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Open Access Helper by Open Access Helper
Effortless legal access to full text scholarly articles: Open Access Helper will help you identify legal open access copies of academic articles, using unpaywall.org and core.ac.uk
You'll need Firefox to use this extension
Extension Metadata
Screenshots
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About this extension
Open Access Helper: Effortless Access to Scholarly Articles
Unlock Open Access
Easily find legal, free-to-read versions of paywalled scientific articles. Open Access Helper uses the trusted APIs from unpaywall.org and core.ac.uk to locate open access copies, making research more accessible for students, researchers, and curious minds.
How It Works
When you view a research article, the extension detects its DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and checks for an available open access version. Simply click the Open Access Helper badge to access the document!
As you hover over the badge, it will indicate whether you’ll be accessing the “Published Version,” “Accepted Version,” or “Submitted Version.”
EZProxy or OpenAthens Made Simple
If your university library uses EZProxy or OpenAthens for off-campus access, this extension makes it seamless to connect. Just set your institution’s domain (e.g., harvard.edu), and with one click, you can proxy the current page through your library’s server.
100% Legal and Privacy-Respecting
Every link provided leads to officially open-access or legally archived copies of research articles. Plus, Open Access Helper doesn’t collect personal data—just anonymous usage stats to improve functionality.
Open Source & Developer-Friendly
This is a passion project—check out the code, share feedback, or report bugs. Your contributions and ideas are always welcome!
👉 Get started today—make research easier and more accessible with Open Access Helper!
Unlock Open Access
Easily find legal, free-to-read versions of paywalled scientific articles. Open Access Helper uses the trusted APIs from unpaywall.org and core.ac.uk to locate open access copies, making research more accessible for students, researchers, and curious minds.
How It Works
When you view a research article, the extension detects its DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and checks for an available open access version. Simply click the Open Access Helper badge to access the document!
As you hover over the badge, it will indicate whether you’ll be accessing the “Published Version,” “Accepted Version,” or “Submitted Version.”
EZProxy or OpenAthens Made Simple
If your university library uses EZProxy or OpenAthens for off-campus access, this extension makes it seamless to connect. Just set your institution’s domain (e.g., harvard.edu), and with one click, you can proxy the current page through your library’s server.
100% Legal and Privacy-Respecting
Every link provided leads to officially open-access or legally archived copies of research articles. Plus, Open Access Helper doesn’t collect personal data—just anonymous usage stats to improve functionality.
Open Source & Developer-Friendly
This is a passion project—check out the code, share feedback, or report bugs. Your contributions and ideas are always welcome!
👉 Get started today—make research easier and more accessible with Open Access Helper!
Developer comments
This is a new extension and if you come across a bug contact Claus at info@oahelper.org!
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PermissionsLearn more
This add-on needs to:
- Access browser tabs
- Access your data for all web sites
More information
- Add-on Links
- Version
- 2025.3
- Size
- 415.03 kB
- Last updated
- 23 days ago (1 Feb 2025)
- Related Categories
- Licence
- All Rights Reserved
- Privacy Policy
- Read the privacy policy for this add-on
- Version History
Add to collection
Release notes for 2025.3
🔹 Major bug fixes thanks to an improved testing framework (now with 45 end-to-end tests).
🔹 Open Access Button may now appear if no institution is selected. Disable it in Extension Settings > Alternative Access.
🔹 OpenCitations badge now displays citation counts for users who have just installed the extension or who never saved settings. Turn it off in Extension Settings > Additional Service.
🔹 core.ac.uk is now an Open Access source again. Manage this in Extension Settings > Alternative Access.
Enjoy better reliability and more control over your experience! 🚀
🔹 Open Access Button may now appear if no institution is selected. Disable it in Extension Settings > Alternative Access.
🔹 OpenCitations badge now displays citation counts for users who have just installed the extension or who never saved settings. Turn it off in Extension Settings > Additional Service.
🔹 core.ac.uk is now an Open Access source again. Manage this in Extension Settings > Alternative Access.
Enjoy better reliability and more control over your experience! 🚀
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