What are they?
Text readers (also known as text-to-speech software) read out the text while assuming that the user can perceive visual attributes of the text (such as size and colour), as well as non-text content (such as images). They are useful for people with some types of visual impairments, people with certain conditions such as dyslexia, people who cannot read, and people who are in the process of learning a language.
Text readers can be:
- Used as standalone software for desktop and mobile devices.
- Part of built-in accessibility features on desktop and mobile devices.
- Part of digital assistants like Siri.
- Included in applications such as Adobe Acrobat.
- Used as browser plugins.
- Embedded into webpages.
- Part of web-based services where users can paste text or upload files and the text is then played or saved as audio files.
We ensure text reader support when we create services accessible to screen reader users. Learn more about how to do this on our screen reader testing page.
Resources
Standalone software:
- Natural Reader (for Mac and Windows) by NaturalSoft Ltd.
Mobile apps:
- Natural Reader Text to Speech (for iOS) by NaturalSoft Ltd.
- Speak • Speech Synthesiser (for iOS) by Loic Verrall
- Full Reader (for Android) by ITENSE
- Voice Aloud (for Android) by Hyperionics Technology
- Readera (for Android) by Readera LLC
Browser plugins:
- Natural Reader Text to Speech (for Chrome) by NaturalSoft Ltd.
- Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader (for Chrome) by LSD Software
- Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader (for Firefox) by LSD Software
- Intelligent Speaker (for Chrome) by Intelligent Speaker
- Intelligent Speaker (for Firefox) by Intelligent Speaker
- Intelligent Speaker (for Opera) by Intelligent Speaker
- Speechify (for Safari) by Speechify Inc.
Other plugins:
- Wordtalk for MS Word (for Windows) by CALL Scotland
Online readers:
- Natural Reader Online by NaturalSoft Ltd.
- TTSReader by Wellsource