Which browsers support this tool?

Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox all support Web Speech API. Mobile support varies by browser and platform.

Why are there different voices?

Voices come from your operating system and browser. Windows, macOS, and iOS each have different built-in voices.

Can I download the audio as an MP3?

Web Speech API does not support audio recording natively. Use system audio recording software to capture the output.

Why does the voice list vary between devices?

Voice libraries are OS-specific. macOS has different voices than Windows or Android.

What is the maximum text length?

Web Speech API works reliably under 5000 characters. Longer texts may be cut off in some browsers.

Does it work on iPhone?

Safari on iOS supports Web Speech API. Chrome on iOS uses the same WebKit engine and should work.

Can I use non-English voices?

Yes. Any language voice installed on your device appears in the selector.

What does speech rate 2x mean?

Rate 2x plays speech at twice the normal speed. Rate 0.5x is half speed for slow careful listening.

Can I pause mid-sentence?

Yes. Pause stops playback at the current position. Resume continues from where it stopped.

Does it highlight the text as it speaks?

Yes. The current sentence is highlighted using boundary events from the Speech API.

Why does sentence highlighting not always match exactly?

Boundary event timing depends on browser implementation and may lag slightly behind speech on some browsers.

Can I use this for accessibility purposes?

Yes. This tool can help people with reading difficulties or visual impairment listen to web content.

What is pitch control?

Pitch affects the frequency of the voice. Lower pitch sounds deeper; higher pitch sounds lighter.

Does the tool work offline?

Yes. Web Speech API uses local voices and works offline once the page is loaded.

Why does playback stop at different points on different browsers?

Browser implementations of Web Speech API vary. Chrome on Windows is generally the most reliable.

Can I convert an entire article to speech?

Yes for articles under 5000 characters. For longer content split into sections.

Free Text to Speech — 50+ Voices Online

Your browser does not support the Web Speech API. Try Chrome or Edge.

Text to speak0 characters

Voice

Speed: 1×

0.5×2×

Pitch: 1

LowHigh

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Embed this tool

Add this tool to your website or blog with a single iframe snippet.

<iframe src="https://dukotools.com/tools/text-to-speech?embed=1" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0" allow="clipboard-write" loading="lazy" title="text-to-speech tool"></iframe>

About Text to Speech

Text to Speech uses the browser-native Web Speech API to convert any text into spoken audio using the voices installed on your device and browser. Unlike third-party TTS services that charge per character or require API keys, the Web Speech API is free and available in all modern browsers. Voice selection covers all languages installed on your operating system from a dynamic grouped list. Speed and pitch controls allow customization of the speaking style. Real-time sentence highlighting shows which sentence is currently being spoken by listening to SpeechSynthesisUtterance boundary events.

Key Features

Browser-Native TTS
Uses Web Speech API available in Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox at zero cost.
All Installed Voices
Dynamically loads all voices available on the user\'s device grouped by language.
Sentence Highlighting
The currently spoken sentence is highlighted in the text area using boundary events.
Speed and Pitch Control
Rate slider from 0.5x to 2x and pitch slider for voice customization.
Play, Pause, and Stop
Full playback controls including resume from pause position.
Character Counter
Shows character count with note that Web Speech API works best under 5000 characters.

How to Use

1
Paste or type text
Enter the text you want spoken in the textarea. Under 5000 characters works best.
2
Select a voice
Choose from the dropdown of all voices installed on your device grouped by language.
3
Adjust speed and pitch
Use sliders to set speaking rate from 0.5x to 2x and adjust pitch.
4
Click Play
Speech begins and the current sentence highlights as it is spoken.
5
Pause or stop
Use Pause to resume from where you left off or Stop to end speech.

Real-World Use Cases

Proofreading Assistance

A writer uses text to speech to listen to their article and catch awkward phrasing not noticed while reading silently.

Language Learning

A student uses the TTS tool with a native-language voice to hear correct pronunciation of vocabulary.

Accessibility Support

A user with dyslexia uses the sentence highlighting feature to follow along with written content more easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

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