How to use the text to speech tool
- Type or paste your text into the box.
- Optionally drag the speed slider to make the voice faster or slower.
- Click Speak. The voice starts reading from the beginning of the text.
- Click Stop at any time to pause the reading.
How it works
This tool uses the Web Speech API, which is built into modern browsers such as Chrome, Edge and Safari. When you click Speak, the browser turns your text into speech using the voice installed on your device. No server is involved: the words never leave your computer, which makes the tool fast, private and free to use without limits.
The exact voice you hear depends on your operating system and browser. Most systems offer several voices, and your browser picks a sensible default. The speed slider changes the rate from half speed (0.5x) to double speed (2x), which is handy for skimming long passages or slowing down for careful proofreading.
When listening beats reading
| Task | How TTS helps |
|---|---|
| Proofreading | Hearing your own writing catches errors your eyes skip over. |
| Learning a language | Listen to correct pronunciation at a comfortable speed. |
| Accessibility | Reads content aloud for people who prefer listening. |
| Multitasking | Review a document while your eyes are busy elsewhere. |
A note on browser support
The Web Speech API is widely supported, but a few older or privacy-focused browsers do not include it. If your browser lacks speech synthesis, the page will tell you so and the Speak and Stop buttons will be disabled. Updating to the latest version of Chrome, Edge or Safari is usually all it takes to enable the feature.
Tips for better listening
For long documents, break the text into sections and read one at a time so you can stop and take notes. Slow the voice to 0.7x when studying a new language, or speed it to 1.5x when reviewing something you wrote yourself. Because reading starts from the top each time, pasting just the paragraph you are working on keeps the session focused.