Text to Speech
Convert text to speech using your browser's built-in speech synthesis engine. Choose a voice, adjust rate and pitch. Nothing is uploaded.
Uses the browser's native Web Speech API (SpeechSynthesis) — no external libraries.
How to use this tool
- Type or paste text.
- Select a voice and adjust rate and pitch.
- Click Speak. Use Pause and Stop to control playback.
Convert text to speech using your browser's built-in speech synthesis engine. Choose a voice, adjust rate and pitch. Nothing is uploaded.
How it works
The Text to Speech tool uses your browser's built-in Web Speech API to read aloud any text you type or paste. Because synthesis happens on your device, no audio or text is sent to a server, and the tool works offline once the page has loaded.
You can select from all the voices installed on your operating system. On Windows these include Microsoft voices such as David and Zira; on macOS you get Siri voices and additional system voices; on mobile devices you get the platform's default TTS voices. More voices can often be added through your OS accessibility or language settings.
The rate slider controls speaking speed from 0.5x (slow, useful for language learning) to 2x (fast, useful for proofreading). The pitch slider adjusts the voice from deep to high. These controls let you optimize the output for listening comfort, accessibility needs, or content review.
Common uses include proofreading your own writing by listening for awkward phrasing, accessibility testing of content, language-learning pronunciation checks, and hands-free reading while multitasking.
Worked example
Proofread an email by listening to it
- Paste your email draft into the text area.
- Select a natural-sounding voice from the voice dropdown.
- Set the rate to 0.9x for a comfortable listening pace.
- Click 'Speak' and listen for awkward sentences or errors.
- Pause playback, edit the text, and replay any section as needed.
Errors and unnatural phrasing caught by ear that were missed during silent reading.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not installing additional OS language packs and then wondering why only one or two voices are available.
- Leaving the rate at maximum (2x) for proofreading — slower speeds (0.8x-1x) catch more errors because words are clearly enunciated.
- Using the tool for accessibility testing without also testing with a dedicated screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver), which behaves differently from the Web Speech API.
Key terms
- Web Speech API
- A browser standard that provides speech synthesis (text-to-speech) and recognition capabilities, running locally on the user's device.
- Speech rate
- The speed at which synthesized speech is delivered, measured as a multiplier of normal speed (1.0 = normal, 0.5 = half speed, 2.0 = double speed).
Frequently asked questions
- Which browsers are supported?
- Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox all support the Web Speech API. Available voices depend on your OS.