- Free Speech To Text Software For Windows
- Talk To Text Computer Software
- Best Free Text To Speech Software For Mac
- Free Text To Talk Download
- Free Text To Talk Voices
TypeIt ReadIt 1.6 Free Text To Speech Software For Windows and Mac - Tutorial TTS. How Windows and Mac saves text to a file and how TypeIt ReadIt looks when running on a Windows netbook.
Text to Speech (TTS) software allows you to have text read aloud to you. This is useful for struggling readers and for writers, when editing and revising their work. You can also convert eBooks to audiobooks so you can listen to them on long drives.
We’ve posted some websites here where you can find some good TTS software programs and online tools that are free or at least have free versions available.
- Best text to speech software for Mac and iOS. Price Publisher Last Updated; 93. Says it is free, then takes you to the iTunes page to pay, Capti does recognize accounts set up through iTunes, to change voices you pay, to open a pdf to read you have to buy coins to use. Each month, over 2.8 million people use Slant to.
- At NeoSpeech, we specialize in developing and delivering the best text-to-speech solutions for personal users, developers and businesses. We have a range of text-to-speech software for embedded devices, desktop and network server/applications.
NaturalReader
NaturalReader is a free TTS program that allows you to read aloud any text. The free version of the software converts Microsoft Word files, webpages, PDF files, and emails into spoken words. It includes Microsoft Voices and allows you to change voices and adjust the reading speed. Simply select any text and press one hotkey to have NaturalReader read the text to you. There are also paid versions that offer more features and more available voices.
Ultra Hal TTS Reader
Ultra Hal TTS Reader is a program that will read text out loud in one of its many high quality voices. The free version includes many high quality computerized voices and reads text files out loud, as well as instant messages, standard Windows dialogs, and text from the clipboard, which allows the program to read text from webpages and emails. You can also use Ultra HAL TTS Reader to convert a document into a WAV audio file, which can be burned to a CD or converted to an MP3 file.
ReadClip
ReadClip is a TTS reader that also offers a rich text editor that can read and spell check any text document, and allows you to manage several text and picture clips on the clipboard, and generate MP3 files. The TTS reader part of the software is free and will never expire. However, the other features are “try before you buy” features and you must buy the software to continue using them. You can keep the TTS reader hidden or it can display the text it’s reading in the clipboard and highlight each word as it’s read aloud. Besides monitoring the clipboard, you can also copy and paste text into the program, or type the text into the program, or load the text from a file.
Read4Me TTS Clipboard Reader
The Read4Me TTS Clipboard Reader allows you to read the contents of the clipboard aloud using a pre-installed SAPI5 TTS voice when you press a hotkey. Multiple hotkeys can be set for different languages, voices, speech rates, and volumes. Read4Me can also convert text files to MP3 files.
Free Speech To Text Software For Windows
Kyrathasoft Text To Speech
Kyrathasoft Text To Speech is a portable program that allows you to use the default installed Microsoft Voice and SAPI to convert text files to the spoken word, that it saves into a WAV audio file. It is completely free and fully functional. There is no evaluation period and no crippled features.
FeyRecorder
FeyRecorder is a TTS conversion tool with natural voices that allows you to listen to any text document spoken aloud. You can also use the software to convert other sound sources into audio files, such as CDs, tapes, DVDs, online radio, and video games. The formats FeyRecorder can generate include MP3, WMA, OGG, VOX, AU, and AIFF. The audio files can be transferred to any portable device that handles them for on-the-go listening.
yRead
yRead3 allows you to load a plain text (TXT) file in a resizable window to be read out loud using human speech. Use yRead to listen to eBooks, your own writing, or any other piece of text.
yRead3 is an updated version of the software that runs on XP, Vista, and Windows 7, and requires at least .NET Framework 3.0 to run. You can also download yRead2 and run both versions on the same computer.
Panopreter
The free version of Panopreter Basic will read a text file, an RTF file, an MS Word document, or an HTML webpage to you aloud. You can also input text into the program window to be read aloud. It supports a variety of languages and voices and allows you to create WAV audio files and MP3 audio files from the text.
Text2Speech
Text2Speech is a free program that converts text into audible speech. You can play the text at a custom rate and volume, have the text be highlighted as it’s read, and export the text into a WAV file or an MP3 file. The program required .NET Framework 2.0 to run.
