Read Aloud - Text to Speech with Word Highlighting

Read Aloud: Text to Speech in Your Browser

Read Aloud is a text to speech tool that turns any text into spoken audio right in your browser. Paste or type a passage, pick a voice, and press Play — each word lights up as it is read so you can follow along.

It is built for proofreading your own writing, learning pronunciation in a new language, studying long passages, or simply resting your eyes while you listen. You stay in control of the voice, speed, and pitch, so the reading matches how you like to hear it.

The tool runs on your browser's built-in speech engine, so the available voices and languages depend on your device — and once those voices are installed, it keeps working offline.

Private by design: your text is read aloud entirely inside your browser using its own speech engine. Nothing you type or paste is ever uploaded to a server, and no usage is tracked.

How to Use Read Aloud

Enter your text

Type directly in the editor, click Paste to pull text from your clipboard, or hit Sample Text to load an example. The word count updates as you go.

Choose your settings

Pick a Voice from the dropdown — voices are grouped by language with your locale first. Adjust Speed (0.25x to 3.0x) and Pitch (0.5 to 2.0) with the +/- buttons.

Start listening

Press Play or use Ctrl+Enter. The current word is highlighted as it is spoken and its paragraph is gently shaded, while the editor locks to prevent accidental edits.

Control playback

Pause, resume, or stop at any time. Skip between sentences with the forward and backward buttons, or click anywhere on the progress bar to jump to that spot. Choose Edit Text to return to the editor.

Features

Browser-Based Text to Speech

Reads any text aloud using your browser's built-in Web Speech engine — nothing to install or sign up for.

Word-by-Word Highlighting

Each word lights up in real time as it is spoken, and the active paragraph is shaded so you never lose your place.

Multiple Voices & Languages

Choose from every voice on your device, grouped by language with your current locale listed first.

Speed & Pitch Control

Tune the reading from 0.25x to 3.0x speed and 0.5 to 2.0 pitch to find a comfortable listening pace.

Sentence Navigation

Skip forward or backward by sentence with the navigation buttons or arrow keys.

Click-to-Seek Progress Bar

A live progress bar shows how far along you are; click any point to jump straight to that part of the text.

Smart Text Editor

Type or paste freely, then press Play to switch to reading mode — your text is preserved when you return to edit.

Paste & Sample Text

Pull text in from your clipboard with one click, or load a ready-made sample to try the tool instantly.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Start with Ctrl+Enter, pause or resume with Space, stop with Escape, and move between sentences with the arrow keys.

Saved Preferences

Your voice, speed, and pitch are stored locally in your browser and restored the next time you visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this text to speech tool free?

Yes. Read Aloud runs entirely in your browser with no account, no sign-up, and no limits to unlock. Paste your text and press Play.

Can I change the voice, speed, and pitch?

Yes. Pick any voice your device offers from the dropdown, set the speed from 0.25x to 3.0x, and the pitch from 0.5 to 2.0. Your choices are saved automatically for next time.

Why are no voices available, or why does only "Default" appear?

Voice availability depends on your browser and operating system. Most modern browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Safari ship with built-in voices. If you only see "Default", try a different browser or check your system's text-to-speech settings.

What languages does it support?

Read Aloud supports any language provided by your browser's speech engine. Common languages like English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese are usually available — the voice dropdown lists every option grouped by language.

Does it work offline, and which browsers are supported?

It uses your device's built-in speech engine, so once your voices are installed it keeps reading even without an internet connection. It works in modern browsers including Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox; the exact voices and quality vary by platform.

Can I download the audio as an MP3?

No. The tool plays text live through your browser's speech engine, which streams audio rather than producing a file, so there is no MP3 export. It is designed for listening on the page in real time.

Is there a limit on how much text I can read?

There is no strict limit. The text is split into smaller segments for reliable playback, so even passages of thousands of words read fine — the estimated reading time simply becomes an approximation.