Read Out Loud: Turn Any Text into Speech on Phone, Desktop, and Web

Want your phone or computer to read out loud to you? You are not alone: read out loud (also called read aloud or text to speech) is one of the fastest ways to learn, proofread, and consume long text without staring at a screen.

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Quick answer: the fastest way to read text out loud

Use what is already built into your device: iPhone and iPad have Speak Screen and Speak Selection, Android has Read aloud / Select to Speak, Windows has Narrator, and Microsoft Edge includes a Read aloud button for webpages and PDFs. Limits can change--check the platform help center for the latest.

Pick the best read out loud method for your situation

If you only want something that works right now, start with the option in the first column for your device, then move right if you need more control.

What you want to listen to	Best built-in option	When it is a better fit
Any webpage article	Microsoft Edge Read aloud (desktop)	You want one-click playback and voice speed controls
Selected text (a paragraph, an email, a snippet)	iPhone Speak Selection / Android Read aloud selection	You only need a small part, not the whole screen
Full screen content in almost any app	iPhone Speak Screen / Android Select to Speak	You want to hear what is on screen while scrolling
Documents and PDFs	Edge Read aloud for PDFs / system screen reader	You want to listen to longer files without copying text
Proofreading your own writing	Any built-in read out loud tool	You want to catch awkward phrasing and missing words

Before you start: 3 settings that matter

Voice: pick a voice that is clear in your language (different accents can help you notice errors faster).
Speed: start at a normal pace, then increase once comprehension stays high.
Highlighting: if available, turn on word highlighting to improve focus and catch skips.

Now choose your device below and follow the exact steps.

Create natural voiceovers from text

Turn scripts into clean narration with multilingual voices and export-ready audio.

Try ElevenLabs

How to read out loud on iPhone or iPad

Apple lets you read selected text or the entire screen, even if VoiceOver is off.

Option 1: Speak Selection (read just what you highlight)

Open Settings and go to Accessibility.
Tap Spoken Content.
Turn on Speak Selection.
In any app, highlight text, then tap Speak.

Option 2: Speak Screen (read the whole screen)

Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content.
Turn on Speak Screen.
Open the page you want to listen to.
Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to start.

Tip: If the gesture is fiddly, enable the on-screen Speech Controller so you can tap play and pause.

How to read out loud on Android

On many Android apps and webpages, you can select text and use a built-in Read aloud action. For broader support across apps, enable Select to Speak.

Option 1: Read aloud a selection (fastest)

Tap and hold to select text.
In the pop-up menu, tap More if needed, then tap Read aloud.

Option 2: Select to Speak (works across the screen)

Open Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak.
Turn on the Select to Speak shortcut.
In an app or browser, tap the shortcut, then tap an item or drag to select a block of text to be read.

How to read out loud on Chromebook

Chromebooks include two built-in options: ChromeVox (full screen reader) and Select-to-speak (read parts of a page).

Option 1: ChromeVox (full-page reading)

Open Settings, then go to Accessibility.
Under Text-to-Speech, turn on ChromeVox.
Use Ctrl + Alt + z to toggle ChromeVox on or off as you browse.

Option 2: Select-to-speak (read a snippet)

Open Settings > Accessibility.
Under Text-to-Speech, turn on Select-to-speak.
Select the text you want to hear and trigger Select-to-speak to read it.

How to read out loud on Windows (and keep it usable)

Windows Narrator is the built-in screen reader. It is powerful, but it can feel like overkill if you only want paragraphs read back.

Option 1: Narrator basics

Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter to turn Narrator on or off.
Use arrow keys to move through text in documents and webpages.
Use Narrator settings to adjust voice and speed.

Option 2: Microsoft Edge Read aloud (best for webpages and PDFs)

Open the webpage or PDF in Microsoft Edge.
Right-click and choose Read aloud, or press Ctrl + Shift + U.
Use Voice options to change the voice and reading speed.

If you are reading a PDF, Edge can read it out loud from the PDF toolbar, without Immersive Reader.

How to read out loud on Mac

macOS includes VoiceOver, the system screen reader. Turn it on when you need spoken navigation, or use it briefly to read a passage and turn it off again.

Open System Settings (or System Preferences) > Accessibility.
Choose VoiceOver and enable it.
Navigate to the text you want to hear and use VoiceOver commands to read it.

Troubleshooting: why read out loud fails (and quick fixes)

Nothing happens: check volume, silent mode, and that the feature is enabled in Accessibility settings.
It reads the wrong language: change the spoken language or voice, or set the document language if the app supports it.
It skips parts of a PDF: scanned PDFs may be images; try a text-based version or run OCR first.
Voices sound robotic: switch to a different built-in voice, or use an advanced TTS tool for more natural prosody.

Localize audio with dubbing

Explore ElevenLabs dubbing

Pro use cases: proofreading, studying, and staying focused

Proofread by ear (writers secret weapon)

Listen once at normal speed to catch missing words and repeated phrases.
Listen again 10 to 20 percent faster to test clarity: confusing sentences get harder, fast.
Pause often and rewrite the sentence you just heard, not what you meant to write.

Study and comprehension

Turn on word highlighting when available so your eyes and ears stay in sync.
Use shorter chunks (one section at a time) to avoid zoning out.
If you are learning a language, match the voice accent to your course material.

When built-in read out loud is not enough

Built-in tools are perfect for accessibility and quick playback. But if you need studio-quality narration (for a podcast intro, a training video, or multilingual voiceovers), you will want higher-quality voices, more control over emotion and pacing, and a workflow that exports clean audio.

One practical next step is generate natural-sounding voiceovers from your scripts with ElevenLabs. It is a good fit if you need multilingual text to speech, consistent voices across episodes, and optional voice cloning for your own voice (with explicit consent and proper disclosure).

Multilingual reach: ElevenLabs supports dozens of languages and offers dubbing workflows for localization (features and limits vary by plan).
Consistent brand voice: keep the same narrator voice across long projects.
Creator-friendly workflow: create, edit, and export audio for video, podcasts, or courses.

If you want more context before you pick a tool, start with our guides: TTS basics, voiceover scripts, and dubbing basics.

Mistakes to avoid

Assuming it will read everything: some apps block selection, and scanned PDFs are often just images.
Listening at max speed too early: faster is not better if comprehension drops.
Ignoring privacy: if you paste sensitive text into a web tool, understand how it is processed and stored.
Cloning voices without permission: only clone voices you have explicit rights to use and avoid deceptive impersonation.

FAQ

What does read out loud mean?

It means converting written text into spoken audio using text-to-speech so you can listen instead of reading.

Can my phone read any app out loud?

Often yes. iPhone Speak Screen and Android Select to Speak can read many on-screen elements, but some apps limit what can be captured as readable text.

How do I get a browser to read a webpage out loud?

On desktop, Microsoft Edge has a built-in Read aloud option you can start from the right-click menu or with a keyboard shortcut.

Can Edge read PDFs out loud?

Yes. When a PDF is opened in Edge, you can start Read aloud from the PDF toolbar and control playback.

Why does my PDF not read properly?

If the PDF is a scan, the text may be an image. You will need OCR or a text-based PDF for reliable read aloud.

Is voice cloning allowed?

It can be, but only with explicit consent and in line with the providers policies and local laws. Avoid anything that could mislead people about who is speaking.

Conclusion

If you just want to listen, start with the built-in features on your device today. If you want to publish audio (voiceovers, narration, or localization), step up to a dedicated voice workflow so the result sounds natural and is easy to reuse.