DeskBot
DeskBot is a free program that includes a clipboard reader, text reader, and time announcer for Windows. Select text in any application and press Ctrl + C to have it read aloud. For available commands and options, right-click on the DeskBot icon in the system tray. DeskBot will also read the contents of the clipboard when it changes.
DeskBot adds a “Read with DeskBot” item to the Internet Explorer context menu, when you right-click on a webpage.
PowerTalk
PowerTalk is a free program that allows you to have your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations spoken out loud. When you open a PowerPoint presentation and let it run as usual, PowerTalk speaks the text on the slides as it appears, and also hidden text attached to images. The speech in PowerTalk is provided by synthesized computer voices that come with Windows 7, Vista, and XP.
ClipSpeak
ClipSpeak is a small, portable, TTS tool that speaks text copied or cut to the clipboard. It’s compatible with all SAPI5 speech synthesizers. You can also use ClipSpeak to convert text to MP3 files for listening to on CDs, computers, smartphones, and portable media players. If you want other languages, look at eSpeak, which is a compact, open source speech synthesizer for English and other languages that works in Windows and Linux.
DSpeech
DSpeech is a free, portable TTS program that can read written text files in different formats aloud (such as TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, and HTML files) and also has Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) functionality. The ASR allows you to use DSpeech to convert your own voice to text.
DSpeech allows you to save the output as a WAV, MP3, AAC, WMA, or OGG file. You can select different voices, or combine them to create dialogs among different voices for books or scripts, and DSpeech is compatible with all the vocal engines (SAPI4 and SAPI5 compliant). You can also have the content of the clipboard read to you.
Balabolka
Balabolka is a TTS program that allows you to read clipboard content and text from several types of files, such as DOC, EPUB, HTML, MOBI, LIT, CHM, PRC, PDF, and RTF files. The program uses various versions of the Microsoft Speech API (SAPI). This allows you to change a voice’s parameters, including rate and pitch.
To use the Microsoft SAPI4 voices, download and install the Microsoft Speech API file. You can also download the MS Speech Control Panel for the Windows Control Panel that allows you to easily list the compatible TTS engines installed on your system and customize their settings.
Balabolka also allows you to create digital audio files from text, including MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, AAC, and AMR (Adaptive Multi-Rate).
One interesting feature of Balabolka is that you can save subtitled text in the LRC format or in the metadata of the audio file. This allows you to follow along with the text as the audio plays.
ReadTheWords.com
ReadTheWords.com is an online TTS tool that can generate a clear sounding audio file from almost any written material. Simply copy text from your file into their text box, or upload a Microsoft Office document, PDF file, TXT file, or HTML document. You can also enter a web address, or RSS feed URL, and ReadTheWords.com will read the text from that webpage or RSS feed out loud.
ReadTheWords.com allows you to save what it’s reading. You can download it to your computer or portable music player or smartphone. You can even embed the file in your website.
Odiogo
Odiogo allows you to create TTS podcasts from RSS feeds that can be downloaded to a PC, iPods/MP3 players, and mobile phones. People wanting to listen to your content can subscribe to your podcasts through iTunes, iPodder, or other similar services. You can also promote your audio content on podcast directories.
If you run a blog, you can have your blog posts turned into high quality audio files. Odiogo is compatible with all blog engines that publish RSS feeds, such as WordPress, Typepad, and Blogger. They generate MP3 files that are stored on their servers, and they let you know when the audio version of your blog is ready.
You can also make money from embedded ads in the audio versions of your blog posts and RSS feeds.
![Text to speech Text to speech](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126437941/380588301.jpg)
NOTE: As of the writing of this article, Odiogo was upgrading their service and they were not accepting new signups.
TTSReader
TTSReader is a free, TTS program that allows you to read TXT files or RTF files aloud and save them to WAV or MP3 files. It highlights the text being currently read and allows you to skip sentences or paragraphs while reading. TTSReader supports rich text formatting and both SAPI4 and SAPI5 voices. It can automatically read what’s in the clipboard and you can convert multiple documents to audio at a time.
TTS Add-ons for Browsers
You can also read text using add-ons or extensions in web browsers.
- SpeakIt! – SpeakIt for Google Chrome reads selected text using TTS technology with language auto-detection. It can read text in more than 50 languages.
- FoxVox – FoxVox for Firefox allows you to turn your blogs and articles into podcasts. It speaks any text you highlight in a webpage, and it can create audiobooks from the text in MP3, OGG, and WAV formats.
