How do I convert text messages to voice on Android?

Text-to-speech (TTS) is a technology that converts text into natural-sounding speech. This allows text on a screen or from an app to be automatically spoken aloud by a device, such as an Android smartphone or tablet. TTS can be useful for a variety of reasons, such as while multitasking (e.g. cooking), for accessibility, to avoid eyestrain from long bouts of reading, or simply out of preference.

Android devices offer the ability to have text messages read aloud using TTS. Some examples of why an Android user might want to convert text messages to speech include:

• To listen hands-free while doing another activity (e.g. driving, exercising)
• To learn the message content while unable to read the screen (e.g. vision issues)
• To avoid distracted glances at long text threads
• To access messages privately in a public environment

Prerequisites

To convert text messages to speech on Android, your device needs to meet the following prerequisites:

• Android device running Android 5.0 or higher – According to the Android documentation, the text-to-speech engine requires Android 5.0 or newer.
• Built-in text-to-speech engine or third party text-to-speech (TTS) app installed – Your Android device needs to have either the built-in TTS engine enabled or a separate TTS app installed from the Google Play Store such as @Voice Aloud Reader or VoiceMaker.

As long as your Android device meets these prerequisites, you should be able to convert text messages to speech using the methods covered in this guide.

Using Select-to-Speak

Android has a built-in text-to-speech feature called Select-to-Speak that allows you to highlight text in any app and have it read aloud. To use Select-to-Speak:

1. Highlight the text you want to have read aloud in any app. This could be text from an article, email, text message, or any other text.

2. After highlighting the text, tap the “Speak” option that appears. This will read the selected text out loud.

Select-to-Speak works with most apps and interfaces on your Android phone or tablet. It provides an easy way to have on-screen text read aloud without needing to copy and paste it into a dedicated text-to-speech app.

You can customize aspects of the speech like the rate, pitch, and voice used in your device’s Accessibility Settings. This allows you to tweak the way text is read aloud to suit your preferences.

Using a Text-to-Speech App

There are many text-to-speech apps available to convert text messages to voice on Android. Some popular and free options include:

• @Voice Aloud Reader
• Google Text-to-speech
• Voice Aloud Reader

All these apps can be easily installed from the Google Play store. Once installed, they can be set as the default text-to-speech engine within Android’s settings. This will allow the apps’ text-to-speech functionality to work with many native Android apps such as Chrome, Gmail, and Kindle.

The major text-to-speech apps allow customization of the voice, speed, intonation, and more. You can test out multiple voices to find the one that sounds best to you. Some even allow the importing of custom voices. The speed can also be increased or decreased based on your listening preferences.

Configuring Settings

To optimize Android’s text-to-speech capabilities, access the Text-to-speech settings menu to configure options:

Preferred Engine

Under “Preferred engine” you can change the default text-to-speech engine Android uses. Select from the available options to find the one that sounds most natural to you.

Language

Change the speech language and regional variant under the “Language” settings. Set it to one you understand well.

Speech Rate

Adjust the rate at which text is spoken under “Speech rate.” Faster or slower rates may improve listenability.

Pitch

Under “Pitch” you can modify how high or low the voice sounds. Adjust this to your preference.

Additional Voices

Download additional high quality voices from the Play Store for more variety.

Speaking Text Messages

You can use your Android text messaging app to speak aloud messages directly from your inbox or an individual message.

1. Open your text message app (e.g. the default Messages app or an app like WhatsApp or Signal)
2. Navigate to your message inbox, or open an individual message thread
3. Long press on the message you want to hear spoken aloud
4. Select the “Select to speak” option
5. Grant the necessary permissions if requested to allow your device to read messages aloud
6. The message should then be read aloud by your device’s text-to-speech engine

This allows you to quickly listen to incoming text messages if you are unable to read the screen.

Speaking Long Passages

If you have a long text message, email, article or other content you want your Android device to read aloud, it’s best to break it up into shorter paragraphs. Long blocks of text don’t convert to natural sounding speech easily.

Add line breaks and paragraphs around different ideas or sections. You can also add punctuation like commas and periods to introduce slight pauses into the speech. This helps mimic normal human pacing and cadence.

When possible, format your content using HTML tags. For example:

<p>First paragraph covering a set topic or idea</p>

<p>Second paragraph continuing the topic or introducing a new idea</p>

The paragraph tags signal to your Android device to pause slightly between each section, improving flow and comprehension.

Troubleshooting

Having issues getting your Android device to speak text messages or other text? Here are some common text-to-speech problems and ways to fix them:

Text Not Being Spoken

If you try to use Select-to-Speak or a TTS app to speak text but nothing happens, here are some troubleshooting steps:

• Make sure your device volume is turned up and not muted.
• Check that the text you selected is not too long. Try selecting a few short sentences instead.
• For TTS apps, make sure Text-to-Speech output is enabled in the app settings.
• Go to your device Settings > Apps and check that the TTS app permissions are enabled for microphone and storage.

Voice Sounds Robotic

Android uses a synthesized text-to-speech voice that can sometimes sound robotic. To improve this:

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Text-to-speech output and try different voice options.
• Install a third-party TTS app with more natural sounding voices.

Errors Accessing TTS Engine

If you get a message about “failure to access the TTS engine”, try the following:

• Restart your device.
• Check for Android OS updates and install if available.
• Clear the cache and data for the TTS app.

Best Practices

Here are some tips for getting the best experience when using text-to-speech to read text messages aloud:

Format Text for Clarity

Text-to-speech technology works best with proper grammar, punctuation, and formatting. Consider tidying up text messages before having them read aloud:

• Fix typos, spelling errors, and autocorrect mistakes
• Add periods, commas, question marks as needed
• Break up long sentences or rambling passages

Set Ideal Speech Settings

Most text-to-speech apps allow customizing the voice, speed/pace, and pitch. Take time to find the settings that work for best clarity and listenability.

Handle Conversations Thoughtfully

Reading aloud informal dialogue with multiple participants can get confusing. Consider reading just one side of a conversation at a time for better flow.

Conclusion

Converting text messages to speech on Android devices allows you to listen to messages when you are unable to read the screen. There are a few different methods to achieve this using built-in Android accessibility features or third-party text-to-speech apps.

The key points covered in this guide included using the Select-to-Speak feature to read text from the screen, downloading a dedicated text-to-speech app from the Play Store, and customizing speech settings like language and speed. We also covered speaking long passages of text by sharing content to a speech-enabled app.

Listening to text messages provides hands-free accessibility and convenience. It allows you to catch up on messages while driving, cooking, exercising, or engaged in other activities. As text-to-speech technology continues to advance, we can expect more seamless and natural-sounding vocalizations directly from our devices.

Beyond reading text messages, Android’s robust text-to-speech capabilities open up many other applications. You can have news articles, eBooks, web pages and more read aloud to you. New innovations like real-time translation and emotive voice actuation will further expand the usefulness of this important accessibility feature.