Pocket Shutting Down: How to Take Control of Your Archived Articles

Mozilla's announcement that Pocket, the popular read-it-later service, will be shutting down on July 8, 2025, has left many users scrambling for alternatives. After May 22, 2025, you will no longer be able to download Pocket or purchase a new Pocket Premium subscription. But don't worry, you can export saves anytime until October 8, 2025. The move highlights the challenges of relying on third-party services for personal data and raises the question: how can you ensure your archived articles remain accessible?

This decision is part of a broader strategic shift for Mozilla, as detailed in their official blog post. They are focusing on "what powers better browsing" and channeling resources into core Firefox features and new solutions. While Pocket has served millions, Mozilla believes that evolving browsing habits necessitate a change in direction. Other casualty is Fakespot, our browser extension that analyzes the authenticity of online product reviews, will shut down on July 1, 2025.

One compelling alternative is self-hosting your own article archiving service using open-source tools like ArchiveBox. As ZDNET's David Gewirtz explains, ArchiveBox allows you to "own it all and nobody can shut it down."

Setting up ArchiveBox:

ArchiveBox is compatible with Linux and MacOS, but best of all, you can also run as a Docker container on any device running Docker, including Windows.

• Installation: You can install it with Docker. Gewirtz details the process of setting up ArchiveBox on a Linux-based homelab Docker server, emphasizing the importance of storing data outside the container for easy backup.
• Web Interface: While not ideal for bulk archiving, the web interface provides a starting point. Users can add URLs and select the desired formats for saving content.
• Chrome Extension: Offers a more seamless experience, allowing you to save pages with a single click. It also has setting configurations form to automatically archive pages you visit if their URL matches a particular regular expression (a formula that describes string patterns).

Why self-hosting matters?

The biggest advantage of running ArchiveBox is having complete control over your data. No more relying on a third-party service that could disappear overnight. Your archived articles are stored in your filesystem, ready to be backed up and accessed whenever you need them.

Mozilla's decision reflects a broader trend in the tech industry: the constant evolution of products and services. While this can lead to innovation, it also highlights the importance of data ownership and the need for users to have control over their digital lives.

Are you planning to migrate your data from Pocket? Will you consider setting up ArchiveBox or another self-hosted solution? Share your thoughts and strategies in the comments below.

• ArchiveBox
• Mozilla
• Pocket

Related issues news

When is Pocket shutting down?

Pocket will no longer be available after July 8, 2025. You can continue using the app and browser extensions until this date. After July 8, Pocket will move into export-only mode. Users can export saves anytime until October 8, 2025, after which user data will be permanently deleted.

Why is Pocket ending?

According to Mozilla, 'the way people use the web has evolved,' so the company has decided to shut down Pocket in order to put more resources into Firefox. Pocket will shut down on July 8, 2025. Users will be able to export their data until October 8, 2025. After that, user data will be permanently deleted.

Is fakespot shutting down?

Mozilla announced on Thursday that it's shutting down Pocket, a read-it-later app it acquired in 2017, on July 8. The company is also shutting down Fakespot, its browser extension that helps users identify unreliable reviews.

How to export saves from Pocket?

Make sure your Pocket or Mozilla account uses a valid, active email address before initiating an export. Your data export will be sent there. Go to https://getpocket.com/export. Check the email address shown in the top left of the page.