnamese translations included)
- Improved: Scroll position tracking logic — no longer saves progress when user scrolls outside the selected content area (e.g. comments section)
- Improved: Cleanup behavior — scroll progress is deleted only when reaching end of the page, never based on selector range
- No breaking changes — keeps old localStorage keys and user meta structure
- Updated: Admin settings page UI/UX (placeholder instead of default selector)
1.0 – May 20, 2025
- Initial release
- Saves scroll position using localStorage (guests) and user meta (logged-in users)
- Auto-scrolls back to last position on load
- Per-device storage (PC, Mobile, Tablet)
- Settings page to choose post types
- Filter
init_plugin_suite_reading_position_delayto adjust debounce time
