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How to read a PDF aloud with Adobe.

Having the ability to read PDFs aloud can make your documents more accessible to different users. Using a PDF voice reader can be a useful way of turning any text-based PDFs into audio content.

Text-to-speech PDF functions are handy for those looking for more efficient ways of working, or who may face problems understanding text-based content online. Have your PDF read aloud in a few simple clicks with Adobe Acrobat.

What you’ll learn.

How to use Adobe Reader to read aloud a PDF.

Adobe Acrobat’s PDF Reader uses built-in tools that enable it to read a PDF aloud. The PDF text-to-speech feature enables Adobe Acrobat to scan a document and turn written words into audible speech.

It’s a great idea for all sorts of functions. Perhaps the text on a document is too small to read or the image is scanned handwriting that’s difficult to make out. It can also help in other scenarios, whether for accessibility or as a learning aid for languages and reading practice.

You can easily activate Text-to-Speech and have a PDF read aloud in Adobe Reader with these simple steps:

  1. Open PDF in Adobe. Simply open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Reader to get started.
  2. Go to  View > Read Out Loud. Once in the document, go to  View  in the top-left toolbar menu then click  Read Out Loud, and wait for the pop-up to appear.
  3. Enable Audio Reading. Select  Activate Read Out Loud  to begin PDF Text-to-Speech. You can choose to have a single page read or the entire document.

4. Customise your preferences. You can change the reading speed, voice and other elements in the  Preferences  setting.

You’ll also be able to travel back and forward between points in the text using the on-screen tools, re-reading sentences if you need to or jumping to sections later in the text.

The PDF text-to-speech reading will start at the page you’re currently on, even if you select Read to End of Document. To start at the beginning, navigate to the first page. You can even edit the reader’s voice.

How to Customise PDF Text-to-Speech on Adobe Reader.

At any point, you can also choose from several options to customise the experience of having your PDFs read out loud:

  • Pause or stop. To pause or stop the read-out-loud function, go back to the  Read Out Loud  selection from the View drop-down menu and select either option.
  • Speed up or slow down. To adjust the pace of the reading, either increase the Words Per Minute count or lower it, depending on your needs.
  • Change voice. To choose your preferred reader voice, go to the top-right menu and click  Edit > Preferences. Choose  Reading. Remove the checkmark on  Use Default Voice  and finally choose the narration voice you like from the drop-down list.

Benefits of having a PDF read aloud.

Having your PDF read aloud via built-in tools can bring many benefits.

  • Improves accessibility. If you have difficulty reading, having a PDF read aloud can ensure you get all of the information, and nothing is missed.
  • Boost productivity. If you’re listening to a PDF being read aloud, you can free your hands and eyes to do another task. If you need to read a PDF, this restricts you to one task.
  • Offers a screen break. While it does free you up to do something else, having PDF text-to-speech can also give you time to have a screen break and simply listen to the content.

PDF Text to Speech: FAQs.

These are some frequently asked questions about having text in a PDF read aloud.

Can a PDF have an audio file?

You can add sound, video and interactive content to a PDF file. These can be played using Adobe Reader, although you will need to have the appropriate application installed to play multimedia content.

Can I access PDF text-to-speech on an Android device?

Yes, Android devices have a built-in text-to-speech function. You can access it from the  Accessibility  option in  Settings. From there, turn on  Text-to-Speech  and toggle the  Select to Speak  option from a document open on your device.

How do I access PDF Text-to-Speech on iPhone or iPad?

You can also use text-to-speech functions on devices running Apple’s iOS. When in  Settings, scroll to  General > Accessibility  and click  Speech. Toggle  Speak Selection  on. When in your document or web browser, simply highlight the text you want to read and select the  Speak Text  option from the highlight menu.

Why is my PDF not reading out loud?

Your PDF won’t read aloud if you haven’t amended the settings for it to do so. Once you’ve opened you PDF in Adobe Acrobat, you can head to View and Activate Read Out Loud. There you can amend any setting you need.

You may also find that the PDF doesn’t read text if it is on an image. Make sure the text is on the PDF page, and not on an image embedded on a PDF. Otherwise, you may need to extract the text from the image.

Related Content.

You can manage, edit and alter your PDFs using Adobe’s range of online tools.

Here are some helpful guides for making the most of your documents.