How do you get a Kindle book to read to you?

The Kindle’s text-to-speech feature allows users to listen to books, articles, and documents read aloud in a computer-generated voice. This provides an accessible reading experience for those with visual impairments or reading disabilities, or anyone who wants a hands-free reading option. Studies have shown benefits such as improved reading comprehension, especially for those with dyslexia, ADHD or other learning disabilities (Wood et al., 2018).

With text-to-speech, Kindle users can listen to a wide variety of digital content including ebooks, PDF files, Word documents, webpages and more. The computer-generated voices sound natural and provide a clear reading experience. Listeners can adjust the speaking speed and set bookmarks while listening hands-free. For many, it opens up reading and makes it more accessible and enjoyable.

Enabling Text-to-Speech

To turn on text-to-speech capabilities on your Kindle device, you’ll first need to enable the feature in your settings. Here are the steps:

On newer Kindle models like the Paperwhite and Oasis:

1. Go to the Home screen and tap the top menu (3 horizontal lines).
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Go to “Reading Options”.
4. Turn on “Text-to-Speech” by toggling the switch.

On older Kindle models:

1. From the Home screen, press the Menu button.
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Choose “Reading Options”.
4. Make sure “Text-to-Speech” is checked.

Once enabled, you can check if a particular Kindle book supports text-to-speech by tapping the center of the screen when reading. An option to “Turn On Text-to-Speech” will appear if the book is compatible.

Most Kindle books support text-to-speech, but some may not due to publisher restrictions. You’ll know right away if the book can be read aloud once you enable text-to-speech in your settings.

Using Text-to-Speech Controls

Once Text-to-Speech is enabled, you can control the playback using various controls on your Kindle device or Kindle app:

• To play or pause the reading, tap the play/pause button in the bottom left corner.
• To stop reading, tap the stop button next to the play/pause button.
• To skip back or forward 15 seconds, tap the rewind or fast forward buttons.
• To skip to the next or previous chapter or section heading, tap the skip forward or back buttons.

You can also adjust the reading speed to make it faster or slower. On Kindle devices, go to the Text-to-Speech tab in the Settings menu and adjust the “Text-to-Speech Voice” slider. In the Kindle apps, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceView Speech Settings and adjust the slider.

To skip navigational elements like headings or chapters, tap the “Contents” button at the top of the screen while reading. This will open a navigational menu that allows jumping directly to headings, chapters, sections, etc. Tapping on an element will skip reading ahead to that part of the book.

Navigating Books with Text-to-Speech

The Kindle text-to-speech feature allows you to easily navigate through books by using the progress bar, bookmarks, and syncing the furthest page read.

The progress bar at the bottom of the screen shows your current location in the book. You can tap on the progress bar to jump to different parts of the book. This makes it easy to skip around or replay sections as needed.

You can also add bookmarks while listening to have the Kindle automatically stop reading at important pages. To bookmark a page, tap the top right corner of the screen and select “Add Bookmark”. These bookmarks will be accessible from the menu for quick navigation.

Another useful navigation feature is syncing. When you close the Kindle app or switch devices, the Kindle will sync your furthest page read. This allows you to pick up reading right where you left off, even when switching between devices.

Overall, these text-to-speech navigation features allow you to move through books smoothly and focus on listening rather than manually flipping pages.

Voice and Language Options

Kindles offer a variety of male and female voices to choose from for text-to-speech. The default voice varies by language – for English, the default voice is a female voice named “Amy”. Additional voices can be downloaded from the Manage Your Content and Devices page on Amazon’s website.

Kindle devices support text-to-speech for many languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, Hindi, Korean and Chinese. The available voices vary by language.

To download additional text-to-speech voices on your Kindle:

1. Go to the Manage Your Content and Devices page on Amazon’s website.
2. Under Preferences, click on Text-to-Speech.
3. Find the language you want additional voices for and click “Download additional voices”.
4. Select which voices you want to download and click “Download”.

The additional voices will now be available on your Kindle for using text-to-speech. You can swap between different voices by accessing the text-to-speech options while reading a book.

