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How to Make iPhone/iPAD Read the Text Aloud for You?

Text To Speak Function on iPhone iPAD

iPhone and iPAD both have a build-in “text to speak” function.  It is originally designed for visually impaired people, but I found it very helpful for kids when they are reading a book or anything on iPAD or iPhone.  What does the function do?  When the function is triggered, the iPAD/iPhone will read the text you highlighted aloud to you.  The highlighted part could be a single word, a sentence, or a paragraph.  When kids run into an unfamiliar word, they not only need know the meaning of the word, they also need know how to read the word.  Since the build-in dictionaries don’t have voice, this “text to speak” function can be very handy.

By default, the function is off.  Turning on the function is very easy.

1. Go to Setting, then General, then Accessibility.

2. Unde vision, tap Speak Selection.

Text To Speak Function on iPhone/iPAD

3. Turn Speak Selection to ON

4. Adjust Speaking Rate.  The default rate is very fast, more than likely you want to slide the rate a little closer towards the turtle.

Text To Speak Function on iPhone/iPAD

Now you have the function on.

When you need the function, simply highlight the text like you are going to copy the text.  Tap on the Speak button, you will hear the text being read to you.

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{ 28 comments… add one }
  • Francis Benney

    Hello my loved one! I wish to say that this article is amazing, great written and include almost all vital infos. I’d like to look extra posts like this.

  • android software development

    Great information. Lucky me I ran across your website by accident (stumbleupon).
    I have saved as a favorite for later!

  • Your means of explaining all in this article is really nice,
    all be capable of without difficulty understand it, Thanks a lot.

  • I used this tip last night with my daughter. I plan to share this on my blog as well. Thanks so much for this!

  • Troy

    Nice tip! I always find something interesting whenever I check in on your blog 🙂 Thanks for the interesting tidbits!

  • Yay! Thanks!

  • molly hewitt

    Does this work for upper lever students with developemental dyslesicia? Is there a supscription fee? Is the technology available for all school books?

    • I think it could be a great help for students with reading difficulties, some are due to vision issues, some could be comprehension. It is free, come with the device. As long as you can find the book on your device via iBook, for most books, the function works. However it depends on how the book is programmed, not the device. It also works on website, ie., if you are reading something off a website on iPAD, with this function, you can have the iPAD read it for you.

  • I scoped out some of the apps – and the crazy teacher in me wants to start using them with my 6 month old! Luckily, the sane part of me is saving them in a folder for future use.

    • Good for you! I do the same, when I saw some apps my son may benefit, I will get them and then delete from my device, when I need them, I can just load them back onto the device.

    • Marie C

      Amy, that’s so funny. I would do the same. Good call!

  • Thanks for sharing this information with us. Modern technology is truly amazing.

  • yes! awesome! im going to try and listen to stuff on ibooks now. thus spake zarathrustra!

  • Great info. Thanks! And I’m loving some of the toddler app posts . . . good ones are hard to find! I’m going to try out the Toca Boca soon.

  • Very useful information. Thank you for this

    • Glad you find it useful. Please come back and share how you use it. I’d love to know …

  • This is a great tip! Thanks for sharing.

  • Amazing!!!!!!!

  • Good information! thanks for the “like”….

  • This is so great, thank you! I know I’m not getting all the use out of my iPad that I could, and this is a really neat feature to know about. You have a great blog!

    • It is a great feature for kids, they are motivated to read more!

  • Andrea Longenecker

    Thank-you for liking my blog! Had you not, I may not have found your wonderful blog!!

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