Read Text Out Loud: How to Make Any Device Speak Your Text

Want your device to read text out loud so you can proofread faster, study hands-free, or follow an article while doing something else? Most phones, computers, and browsers can do this with built-in accessibility features.

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Quick answer (TL;DR)

iPhone/iPad: Turn on Read & Speak, then use Speak Screen (two-finger swipe down from the top) or Speak Selection (select text, then tap Speak).
Android: Turn on Select to Speak, then use the shortcut to read selected text or tap Play to read the screen.
Windows: Use Narrator to read text in apps and on the web; adjust speech rate and voice in Narrator settings.
Mac: Turn on Speak selection in Accessibility so a keyboard shortcut reads highlighted text.
Web pages: In Microsoft Edge, right-click a page (or selected text) and choose Read aloud.

Note: Limits can change and features can vary by device, market, and version - check the platform help center for the latest.

Choose the best method (fast decision table)

Your situation	Best built-in option	How to start	Best for
Read the whole screen on iPhone	Speak Screen	Enable Read & Speak, then swipe down with two fingers	Articles, emails, long notes
Read a paragraph you highlighted	Speak Selection (iPhone) / Read aloud selection (Edge) / Select to Speak (Android)	Select text, then choose the speak/read option	Proofreading and spot checks
Listen while you scroll	iPhone Speak Screen controller / Android Read in background	Turn on the controller or background reading	Hands-free studying
Read a web page on desktop	Edge Read aloud	Right-click the page and choose Read aloud	News, blogs, documentation
Accessibility and full keyboard control	Windows Narrator	Turn Narrator on, then navigate with the keyboard	Screen reader workflows

Read text out loud on iPhone and iPad (Read & Speak)

Apple lets you read the whole screen, a selected passage, or even what you type - without turning on VoiceOver.

Open Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak.
Turn on Speak Screen (for the full page) and/or Speak Selection (for highlighted text).
Optional: turn on the on-screen controller so you can pause, skip, and change speed while listening.

Speak the whole screen

Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to start Speak Screen.
Use the controller to pause, change rate, or jump forward/back.

Speak a selection

Select the text you want to hear, then tap Speak in the pop-up menu.

Improve pronunciation and language

In Read & Speak, you can pick voices, adjust speaking rate, enable language detection, and add pronunciations for tricky names or acronyms.

Read text out loud on Android (Select to Speak)

On Android, Select to Speak can read highlighted text, controls, and parts of the screen. It can also keep reading while you do other things (when enabled).

Open Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak (you may need the Android Accessibility Suite).
Turn on the Select to Speak shortcut.
Start it using your chosen shortcut, then tap an item, drag to select multiple items, or tap Play to read everything.

Shortcut tip: Many devices also show a Read aloud option when you select text - useful for quick proofreads in supported apps and browsers.

Create lifelike read-aloud audio

Turn scripts into natural voiceovers and keep pronunciation consistent across content.

Try ElevenLabs

Read text out loud on Windows (Narrator)

Narrator is Windows' built-in screen reader. It reads and interacts with items on the screen, including text in documents and web pages, and it works with keyboard navigation.

Turn Narrator on: press Windows key + Ctrl + Enter.
Open the document, email, or web page you want to listen to.
Move through the text (for example with arrow keys in many apps). Narrator reads as you navigate.

If you are new to Narrator, start with basic navigation and then adjust voice and speed in Narrator settings until it feels comfortable.

Read text out loud on Mac (Speak selection)

macOS can speak the text you highlight on screen with a keyboard shortcut. You can also show a small controller for speed and skipping.

Open System Settings > Accessibility.
Go to Read & Speak.
Turn on Speak selection, then set (or customize) the keyboard shortcut you want.
Select text in any app and use your shortcut to hear it.

Read web pages out loud in Microsoft Edge

Edge has a built-in Read aloud feature that works from the menu or a right-click. You can also read only a selection, which is perfect for proofreading a paragraph before you post it.

