How to Subscribe to a Website's Feed in a Newsreader App

To subscribe to a website's feed, copy the feed URL from that site, then paste it into your newsreader app's "Subscribe," "Add Web Feed," or "+" function. You need two things first: a newsreader app installed or open in a browser, and the site's RSS link or orange feed icon to copy. Once pasted, the newsreader checks the feed automatically every few hours, so new content appears without you visiting each site.

Before you start: get a newsreader

A feed is the latest content from a site in a format your newsreader app understands. Most feeds live on news sites and blogs, and a site with a feed means you can subscribe to it. If you don't have a reader yet, About Feeds lists four options (in its alphabetical order):

Which one you pick matters little: newsreaders make it fairly easy to export your subscription list and move to another app later, so choose one whose look you like. Sign up or download it, then move on to subscribing.

Step 1: Find and copy the feed URL

Go to the website you want to follow and look for an "RSS" link, often at the bottom of the page, or an orange feed icon. That link is what you need to copy:

• On desktop: right-click the link and choose "Copy Link Address" or similar.
• On mobile: tap and hold the link until a menu appears, then choose "Copy link" or similar.

The expected result is a feed URL on your clipboard. If you can't find a link or icon, the site may not offer a feed — there's nothing to paste, so skip it.

Step 2: Paste it into your newsreader

Open your newsreader and look for a function named something like "Subscribe," "Add Web Feed," or a "+" icon. Paste the feed URL you copied into it and confirm. That's the whole action: the app now knows which feed to check.

Step 3: Verify it worked

Return to the reader's main list or inbox. You should see the site's latest content there, and new items should appear as the site publishes — the reader checks the feed automatically every few hours. If the site doesn't appear, re-copy the link (a partial copy is the usual culprit) and paste it again.

What you get, and when to unsubscribe

With one subscription the time savings are small, but at 10 or 20 the newsreader becomes your regular place for news and updates. Unlike social platforms, no algorithm drops content unless the author pays, and feeds are spam-proof. If a site stops being useful, just unsubscribe from the feed — no account on the site required.

To find more to read, repeat the same three steps on other sites you like.