English
How to make text read aloud
Text to speech turns written words into spoken audio, and your browser can do it without any account or install. Here is the quick route.
- Paste or type your text in the box. A paragraph or a whole article both work.
- Pick a language, then a voice. The voice list is filtered by language, and voices marked online need a connection.
- Press Play. The sentence being spoken is highlighted and the view scrolls with it.
- Change Speed, Pitch or Volume whenever you like. Changes apply within a fraction of a second, even mid-sentence.
Click any sentence while it plays to jump there, or use the arrow buttons to skip one sentence back or forward. That is handy when you missed a line or want to hear a tricky one again.
How long will my text take to read?
Most voices speak at roughly 150 to 170 words per minute at normal speed. The table uses 160, which matches the estimate shown under the text box. Real voices vary a little, and numbers, abbreviations and long names slow them down.
| Words | 1× | 1.25× | 1.5× | 2× |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0:38 | 0:30 | 0:25 | 0:19 |
| 500 | 3:08 | 2:30 | 2:05 | 1:34 |
| 1,000 | 6:15 | 5:00 | 4:10 | 3:08 |
| 3,000 | 18:45 | 15:00 | 12:30 | 9:22 |
| 5,000 | 31:15 | 25:00 | 20:50 | 15:38 |
For proofreading your own writing, 1× or even 0.9× is best, because slips you skim past on screen stand out when you hear them. For catching up on a long article, 1.25× to 1.5× is where most people stay comfortable. Past 1.75× many voices start to blur short words.
Why does my browser have so few voices?
The voices belong to your device, not to this page. Windows, macOS, Android and iOS each ship their own set, and a bare Linux install often ships none. Chrome and Edge may add online voices from Google or Microsoft, which sound smoother but need internet.
- Windows: Settings, Time & language, Speech, then add voices for the languages you need.
- Mac and iPhone: Settings, Accessibility, Spoken Content, System Voice, then download an enhanced voice.
- Android: Settings, text-to-speech output, then install voice data for the language.
- Linux: install speech-dispatcher and a voice such as espeak-ng, then restart the browser.
After adding a voice, reload this page. If the list still looks short, the voice you want may be listed under a different language code, for example en-GB versus en-US. Both appear under English.
Which browsers support text to speech?
Speech synthesis is one of the better supported browser features. Chrome, Edge, Opera, Safari and Firefox all have it, on desktop and mobile. The status badge on the page tells you what your own browser reports, including how many voices it found.
Two quirks to know. Chrome on Android tends to ignore Pause and starts the sentence again when you resume, so use Stop and the sentence buttons there. And Firefox on Linux stays silent unless speech-dispatcher is installed. If the page says speech is not supported, the browser is very old or locked down, and a current Chrome, Edge or Safari will fix it.
Can I save the speech as an MP3?
No, and it is better to say so plainly than to pretend. A browser plays these voices through the speaker but gives web pages no way to capture the audio. A site that offers an MP3 download is sending your text to a cloud voice service, which is a different (and usually paid) tool. If you only need a file once, a screen recorder that captures system sound will work. Otherwise keep the text with Download .txt and play it again whenever you need it.
Reading tips that actually help
Voices read what is written, so write for the ear. Spell out symbols that matter: "%" is usually read as "percent" but "~" may be skipped. Put a full stop after headings and list items, otherwise the voice runs them into the next line without a pause. If a name is mispronounced, try respelling it phonetically in the box just for listening, for example "Nguyen" as "Win".
Mixed-language text is the weak spot. A voice set to English reads an Indonesian sentence with English pronunciation. Split the text and switch the language between parts if the difference matters.
Finally, the page speaks one sentence at a time. That keeps online voices from cutting out after about 15 seconds, and it is what makes jumping between sentences possible. The cost is a very short gap between sentences, similar to a natural pause.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make my computer read text aloud?
Paste the text into the box, choose a language and voice, and press Play. A 200-word article takes about a minute and a quarter at normal speed, and the current sentence is highlighted as it goes.
Is this text to speech free, and does it need an account?
It is free and there is nothing to sign up for. The speaking is done by your own browser and operating system, so there is no character limit from us and no upload.
Can I download the speech as an MP3?
No. Browsers can play their built-in voices but do not let a web page record them, so no honest MP3 export exists for this method. To get an audio file you would need a cloud voice service or a screen recorder set to capture system sound.
Why are there so few voices, or none?
The list comes from your device, not from this page. Windows, macOS, Android and iOS each ship different voices, and Linux often ships none. Add more in your system's speech or accessibility settings, then reload the page.
Is there an Indonesian voice?
Usually yes. Android and Chrome include an Indonesian (id-ID) voice, Windows has one you can add under Speech settings, and Apple devices include Damayanti. Pick Indonesian in the language list and the voices are filtered for you.
How do I change the speed of text to speech?
Move the Speed slider or tap a preset such as 1.5×. The range is 0.5× to 2×, and a change applies straight away while the text is playing. Many people comfortably listen at 1.25× to 1.5×.
Does the pause button work on every browser?
On desktop Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox it pauses and resumes in place. Chrome on Android often ignores pause and starts the sentence again, so use Stop and the next and previous sentence buttons there.
Why does it stop in the middle of long text?
Some online voices cut off an utterance after roughly 15 seconds. This page speaks one sentence at a time, and splits very long ones, to avoid that. If it still stops, choose a voice marked as running on your device.