Webpage fails to load due to Automatic Reader Mode error

leftium

Many sites fail to load, or briefly load before the viewport becomes blank. The issue is intermittent, but happens most of the time. This never happens in iOS Safari.

For example:

https://translate.kagi.com
https://assistant.kagi.com
https://kit-demos.vercel.app
- (SvelteKit stock minimal project template: https://github.com/Leftium/kit-demos)
https://weather-sense.leftium.com

The sites should load without becoming a blank screen.

There seem to be three workarounds:

Disable content blockers
OR disable JS
OR disable automatic reader mode

System Info

App version: 1.5.1 (1) (WebKit 8621.8.1.10.1)
System version: 18.7.8
Device type: iPhone 13 Mini
Native bounds: (1080.0, 2340.0)
Scale: 3.0
Regular tabs: 2/https://kit-demos.vercel.app/

I have captured a debug log. The log was cleared before capturing the video above:

Log highlight (why I think Automatic Reader Mode is the cause):

[2026-07-30 09:27:45] WebContextView+ReaderMode: Error: A JavaScript exception occurred

[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingProgressChanged(progress: 0.1, animated: false)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: WebPageDelegate: isLoading: true, webPage: Orion.WebPageModel
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingStatusChanged
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: updateBarsItems
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: processAction action: updateLocationBar
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: updateLocationBar(viewModel: Orion.WebPageModel, tabsCount: 1)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: processAction action: updateToolsbar
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: updateToolsbar(tabHasURL: true, backNavigation: Orion.NewTabViewModel.BackNavigation.regular)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: restoreToolbars
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingProgressChanged(progress: 0.15, animated: false)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: processAction action: configureContentBlocker(enabled: true)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingProgressChanged(progress: 0.5, animated: true)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: updateWebsiteAddress(text: "https://kit-demos.vercel.app/")
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: removeReaderModeHighlightFromURLBar
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: faviconUpdated(image: Optional(<UIImage:0x134213020 symbol(system: globe) {19.666666666666664, 19} baseline=3.33333,contentInsets={1, 1.3333333333333333, 1, 1.3333333333333321},alignmentRectInsets={-0.66666666666666607, 0, -0.66666666666666652, 0} config=<traits=(UserInterfaceIdiom = Phone, DisplayScale = 3, DisplayGamut = P3, HorizontalSizeClass = Compact, VerticalSizeClass = Regular, UserInterfaceStyle = Light, UserInterfaceLayoutDirection = LTR, PreferredContentSizeCategory = L, AccessibilityContrast = Normal)> renderingMode=automatic(template)>))
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] Call: kagiFaviconObserver.requestIconOnDocumentReady-https://kit-demos.vercel.app/
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] Call: base.frameLoaded-https://kit-demos.vercel.app/
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingProgressChanged(progress: 1.0, animated: true)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: WebPageDelegate: isLoading: false, webPage: Orion.WebPageModel
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingStatusChanged
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: updateBarsItems
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: processAction action: updateLocationBar
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: updateLocationBar(viewModel: Orion.WebPageModel, tabsCount: 1)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] TabViewModel: processAction action: updateToolsbar
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: updateToolsbar(tabHasURL: true, backNavigation: Orion.NewTabViewModel.BackNavigation.regular)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: openReaderMode
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] NewTabViewController ID 11: processViewModel w/ state: pageLoadingProgressChanged(progress: 0.0, animated: false)
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] BrowserContainerVC: storeSessionURLs
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] WebContextView+ReaderMode: Error: A JavaScript exception occurred
[2026-07-30 09:27:45] Call: kagiFaviconObserver.iconAdded-https://kit-demos.vercel.app/
[2026-07-30 09:27:46] TabViewModel: processAction action: takeScreenshot(tabRootView: Optional(<Orion.NewTabRootView: 0x134311000; frame = (0 0; 375 628); backgroundColor = UIExtendedGrayColorSpace 1 1; layer = <CALayer: 0x1747657a0>>))
[2026-07-30 09:27:52] BrowserContainerVC: openOptionsPopover, hasURL: true
[2026-07-30 09:27:52] NewTabViewController ID 11: updatePopoverSourceView

1.5.1

jeanetienne

Hi leftium thank you for taking the time to report such a detailed bug report!

Your hunch is correct, there's something wrong with the reader mode. It seems to get into an intermediate state sometimes, for some reason.

In the meantime, a workaround is to tap on the favicon/website menu, left of the URL, and open Website Settings. There ensure "Use Reader Mode Automatically" is ticked OFF.

We'll work on a fix.

Thank you for your help in making Orion a better browser!

leftium

jeanetienne

Thank you~ Here are two significant sites that don't work in iOS Orion:

jeanetienne

leftium Is this the same problem with Kagi Assistant and Kagi Translate also related to reader mode?

leftium

jeanetienne

I confirmed one of them has the same WebContextView+ReaderMode: Error: A JavaScript exception occurred in the logs. Then I just assumed the other Kagi app had the same error, too.

I make a lot of SvelteKit apps, and they tend to not work in Orion (while working fine in Safari). So I used to think the Orion content blocker was being triggered by one of SvelteKit's files. Now that I investigated it more, it seems Orion has some issue while SvelteKit is hydrating.

jeanetienne

Hi leftium, thanks for following up. We'll investigate SvelteKit specifically. Have you found the same issue is present on Orion macOS by any chance?

When it comes to Kagi Translate and Kagi Assistant, di you try the workaround? Did it help?

a workaround is to tap on the favicon/website menu, left of the URL, and open Website Settings. There ensure "Use Reader Mode Automatically" is ticked OFF, then reload the page.

Thank you for your help in making Orion a better browser!

leftium

jeanetienne

I don't really use macOS Orion, but I have largely not seen the issue there.

The quoted work-around works.

I don't think there is anything special about my setup. Anyone should be able to reproduce these errors simply by using Orion to visit these sites.

jeanetienne

leftium thanks for following up!
I was asking you about the workaround, because I think the bug lies with the reader mode that enter a broken state sometimes, I'm not sure this is specific to SvelteKit.