The Ultimate List of 7 Read Out Loud Tools to Try
With the progression in AI technology, many text-to-speech tools are out in the market. All these tools have made life easier for everyone with their diverse use cases. One such functionality is read out loud, allowing people to hear the written text. This feature especially facilitates people with disabilities by making the text more accessible. Go over this article to learn about the best read-out-loud text tools available.
In this article
Part 1: [Offline] Microsoft Read Aloud Feature: How To Use It?
If you want to proofread your written documents, Microsoft Word lets you use the Read Aloud feature for this purpose. Using this efficient feature, you will be able to hear what's written in the document. You can even forward or replay the speech if you miss something important.
Within its settings, you can choose reading speed and voice to read out text. Let’s see how users can utilize this feature on Microsoft Word to make the text more accessible.
Step 1: First, open the document you want to read out loud within Word. Now, click on the “Review” tab on the top menu of your screen to access several features.
Step 2: Afterward, press the “Read Aloud” button in the “Speech” section. Once you click this button, a mini-control panel will appear on your screen. From here, press the “Play” button to let Microsoft Word start reading the text written in the document.
Step 3: You can personalize the narration by clicking the “Settings” icon on the mini-control panel. Here, you can change speed by dragging the “Reading Speed” slider. Moreover, you can select narration voice from the “Voice Selection” drop-down menu.
Part 2: [Online] 4 Read Out Loud Tools To Try in 2024
Other than the features discussed above, there are many online tools available with TTS functionality. However, all the available options will make it difficult for you to choose the best one. For this purpose, we have identified the best online text-reading software for your convenience.
1. Media.io
Media.io is one of the best tools to read out text aloud with its text-to-speech feature. Within this tool, you can enter text in multiple languages to hear it for better accessibility. Also, you will get the option to choose from various AI voices to customize the narration of your text.
Key Features
- This tool lets you vary the speed of voice if you want to consume more information in a short time.
- Users can also adjust the pitch of the AI narration using this text-reading software.
- After converting your text to speech, it allows you to add it to the video editing timeline for AI voiceovers.
2. TTS Reader
If you want to read your PDF documents out loud, TTSReader can be your go-to tool. You can also write the text manually or paste some script to read it out loud using this tool. Moreover, it has a vast library of AI voices in several languages to help make content accessible to global audiences.
Key Features
- TTSReader also allows you to paste the URL to hear what's written on the website.
- Users get the chance to record the AI narrations to save them for future use.
- You can add a pause in between lines to make the AI speech more hearable for you.
3. Textmagic
Textmagic is a free text-reading software on the web that allows you to hear AI narrations in over 50 voices. For this purpose, you can upload the documents in multiple formats, including Word, to this tool. After uploading documents, you can vary the font size so that you can easily read the text while listening.
Key Features
- You get the chance to share the AI narration of your documents through a link.
- Users will also be able to download the text-to-speech converted audio file.
- This online text-reading software allows you to adjust the speed of the voice, ranging from 0.25x to 2x.
4. Woord
With its multi-featured text-to-speech feature, Woord proves to be one of the best text-reading tools. Using this tool, users will be able to paste URLs or upload any document to hear the text written in them. Also, you can choose the gender and language of the AI voice to personalize the experience.
Key Features
- Its advanced options allow you to choose device profiles to add a customer audio effect.
- Users can also upload photos or scans to even hear what's written in them.
- This tool also has an SSML editor to let you adjust the tone and pronunciation of the narration.
Part 3: [Extension] Make Surfing Across Chrome Easy with Read Aloud Feature
Do you want to avoid the hassle of pasting website URLs on these online tools? We have a one-click solution for you, allowing you to read the current webpage out loud easily. For this purpose, you can utilize the Read Aloud Chrome extension, which supports over 40 languages.
It works on every type of web page, including blogs and news sites. If you also want to take advantage of this extension, follow the steps given below:
Step 1. Start the process by accessing the “Read Aloud” extension on the Chrome Web Store. Now, hit the “Add to Chrome” button on its product page to access this extension from your browser.
Step 2. Afterward, visit the web page you want to read aloud using this extension. Next, click on the "Extension" icon at the top of your page to access a drop-down menu. From this menu, press the "Read Aloud" extension to access this read-out-loud Chrome extension.
Step 3. Once you click the extension, it will start reading the webpage automatically. You can stop or replay the narration using the controls given on the pop-up menu. Also, you will be able to go back or forth while listening to the narration using the icons on the same control panel.
Part 4: [Best Offline Solution] Effective Reading Out Loud with Wondershare UniConverter
Until now, we have discussed some of the top online and offline text-reading software available. However, all these options may lack functionality in one way or another. If you want an all-in-one tool TTS tool, Wondershare UniConverter can help you in this regard. With its customizable AI narrations, it can read out text in a variety of ways.
This best text-reading software allows you to choose the audio style for your narrations. These audio styles include narrative, advertisement, conversion, and many more. After choosing the audio type, you also get to choose the tone that fits the style.
Innovative Features of Wondershare UniConverter
- Wondershare UniConverter provides you with a feature to edit subtitles in the video. Like the read-out-loud feature, it will help you boost the global reach of your content.
- With its AI script generator, you can easily write engaging content for any use case. After writing this script, you can easily proofread it using the tool's TTS functionality.
- This text-reading software also has a subtitle translator, supporting over 120 languages. By using this feature, you can make your content accessible to audiences worldwide.
Step-by-Step Guide to Read Out Loud Text Using Wondershare UniConverter
Upon getting a firm grip on its functionality, it is time to learn how this tool works. So, go over the steps given below to understand how to read text out loud using Wondershare UniConverter.
Step 1 Hit the Text to Speech Option on the Home Page
After downloading the latest version of UniConverter, launch this tool on your device. Now, access its homepage through the “Home” tab and press the “Text to Speech” AI tool.
Step 2 Enter the Text You Want to Listen to Using UniConverter
After accessing this feature, type the text you want to read aloud using this tool. Also, you can simply copy and paste the content from your documents to listen to it via this text-reading software.
Step 3 Adjust the Audio Type and Tone for AI Narration
Now, choose the audio style in which you want to listen to text. For this, we will pick the "Conversation" option under the "Audio Type" section. Next, select the "Chill" option from the "Tone of Voice" section for tonal adjustments. Keep in mind that you can choose any audio type and tone that fits your needs.
Step 4 Generate the AI Narration and Export it to Your Device
Once you complete all the settings, hit the “Generate” button to get the customized AI speech. Now, listen to it by clicking the “Play” icon and then save this narration to your device through the “Export” button.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we have discussed several methods to read text out loud using multiple tools. Online tools depend on the internet, and Microsoft's built-in feature is restricted to Word. In such a case, we recommend you use Wondershare UniConverter, which will help you solve all these problems. With its offline functionality, it can read out loud any text at any time.
