Text-to-speech reads words aloud on your screen so you can listen instead of read

Text-to-speech is a built-in feature on every major operating system that speaks the words on your screen out loud. You control it with your keyboard or touch screen, and it works in most apps and websites without any extra software. The feature is useful if you have low vision, dyslexia, or straightforward prefer to listen while you work or drive.

Each system — Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android — has its own version with slightly different names and controls. Once you turn it on, you can adjust the speed, choose a voice, and select which text you want read aloud.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows has Narrator (keyboard shortcut: Windows key + Control + Enter), and Mac has VoiceOver (keyboard shortcut: Command + F5).
  • iPhone has Speak Screen (turn on in Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content), and Android has Select to Speak (turn on in Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak).
  • You can adjust voice speed and choose between male, female, or other voice options in the accessibility settings on all devices.
  • Text-to-speech works in email, web browsers, documents, and most apps, but some older websites or custom apps may not support it.

How to enable text-to-speech on Windows

Windows includes a tool called Narrator that reads text aloud. The fastest way to turn it on is to press the Windows key + Control + Enter at the same time. Your screen will show a blue Narrator window, and you will hear a voice begin reading.

If you prefer to turn it on through the settings menu instead, go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator and toggle the switch to On. Once Narrator is running, you can use it right away — just select any text on your screen and Narrator will read it. You can also use Narrator to read an entire document or webpage by pressing the spacebar or clicking the Read button in the Narrator window.

To change the voice or speed, open the Narrator settings. Click the gear icon in the Narrator window, or go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Voice options. You can choose between different voices (some sound male, some female, some neutral) and adjust the reading speed from slow to fast using a slider.

How to enable text-to-speech on Mac

Mac's text-to-speech tool is called VoiceOver. Turn it on by pressing Command + F5. You will hear a voice confirm that VoiceOver is on, and your screen will show a black box that moves as you navigate.

If you want to use the settings menu instead, go to System Preferences (or System Settings on newer Macs) > Accessibility > VoiceOver and click Enable. Once VoiceOver is on, it reads everything on your screen as you move through it — this can feel overwhelming at first. If you only want to hear text you select, you can use the separate Speak Selection feature instead.

To use Speak Selection without turning on full VoiceOver, go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Spoken Content and check the box for "Speak selection". Then select any text and press Option + Esc (or use the Speak button that appears). You can adjust voice and speed in the same Spoken Content settings panel.

How to enable text-to-speech on iPhone

iPhone's text-to-speech feature is called Speak Screen. To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and toggle Speak Screen to On. Once it is on, you can swipe down from the top of your screen with two fingers to start reading, or swipe up with two fingers to pause.

Speak Screen works in Mail, Messages, Notes, Safari, and most other built-in apps. You can also adjust the speaking rate and choose a different voice in the same Spoken Content settings. Tap Voices to pick from options like English (US), English (UK), or other languages, and use the Speaking Rate slider to make the voice faster or slower.

If you want to hear individual words or sentences as you tap them, use Speak Selection instead. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and toggle Speak Selection to On. Then select any text, tap Speak, and it will read just that selection aloud.

How to enable text-to-speech on Android

Android's text-to-speech feature is called Select to Speak. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak and toggle it to On. Once it is on, you can tap any text on your screen and it will be read aloud. You can also select multiple lines by tapping and dragging, and the whole selection will be read.

Select to Speak works in Gmail, Chrome, Google Docs, and most other apps. To adjust the voice speed, go back to Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak > Speech rate and move the slider. You can also change the voice language in the same menu.

If you want text read to you automatically as you navigate (rather than tapping to read), you can turn on TalkBack instead. TalkBack is Android's full screen reader and reads everything on your screen as you move through it. Go to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack and toggle it to On. TalkBack uses different gestures than Select to Speak, so take time to learn the controls before relying on it.

Adjusting speed, voice, and other settings

Every device lets you change how fast the voice speaks and which voice it uses. On Windows and Mac, these settings are in the Narrator or VoiceOver menu. On iPhone and Android, they are in Settings > Accessibility under the text-to-speech option you turned on.

Most systems offer several voice choices. Some sound more natural than others, and some are optimized for speed — they read faster without losing clarity. Try a few different voices and speeds to find what works best for you. You can also usually choose between male, female, and gender-neutral voices.

If the voice sounds robotic or hard to understand, try slowing it down slightly. A slower speed often sounds more natural. If you find yourself waiting for the voice to finish, speed it up. You can change these settings at any time without turning the feature off.

What text-to-speech works with and what it does not

Text-to-speech works in most places: email, web browsers, documents, messaging apps, and social media. It reads the actual text on your screen, so it works anywhere there is text to read.

Text-to-speech does not work with images that contain text (like a photo of a document or a screenshot). It also does not work with videos or audio — it only reads written words. Some older websites or custom-built apps may not work well with text-to-speech if they are not built to support accessibility features, but most modern websites and apps do.

If you are reading a PDF, text-to-speech usually works if the PDF contains actual text. If the PDF is a scanned image of a document, text-to-speech will not be able to read it. In that case, you would need to use optical character recognition (OCR) software first to convert the image to readable text.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use text-to-speech while my screen is locked?

On iPhone, you can use Speak Screen with the screen locked if you set it up first. On Android, Select to Speak requires the screen to be unlocked. On Windows and Mac, you need to be logged in and have the screen unlocked to use text-to-speech.

Does text-to-speech work offline?

Yes. Windows Narrator, Mac VoiceOver, iPhone Speak Screen, and Android Select to Speak all work without an internet connection. The voices are stored on your device, so you can use text-to-speech anywhere.

Can I choose a different language for text-to-speech?

Yes. On all devices, you can change the language in the text-to-speech settings. Go to the voice or language option in your accessibility settings and pick a different language. Your device must have that language pack installed, which is usually the case for common languages.

What if text-to-speech is not reading my document correctly?

Text-to-speech reads what is actually on your screen. If a document has formatting issues, unusual fonts, or text that is part of an image, it may not read correctly. Try copying the text into a plain text editor or Notes app and reading it from there. If the problem is a PDF, check whether it is a scanned image or actual text — scanned PDFs need OCR conversion first.

Can I use text-to-speech in games or apps that do not support accessibility?

Not reliably. Text-to-speech only reads actual text on your screen. If an app does not use standard text fields, the feature may not work. Some games and custom apps are built in ways that text-to-speech cannot read. You can try turning it on and testing, but if it does not work, the app may not support it.