How to Use Siri to Read Texts on iOS and macOS
In 2011, Apple introduced a game-changing feature that revolutionized digital interactions: ‘Siri.' This wasn’t just an update; it was a leap into the future. An invisible assistant living in our gadgets, ready to make calls, set alarms, control music, and more at our command.
Fast forward a decade, and Siri has evolved significantly. The latest update even allows Siri to read text out loud for you. That’s right, Siri’s text to speech (TTS) feature can vocalize the text on your screen, proving to be a handy tool for times when you can’t or prefer not to read the screen yourself.
For example, if you’re driving and receive an important text message, Siri’s text to speech can read it out loud, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road while also listening to the message.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how to use Siri’s TTS feature on both iPhone and Mac. We’ll also include examples to make the process as clear and engaging as possible.
Table of Contents
Step-by-Step Guide to Make Siri Read Text Out Loud
For iPhone and iPad:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad
In the Settings menu, look for and tap on ‘Accessibility.’
Under Accessibility, you’ll find an option called ‘Spoken Content.’ Tap on it.
Here’s the fun part! You’ll see an option called ‘Speak Screen.’ Swipe the button to the right to turn it on. And you are done!
For Mac and Macbooks
Click on the Apple menu located at the top left of your desktop.
From the drop-down menu, click on ‘System Preference.’
In the System Preferences window, find and click on ‘Accessibility.’
In the navigation bar on the left, click on ‘Spoken Content.’
Look for the checkbox that says ‘Speak selection’ and click on it to enable screen speaking.
Now that you’ve enabled the text to speech feature, it’s time to put it to use:
Open any App: Open any app where you want Siri to read the text. It could be a news app, a book, or even your messages!
Say the Magic Words: Simply say, “Hey Siri, speak screen.” If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers.
Listen and Control: Siri reads the text on the screen. A pop-up control will appear, which you can use to pause, play, change the speed, or skip sentences. If it disappears after a few moments, don’t worry! Just tap on the side of the screen to bring it back.
And there you have it. You’ve now turned your iPhone or iPad into a personal narrator. Enjoy!
Benefits of Siri Text to Speech
A Guiding Light for the Visually Impaired
Siri TTS can be a game-changer for individuals with visual impairments. It’s like having a personal virtual assistant who can read out everything from text messages to emails, making it easier for them to interact with their device. Imagine not being able to read a restaurant menu and having Siri read it out for you!
One with the Apple Universe
Siri’s text to speech is like a universal remote for all your Mac devices. It seamlessly integrates with the entire Apple ecosystem, ensuring a smooth and unified user experience.
Without a doubt, Siri has transformed the way Apple users interact with their devices. With Siri’s text to speech feature, you can have almost any text read aloud in a human-like voice. This convenient feature is accessible through the system preferences under the accessibility settings.
To enable this functionality, go to the Apple menu, select ‘System Preferences,’ then ‘Accessibility,’ and finally, ‘Spoken Content.’ Here, you can enable ‘Speak Selection’ and ‘Speak Screen.’ With ‘Speak Selection,’ Siri will read aloud selected text when you tap ‘Speak.’ ‘Speak Screen,’ on the other hand, allows Siri to read the entire screen when you swipe down from the top of the screen. You can adjust the speaking rate and choose from different Siri voices under ‘Speech Controller.’ Siri can even read your new text messages aloud, making it a cutting-edge technology for hands-free communication.
Furthermore, Siri voice generator can also highlight content as it’s spoken for better comprehension. You can also activate Siri by saying ‘Hey Siri.’
That said, Siri is not just limited to English; it supports different languages, making it a global feature. Remember, you can always go back to the settings to adjust the voice, speed, and more according to your preference.
Tailor-Made Auditory Experience
Think of Siri’s TTS as your robot that you can customize. Prefer a slower word reading speed or a higher pitch speech part? No problem! Siri adjusts to your preferences, offering a truly personalized auditory experience.
Limitations of Siri and Practical Alternatives
While Siri is a fantastic feature on Apple devices, offering a wide range of functionalities, its text to speech option does have its limitations. It’s great for reading out text on your screen, but when it comes to creating content, you might find yourself needing something more robust.
That’s where Murf comes into the picture!
Think of Murf as a super-talented artist who can add human-like voices in different languages and accents to your content. Want to create a podcast with an Australian accent or a video voiceover in Spanish? Murf has got you covered!
But the fun doesn’t stop there. With Murf, you can change the pitch and speed of the voice, just like a DJ mixing music! You can even clone your voice, creating a digital twin that can speak for you. Ever thought of having a vocal doppelganger? Murf has you covered.
And if you’re working with multiple languages, no worries! Murf Studio can translate and vocalize text in different languages, making it a handy tool for global communication.
It offers a world of possibilities, transforming the way you create and consume voice content.
FAQs
How do I activate Siri?
Siri text to speech is a voice assistant that can help you with various tasks on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple devices. Follow these steps:
Open the Settings app on your device and tap on Siri and Search.
Turn on the option to Listen for “Hey Siri” or Press Side Button for Siri, depending on your device and preference.
Select the option “Enable Siri.”
Once done, follow the instructions to train Siri to recognize your voice.
You can also change other settings, such as Siri’s voice, language, and feedback.
How does Siri text to speech work?
Siri text to speech is a feature that allows Siri to read almost any text on your screen aloud. It works by using deep learning to transform written text into spoken words with a natural and expressive speech voice. Here’s how it works:
Text Normalization: When you ask Siri a question or give a command, Siri listens to what you’re saying.
Phonetic Transcription: Siri then sends your words to a special system that turns your spoken words into written text. This system is really good at understanding different voices and accents.
Speech Synthesis: Once Siri understands what you’ve said, it figures out the best way to respond. This could be answering your question, doing what you’ve asked, or even telling you a joke!
Deep Learning: Finally, Siri uses text to speech technology to turn its response from written text back into spoken words. So, when Siri talks back to you, it’s actually reading out the text it has prepared as a response via a very natural-sounding speech that includes changes to pitch, rate, and pronunciation.
Next time you use Siri, remember all the amazing technology that’s working behind the scenes to make your conversation possible!
How do I get Siri to read text on my iPhone?
Siri text to speech can read your text messages aloud while on your iPhone using the Speak Screen feature. Here are the steps to enable and use it:
Go to Settings and tap Accessibility.
Tap Spoken Content and turn on Speak Screen.
Open the app or screen that has the text you want to hear.
Swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers or say, “Hey Siri, speak screen.”
Siri will read the text aloud and show a control panel that you can use to pause, play, skip, or adjust the speed and volume.
How do I get Siri to read text on Mac?
Siri can read text on your Mac using the text to speech feature. Here are the steps to enable and use it:
Go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
Click on Accessibility and then on Spoken Content.
Check the box next to the Speak selection.
Choose a keyboard shortcut to activate the feature. The default is Option + Esc.
Select a voice and a speaking rate for Siri.
Open the text you to be read by Siri and select it.
Press the keyboard shortcut option to start the text to speech option.
To stop the audio, press the keyboard shortcut again.
How to use Siri text to speech?
Here are three simple steps to get started with Siri text to speech. With this, you can read any text aloud.
Enable the text to speech option in your device settings. Depending on your device, you may need to go to Accessibility, Spoken Content, or Siri & Search.
Ask Siri to read anything by saying, “Read this” or “Read aloud.”
Enjoy listening to Siri’s voice as it reads the text on your screen.