Open the web page in Edge.
Right-click anywhere on the page and choose Read aloud (or select text first and choose Read aloud selection).
Use the Read aloud toolbar to change voice and reading speed.

Keyboard shortcut: on macOS, Edge can start/stop Read aloud with Command + Shift + U.

Offline note: Read aloud can work offline, but only a few voice options may be available.

When Edge cannot read a page: try Reader/Immersive reading mode if available, or copy the text into a note/doc and use your device's built-in speak features instead.

Localize and dub content faster

Explore ElevenLabs

Make read-aloud sound better (and catch more mistakes)

Match the language: set the voice language/dialect to match your text to reduce odd pronunciation.
Use two passes: listen slowly while editing, then listen faster to catch missing words and awkward rhythm.
Fix names and acronyms: add pronunciations for proper nouns, product names, and abbreviations.
Remove noise: temporarily delete URLs, tables, and long citation strings before listening, then paste them back.
Chunk long text: if a page stops mid-way, split it into smaller sections (headings make natural breakpoints).

A simple proofreading workflow (no extra tools)

Paste or open your draft where you can easily edit.
Set the voice to your target language and slow the speed slightly.
Listen once and fix: repeated words, missing articles, clunky transitions, and sentences that are too long to speak naturally.
Speed up a bit and listen again to check flow and clarity.
Do a final listen just for titles, headings, and callouts - these are easy to overlook when scanning visually.

If you need creator-grade voiceovers (scripts, videos, multilingual)

Built-in read-aloud features are great for listening and accessibility. But if you are producing content (YouTube, podcasts, courses, product demos), you may want a more natural, controllable voiceover you can reuse and localize.

One option is ElevenLabs: create lifelike text-to-speech voiceovers in 70+ languages.

Multilingual output: useful when you publish in multiple languages or audiences.
Consistency: keep the same voice across episodes and campaigns.
Workflow-friendly: studio tools and an API can fit into content pipelines.
Dubbing and cloning (with consent): clone only voices you have explicit permission to use, avoid impersonation, and disclose synthetic voice where appropriate.

Helpful next reads: TTS basics, Voiceover scripts, Dubbing basics.

Plan note: Features and limits can vary by plan and may change over time (as of 2025-09-30).

Mistakes to avoid

Listening too fast too early: speed is great for scanning, but slow down first to hear punctuation and missing words.
Wrong voice language: the fastest way to get garbage pronunciation is using an English voice on French (or vice versa).
Reading private text out loud in public: emails, contracts, and medical details can leak easily - use headphones.
Assuming it works everywhere: some apps and browsers block selection reading or render text as images.
Over-trusting AI voices: always review names, numbers, and legal/medical statements; synthetic speech can misread punctuation or abbreviations.

FAQ

How do I make my iPhone read the whole screen out loud?

Enable Speak Screen in Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak, then swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to start reading.

Can Android read selected text out loud?

Yes. Turn on Select to Speak in Accessibility, then select text and use the Select to Speak shortcut or the Read aloud option (when available) to hear it.

How do I get my computer to read a web page out loud?

In Microsoft Edge, right-click the page and choose Read aloud. To read only part of a page, highlight the text and choose Read aloud selection.

Does Read aloud work offline?

It depends. For example, Edge supports offline mode, but voice options may be limited when you are offline.

Why does text-to-speech mispronounce names and acronyms?

TTS engines guess pronunciation based on language and context. Switching to the right language voice and adding custom pronunciations usually helps.

Is text-to-speech good for studying?

Yes - especially for reviewing notes, catching mistakes in drafts, and listening to long articles while commuting or doing chores. Pair it with highlighting or note-taking for better retention.

Conclusion

Start with the built-in option on your device (it is usually one setting away), then use read-aloud as a repeatable workflow: one slow pass to fix, one faster pass to confirm. If you create content and need more natural, reusable voiceovers, consider a dedicated TTS workflow after you have your text in good shape.