Dyslexia · Free · No sign-up

Text to speech for dyslexia

With dyslexia, working out each word takes the effort that should go to the meaning. Text to speech takes that part over: you hear the text and see the current line highlighted. Read It To Me does this for free in Chrome — for web pages, PDFs and Google Docs.

Add to Chrome — free

What research says

In 2018 researchers combined 22 studies with 2,942 students, from grade 3 to college, who had reading disabilities. With text-to-speech and read-aloud tools, their reading comprehension was higher. The average effect was d = 0.35 — small to moderate, but consistent. Source: Wood et al., Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2018.

Honestly: listening does not teach reading and does not replace lessons with a specialist. It lets a person get through the text now — the homework, the article, the work email — while the reading skill keeps growing.

How to set it up

Slow it down first. Start at 0.8–0.9× and speed up when it feels easy.
Follow the highlight. Read It To Me highlights the line it is reading. Eyes and ears get the same words at the same time.
Pick one clear voice and keep it. A familiar voice is easier to follow than a new one every day.
Listen in your first language. If the text is in a language you are learning, Read It To Me can translate the page and read the translation.
Short pieces. One section, a pause, the next section. Pause and play are one click.

At school and at work

In US schools, text to speech is one of the common accommodations written into IEP and 504 plans. Read It To Me works on Chromebooks; on a school device the administrator can install it by the extension ID dgoegmgdhakmijhepjiligkkmlepkkic. See Text to speech on a Chromebook.

At work it reads reports, PDFs and email in the browser. No account, no ads.

What it cannot do

It does not read text inside pictures. A scanned PDF with no text layer stays silent.
It works in Chrome on a computer or Chromebook, not on a phone.

Questions people ask

Does text to speech help with dyslexia?

Research says it helps reading comprehension: a 2018 meta-analysis of 22 studies with 2,942 students with reading disabilities found an average effect of d = 0.35. It supports reading; it does not replace reading instruction.

Is Read It To Me free?

Yes. Reading web pages, PDFs and documents aloud is free, with no account and no word limit on the built-in voices.

Does it highlight the words as it reads?

It highlights the line it is reading, so you can follow with your eyes while you listen.

Can it read PDFs and Google Docs?

Yes. Open the PDF in a Chrome tab or the document in Google Docs and press play in the Read It To Me panel.

Does it work on a school Chromebook?

Yes, if extensions are allowed. If not, the school administrator can install it in Google Admin console by the extension ID dgoegmgdhakmijhepjiligkkmlepkkic.

Let the text be read to you

Install Read It To Me, open the page and press play.