- SpokenText – The SpokenText Firefox extension allows you to easily record any text on public webpages simply by clicking a Record Web Page button on the toolbar. This extension is also available for Chrome.
- SpeakingFox – The SpeakingFox add-on for Firefox for Mac OS X converts text to audible speech.
Simultaneous Stanza Reader – For Mac
Simultaneous Stanza Reader for Mac OS X is a free, TTS reader that reads text files aloud and displays the text stanza-after-stanza. You can easily use this program to read books from Project Gutenberg aloud.
If you’ve found any other useful TTS readers, let us know.
READ NEXT- › What Can I Do with My Old iPhone?
- › How to Stream UFC 242 Khabib vs. Poirier Live Online
- › Free Download: Microsoft’s PowerToys for Windows 10
- › How to Overclock Your Computer’s RAM
- › What’s New in Chrome 77, Arriving September 10
Best voice recognition software
Read on for our detailed analysis of each app
Voice recognition is a technology that has definitely come of age over the past decade.
With everything from Siri and Alexa now available as audio assistants, the ability for computers to accurately recognize and represent speech has now become an everyday reality.
Voice-to-text and text-to-speech applications have become common in the mobile app space, but for desktops there's surprisingly limited competition in the market.
This is a shame as this is one of the key areas where voice recognition can really develop, especially in a age where accessibility is key to an increasing number of people. And while voice recognition may be seen as a technology for those with additional needs, the truth is that when it works well it can be so much of a time saver, especially when it comes to typing up documents.
And because there's little need to wrestle with a QWERTY keyword, voice recognition software can be used to help prevent either the occurrence or development of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which can otherwise be debilitating to those who have to do large volumes of typing.
While voice recognition isn't yet perfect, the amount of time required to train the software to both recognize and work accurately with your voice is very much reduced these days.
So if you're looking for voice recognition software, take a look at the best that we've featured below.
- We’ve picked out the best free software for small businesses
- Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to [email protected] with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.
1. Dragon
Platforms: Windows, Mac | Features: Voice commands, dictation, transcription
Very accurate speech recognition
Not cheap
Dragon has long been regarded as ruling the roost when it comes to speech recognition on the PC, with a long line of quality products which work at a high standard. This is not least because of the ‘deep learning’ technology which helps the dictation software achieve greater levels of accuracy the more you use it, learning common words and phrases that you employ, and also adapting to background noise or your accent.
The latest Dragon speech recognition software has a higher baseline accuracy right out of the box, as well. Overall, we found it noticeably more accurate and responsive than older versions.
This software provides full dictation capabilities, as well as voice commands to control your PC (to open programs, navigate web pages and so forth – and note that you can dictate wherever you want, for example, in Gmail in your browser). It’s also built to work with touchscreen devices as required. All of this is included in the Dragon Home edition, which retails at $150.
Additional features are available with the Dragon Professional Individual upgrade, including the ability to create boilerplate forms or email signatures which can be inserted into a document with a single command. There’s also a transcription facility which can analyze an audio clip, podcast or similar, turning it into text. Furthermore, there are advanced custom command options available, plus the ability to synchronize your work with Android or iOS devices.
Dragon Professional Individual retails at $300, but there is also an enterprise package available for business groups which includes all these capabilities and makes them available for multiple users, along with additional integration features.
2. Dragon Anywhere
Benefit from dictation capabilities wherever you may be
Platforms: Android, iOS | Features: Dictation, sync with Dragon Professional and cloud services
Anywhere 12 months$149.99
Anywhere 1 monthTalk To Text Computer Software
$14.99
High quality speech recognition
Dictation limited to within the app
Dragon Anywhere is the mobile product for Android and iOS devices, however this is no ‘lite’ app, but rather offers fully-formed dictation capabilities powered via the cloud.
So essentially you get the same excellent speech recognition as seen on the desktop software – the only meaningful difference we noticed was a very slight delay in our spoken words appearing on the screen (doubtless due to processing in the cloud). However, note that the app was still responsive enough overall.
It also boasts support for boilerplate chunks of text which can be set up and inserted into a document with a simple command, and these, along with custom vocabularies, are synced across the mobile app and desktop Dragon software. Furthermore, you can share documents across devices via Evernote or cloud services (such as Dropbox).
