diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
index 4903b2226..3367bce9b 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/chrome.rs
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ pub fn mode_bar(app: &mut PdfCraftApp, ui: &mut egui::Ui) {
                     [(Mode::AllTools, "All tools"), (Mode::Read, "Read"), (Mode::Edit, "Edit"), (Mode::Convert, "Convert"), (Mode::Sign, "E-Sign")]
                 {
                     if widgets::mode_tab(ui, tl!(label), app.mode == mode).clicked() {
-                        app.select_mode(mode);
+                        app.switch_mode(mode, true);
                     }
                 }
                 ui.with_layout(Layout::right_to_left(Align::Center), |ui| {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
index 546ea74c3..17d2b7c56 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/commands.rs
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
                     None => self.full_screen = on,
                 }
             }
-            "view.read_mode" => self.mode = if self.mode == Mode::Read { Mode::AllTools } else { Mode::Read },
+            "view.read_mode" => self.switch_mode(if self.mode == Mode::Read { Mode::AllTools } else { Mode::Read }, false),
             "view.theme" => {
                 let next = if self.theme == ThemeKind::Light { ThemePreference::Dark } else { ThemePreference::Light };
                 self.set_theme_preference(next);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
index c6886a9f3..07f3ab58a 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/lib.rs
@@ -408,6 +408,10 @@ pub struct PdfCraftApp {
     pub left: LeftPanel,
     pub left_open: bool,
     pub right: Option<RightPanel>,
+    /// The right panel that was open when the user switched to Read mode, which starts with the
+    /// panes closed; leaving Read mode brings it back unless the user opened or closed a pane in
+    /// Read mode meanwhile.
+    right_before_read: Option<RightPanel>,
     /// The user closed the Comments panel, so picking a comment tool leaves it closed until they
     /// open it again (#225). Remembered across restarts.
     pub comments_panel_closed: bool,
@@ -730,6 +734,7 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
             pending_panel_reveals: Vec::new(),
             left_open: true,
             right: None,
+            right_before_read: None,
             comments_panel_closed: false,
             quick_tool: QuickTool::Select,
             space_hand: None,
@@ -957,7 +962,9 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         let doc = self.session.get(id).ok_or("the document could not be opened")?;
         let pages = doc.info.pages.len();
         // Acrobat opens straight to the Comments panel when a document has comments.
-        if activate && self.right.is_none() {
+        // Read mode opens with the panes closed; the rail still opens them (#932).
+        let opening_mode = self.mode_override.unwrap_or(self.default_mode);
+        if activate && self.right.is_none() && opening_mode != Mode::Read {
             self.right = if !doc.info.annotations.is_empty() {
                 Some(RightPanel::Comments)
             } else if !doc.info.outline.is_empty() {
@@ -1421,9 +1428,36 @@ impl PdfCraftApp {
         };
     }
 
+    /// Switches workspace because the user chose to (mode bar, Read mode command). Entering Read
+    /// mode closes the right panel, as Acrobat's Read mode hides its panes, and leaving it reopens
+    /// that panel. The rail stays in Read mode, and its buttons open panels there too (#932).
+    pub(crate) fn switch_mode(&mut self, mode: Mode, select_tools: bool) {
+        let was_read = self.mode == Mode::Read;
+        if select_tools {
+            self.select_mode(mode);
+        } else {
+            self.mode = mode;
+        }
+        if mode == Mode::Read && !was_read {
+            self.right_before_read = self.right.take();
+        } else if mode != Mode::Read && was_read {
+            let before = self.right_before_read.take();
+            if self.right.is_none() {
+                self.right = before;
+            }
+            if self.right.is_some() {
+                self.pending_panel_reveals.push(docking::Panel::Inspector);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Opens a right panel, or closes it with `None`, because the user chose to. Closing Comments
-    /// keeps comment tools from reopening it; opening it again lets them (#225).
+    /// keeps comment tools from reopening it; opening it again lets them (#225). A choice made in
+    /// Read mode replaces the pane saved on the way in, so leaving Read mode doesn't undo it.
     pub fn choose_right_panel(&mut self, panel: Option<RightPanel>) {
+        if self.mode == Mode::Read {
+            self.right_before_read = None;
+        }
         if panel == Some(RightPanel::Comments) {
             self.comments_panel_closed = false;
         } else if panel.is_none() && self.right == Some(RightPanel::Comments) {
@@ -2165,6 +2199,17 @@ impl eframe::App for PdfCraftApp {
         chrome::mode_bar(self, ui);
         if self.active.is_some() {
             chrome::right_rail(self, ui);
+            // Read mode hides the tools, not the navigation panes: the rail stays visible
+            // there, so its buttons (Bookmarks, Page thumbnails, ...) must open their panels.
