How to Use Google's Text-to-Speech Feature on Android

If you know how to use the Google text-to-speech feature on Android, you can have your phone read text messages to you. You can also translate text in the real world using your phone's camera.

How to Use Google Text-to-Speech on Android

There are several accessibility features built into Android. If you want to hear text read aloud to you, use Select to Speak.

1. Swipe down from the top of the phone, then tap the gear icon to open the Device Settings.

2. Tap Accessibility in the Settings menu.

3. Tap Select to Speak.

   

   If you don't see Select to Speak, tap Installed services to find it.

4. Tap the Select to Speak toggle switch to turn it on.

5. Tap OK to confirm the permissions your phone needs to turn on this feature.

   

6. Open any app on your phone and tap the Select to Speak icon in the lower-right corner of the screen. Depending on the version of Android, it's a person-shaped icon or a speech bubble.

7. Tap the Play icon. The phone starts at the top of the screen and reads everything you see. If you only want some text read aloud, highlight the text, then tap the Select to Speak icon.

   Tap the Left Arrow beside the Play button to see more playback options.

8. Tap Stop to end playback.

   

How to Manage Android Text-to-Speech Voices and Options

Android gives you some control over the language and voice used to read text aloud when you use Select to Speak. It's easy to change the language, accent, pitch, or speed of the synthesized text voice.

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap the gear icon.

2. Tap General management.

   The placement of features can vary in different versions of Android. If you don't find it here, use the search icon.

3. Tap Language and input.

   

4. Tap Text-to-speech.

5. In the menu that appears, adjust the Speech rate and Pitch until it sounds the way you want.

6. To change the language, tap Language, then choose the language you want to hear when text is read aloud.

   

Use Select to Speak With Google Lens to Translate Written Words

You can use Select to Speak to read simple text, such as signs you find in the real world, which is great if you don't speak the local language. Open the Google Lens app and point at the text. Google Lens reads the text it sees aloud in the language you selected, acting as an on-the-fly translator.