This isn’t as flexible as the desktop application, however, as dictation is limited to within Dragon Anywhere – you can’t dictate directly in another app (although you can copy over text from the Dragon Anywhere dictation pad to a third-party app). The other caveats are the need for an internet connection for the app to work (due to its cloud-powered nature), and the fact that it’s a subscription offering with no one-off purchase option, which might not be to everyone’s tastes.
Even bearing in mind these limitations, though, it’s a definite boon to have fully-fledged, powerful voice recognition of the same sterling quality as the desktop software, nestling on your phone or tablet for when you’re away from the office.
Nuance Communications offers a 7-day free trial to give the app a whirl before you commit to a subscription.
3. Google Docs Voice Typing
A nifty freebie nestling within G Suite
Platforms: Chrome browser, Android, iOS | Features: Dictation
G Suite Business$12
G Suite Enterprise$25
Costs nothing
Limited to Chrome browser
Google has a free speech recognition facility built right into Google Docs (the word processor in G Suite).
The strength with Google’s voice solution is that it’s actually surprisingly accurate, particularly considering this is a freebie offering. If you’re happy using G Suite and want something for casual dictation which will cost you absolutely nothing, this is a great option to have.
However there is a caveat here, namely that you have to be using Google’s Chrome browser for voice to be supported on your desktop PC (Voice Typing can also be used with some Android and iOS devices).
Also note that this is purely for speech dictation within Google Docs, and the system doesn’t offer the likes of voice commands for the desktop. It’s all about dictating text, and issuing commands regarding formatting your document, but nothing outside that.
You can fire up the voice capability within Google Docs (remember, you have to be using the Chrome browser) by clicking on the Tools menu and then selecting Voice Typing.
4. Braina Pro
A virtual assistant for your PC
Platforms: Windows XP-10 | Features: Voice commands, dictation, AI assistant, Android app for remote control of PC
Nifty Android app for remotely controlling PC
Braina is speech recognition software which is built not just for dictation, but also as an all-round digital assistant to help you achieve various tasks on your PC. It supports dictation to third-party software in not just English but almost 90 different languages, with impressive voice recognition chops.
Beyond that, it’s a virtual assistant that can be instructed to set alarms, search your PC for a file, or search the internet, play an MP3 file, read an ebook aloud, plus you can implement various custom commands.
The Windows program also has a companion Android app which can remotely control your PC, and use the local Wi-Fi network to deliver commands to your computer, so you can spark up a music playlist, for example, wherever you happen to be in the house. Nifty.
There’s a free version of Braina which comes with limited functionality, but includes all the basic PC commands, along with a 7-day trial of the speech recognition which allows you to test out its powers for yourself before you commit to a subscription. Yes, this is another subscription-only product with no option to purchase for a one-off fee. Also note that you need to be online and have Google’s Chrome browser installed for speech recognition functionality to work.
5. Windows 10 Speech Recognition
Microsoft’s desktop OS has fully integrated voice recognition
Platforms: Windows 10 | Features: Voice commands, dictation
No extra cost
Still doesn’t offer the best accuracy (however training helps)
If you don’t want to pay for speech recognition software, and you’re running Microsoft’s latest desktop OS, then you might be pleased to hear that Windows 10 actually has some very solid voice recognition abilities built right into the operating system.
Windows Speech Recognition, as it’s imaginatively named – and note that this is something different to Cortana, which offers basic commands and assistant capabilities – lets you not only execute commands via voice control, but also offers the ability to dictate into documents.
The sort of accuracy you get isn’t comparable with that offered by the likes of Dragon, but then again, you’re paying nothing to use it. It’s also possible to improve the accuracy by training the system by reading text, and giving it access to your documents to better learn your vocabulary. It’s definitely worth indulging in some training, particularly if you intend to use the voice recognition feature a fair bit.
Best Free Text To Speech Software For Mac
This speech recognition capability is actually in previous versions of Windows as well, although Microsoft has honed it more with the latest OS. The company has been busy boasting about its advances in terms of voice recognition powered by deep neural networks, and Microsoft is certainly priming us to expect impressive things in the future. The likely end-goal aim is for Cortana to do everything eventually, from voice commands to taking dictation.
Free Text To Talk Download
Turn on Windows Speech Recognition by heading to the Control Panel (search for it, or right click the Start button and select it), then click on Ease of Access, and you will see the option to ‘start speech recognition’ (you’ll also spot the option to set up a microphone here, if you haven’t already done that).
Free Text To Talk Voices
- Maybe you’ll use voice recognition with one of our best business laptops