+            // Outside Read mode the docking workspace draws the inspector.
+            if self.mode == Mode::Read && self.right.is_some() {
+                egui::Panel::right("read_right_panel")
+                    .resizable(true)
+                    .default_size(330.0)
+                    .size_range(260.0..=520.0)
+                    .frame(egui::Frame::NONE)
+                    .show(ui, |ui| panels::right_panel(self, ui));
+            }
         }
         let t = theme::Tokens::get(&ctx);
         egui::CentralPanel::default().frame(egui::Frame::NONE.fill(t.pasteboard)).show(ui, |ui| {
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
index 2a94e78d0..b35743693 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/tests/ui.rs
@@ -114,6 +114,99 @@ fn opening_a_pdf_shows_comments_and_bookmarks() {
     h.get_by_label("Beta section");
 }
 
+/// Read mode hides the tools, not the navigation panes: the rail's Bookmarks button opens the
+/// bookmarks when Read is the default workspace (#932), and the left tool pane stays hidden.
+#[test]
+fn read_mode_rail_buttons_open_their_panels() {
+    use pdfcraft_ui_egui::{Mode, RightPanel};
+    let mut h = harness(|app| {
+        app.default_mode = Mode::Read;
+        app.open_bytes("fixture.pdf", None, FIXTURE.to_vec()).expect("fixture opens");
+    });
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::Read);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None, "Read mode opens with the panes closed");
+    assert!(h.query_by_label("Alpha section").is_none());
+    h.get_by_label("Bookmarks").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Bookmarks));
+    h.get_by_label("Alpha section");
+    h.get_by_label("Beta section");
+    // The same button closes them again (the open panel's title is also "Bookmarks").
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Button, "Bookmarks").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    assert!(h.query_by_label("Alpha section").is_none());
+    // A document that asks for its outline (/PageMode /UseOutlines) shows it in Read mode too.
+    let pdf = String::from_utf8(FIXTURE.to_vec()).unwrap().replace("/Outlines 6 0 R", "/Outlines 6 0 R /PageMode /UseOutlines");
+    h.state_mut().open_bytes("outline.pdf", None, pdf.into_bytes()).unwrap();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::Read);
+    h.get_by_label("Alpha section");
+}
+
+/// Switching to Read mode closes the open pane, and switching back reopens it.
+#[test]
+fn read_mode_closes_the_panes_and_leaving_it_brings_them_back() {
+    use pdfcraft_ui_egui::{Mode, RightPanel};
+    let mut h = harness(|app| app.open_bytes("fixture.pdf", None, FIXTURE.to_vec()).expect("fixture opens"));
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    h.get_by_label("Read").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::Read);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    assert!(h.query_by_label_contains("Check the numbers").is_none(), "the Comments panel is hidden");
+    h.state_mut().run_command("view.read_mode");
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::AllTools);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    // A pane opened in Read mode stays open on the way out.
+    h.state_mut().run_command("view.read_mode");
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    h.get_by_label("Page thumbnails").click();
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    h.get_by_label("All tools").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Pages));
+}
+
+/// A pane closed in Read mode stays closed on the way out: leaving Read mode doesn't bring back the
+/// pane saved on the way in, and closing Comments keeps its close preference.
+#[test]
+fn a_pane_closed_in_read_mode_stays_closed_when_leaving_it() {
+    use pdfcraft_ui_egui::{Mode, RightPanel};
+    let mut h = harness(|app| app.open_bytes("fixture.pdf", None, FIXTURE.to_vec()).expect("fixture opens"));
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    h.get_by_label("Read").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    // Open Comments from the rail, then close it again.
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Button, "Comments").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    h.get_by_role_and_label(egui::accesskit::Role::Button, "Comments").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    assert!(h.state().comments_panel_closed);
+    // Leave Read mode through the toolbar.
+    h.get_by_label("All tools").click();
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::AllTools);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None, "the pane closed in Read mode stays closed");
+    assert!(h.state().comments_panel_closed);
+    // The same through the Read mode command.
+    h.state_mut().choose_right_panel(Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    h.state_mut().run_command("view.read_mode");
+    h.run_steps(2);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().mode, Mode::Read);
+    h.state_mut().choose_right_panel(Some(RightPanel::Comments));
+    h.state_mut().choose_right_panel(None);
+    h.state_mut().run_command("view.read_mode");
+    h.run_steps(3);
+    assert_ne!(h.state().mode, Mode::Read);
+    assert_eq!(h.state().right, None);
+    assert!(h.state().comments_panel_closed);
+}
+
 /// A right-to-left file name opens, lays out and paints; the tab's accessible name keeps the
 /// logical text (only the painted label is put in visual order).
 #[test]