Text Selection and Highlighting

Kindle’s Text-to-Speech feature allows you to select specific text to have read aloud. To select text:

1. Tap and hold on a word to highlight it.
2. Drag the selection handles to expand or reduce the range of text.
3. Tap “Speak” to have the selected text read aloud.

You can also create highlights and notes that are synchronized across devices. To highlight text, tap and drag to select it, then tap “Highlight” from the pop-up menu. To add a note, highlight text first, then select “Note” to type your note. Highlights and notes are accessible under “My Notebook” in the Kindle menu.

Kindle also allows you to export your highlights and notes. Tap the “Share” icon from any highlight or note, then choose “Export Notes”. You can export as a PDF file for print or a TXT file for reference. Many readers use this to create flashcards or study guides from textbook highlights.

Bluetooth and Headphones

To listen to Kindle’s text-to-speech feature through Bluetooth, you’ll first need to pair your Bluetooth headphones or speaker to your Kindle device. According to Amazon’s instructions, follow these steps:

• Put your Bluetooth headphones or speaker into pairing mode.
• On your Kindle, press the power button 3 times quickly to access accessibility options.
• Select “Turn on VoiceView” and then choose “Pair Bluetooth Device.”
• Select your headphones/speaker when they appear in the list.

Once paired, you can control playback of the text-to-speech right from your Bluetooth device. Use the play/pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons on your headphones or speaker to navigate through the book. The Kindle sync feature allows you to pick up reading right where you left off between devices.

Some Bluetooth devices also allow you to set an audio profile specifically for Kindle text-to-speech. This improves the listening experience by optimizing the voice playback quality.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having issues with text-to-speech on your Kindle, here are some troubleshooting tips to try:

Fixing voice/language issues

If the voice or language is not working properly, go to Settings > Language & Dictionaries and make sure the “Text-to-Speech” language is set to the correct option. You may need to download additional voices – tap “Get More” to see all available options. Restart your Kindle after changing the voice [1].

Corrupt book files

In some cases, the book file itself may be corrupt or incompatible with Kindle text-to-speech. Try downloading the book again or getting a new copy from the publisher/author. You can also try converting the file to a different format using Calibre or other ebook software [2].

DRM restricted books

Books with digital rights management (DRM) restrictions may not work properly with text-to-speech. You’ll need to remove the DRM first before text-to-speech can read these books. There are some free tools available to remove Kindle DRM, but use caution as this may violate the book’s copyright.

Popular Uses

Kindle’s text-to-speech feature has many popular use cases that take advantage of the hands-free and eyes-free experience it provides. Some of the top ways people utilize text-to-speech on their Kindle devices include:

Reading while multitasking – The text-to-speech function allows you to listen to Kindle books while doing other activities like cooking, exercising, commuting, or getting ready in the morning. This enables reading productivity even during busy schedules.

Improving literacy – Listening along with the narration can help develop reading fluency and comprehension, especially for new readers or those learning English. It reinforces proper pronunciation and reading pace.

Language learning – Hearing the written words aloud assists in learning new vocabulary, grammar, and language patterns. The pronunciation help accelerates language acquisition.

Visual impairments – For those with dyslexia, blindness, or low vision that make reading difficult, text-to-speech grants access to books using just audio. It opens up the world of literature otherwise restricted.

Conclusion

In summary, Kindles have robust text-to-speech capabilities that allow you to listen to books, articles, and more read aloud. Key features include control over voice speed and tone, optional highlighting of text, support for multiple languages, and accessibility options like screen readers for visually impaired users.

To enable text-to-speech on your Kindle, go to Settings > Accessibility and toggle on “VoiceView Screen Reader” or “Speak On Tap.” You can then tap text to have it read aloud or use playback controls to pause, rewind, and fast forward. Devices like the Kindle Oasis have dedicated page turn buttons that work with audiobooks.

While the technology continues improving, text-to-speech provides a hands-free and engaging way to consume content on your Kindle. Check the Kindle User Guide for additional tips and full instructions. Consider quality Bluetooth headphones for private listening without disturbing others.

In the future, we may see more natural sounding voices, support for third-party narration, and tighter integration with Audible for a seamless audiobook experience. For now, Kindle’s text-to-speech offers an alternative to enjoy books when your eyes need a rest.