Read Aloud: Basic Guide
Read Aloud is available as a browser extension for popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. There is also an app version for mobile devices and integrations with platforms like Google Docs.
For Web Browsers:
Chrome:
Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Read Aloud.
Click Add to Chrome to install the extension.
Firefox:
Go to the Firefox Add-ons page and search for Read Aloud.
Click Add to Firefox to install the extension.
Edge:
Go to the Microsoft Edge Add-ons page and search for Read Aloud.
Click Get to install the extension.
Once installed, the Read Aloud icon will appear in your browser’s toolbar.
After installing Read Aloud, you can use it to listen to text on any webpage.
To Use Read Aloud:
Open a webpage that contains text you want to be read out loud.
Click on the Read Aloud icon in your browser’s toolbar.
Read Aloud will start reading the text from the top of the page. You can pause, stop, or skip sections using the controls in the pop-up window.
Keyboard Shortcut:
On some browsers, you can also use a keyboard shortcut to start Read Aloud. For example:
Alt + P: Play/Pause reading.
Alt + R: Restart reading from the top.
You can customize how Read Aloud reads the text by adjusting settings such as voice type, speed, and pitch.
To Customize Settings:
Click the Read Aloud icon in your browser.
In the pop-up window, click the Settings icon (gear icon).
You can adjust the following settings:
Voice: Choose from different voices (e.g., male, female, and various languages).
Speed: Adjust the speed at which the text is read.
Pitch: Control the pitch of the voice.
Changing the Voice:
You can choose different voices based on the available options in your system. Some browsers also allow you to install additional voices through extensions or third-party apps.
Read Aloud can also be used to read text from PDF files, Google Docs, and certain eBook formats.
Reading PDFs:
Open the PDF in your browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge).
Click the Read Aloud icon, and the extension will begin reading the text aloud.
Reading Google Docs:
Open a document in Google Docs.
Click on the Read Aloud icon to start listening to the content of the document.
Read Aloud is also available as a mobile app, which allows you to listen to content on your phone or tablet.
For Android:
Go to the Google Play Store and search for Read Aloud.
Download and install the app.
Open any document, webpage, or text, and share it to Read Aloud using the share menu.
For iOS:
Go to the App Store and search for Read Aloud.
Download and install the app.
Open any document or webpage in a browser and share it to the Read Aloud app.
Read Aloud supports multiple languages and different voice types depending on the platform you are using. You can switch between different languages and voices in the settings menu. Commonly supported languages include:
English (US, UK, Australia)
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Dutch
Highlight Text for Specific Reading: You can highlight a specific portion of text on a webpage or document, and Read Aloud will read only that section.
Use with Headphones: For better sound quality and privacy, use headphones when listening to text in public spaces.
Pause and Resume: Use the pause button when you need to take a break, and resume where you left off without losing your place.
Voice Synthesis Services: Read Aloud can integrate with advanced text-to-speech (TTS) services, such as Amazon Polly or Google Cloud Text-to-Speech, to provide higher-quality voice options.
Clipboard Integration: In some versions, you can copy text to your clipboard, and Read Aloud will read it automatically.
For more information on using Read Aloud or troubleshooting, you can visit the official support page for Read Aloud:
Read Aloud Support: Read Aloud Extension
Here’s a helpful video tutorial for getting started with Read Aloud:
This video explains how to install and use the Read Aloud extension on a web browser.