Your Phone Can Read to You

Some days the print is just too small. The devotional email from church, that long article your friend sent, the text message that goes on forever — your eyes get tired, and you give up halfway. What if I told you your phone can simply read it all out loud to you, like an audiobook, whenever you want? This feature is already on your phone. It has a slightly technical name — "text to speech" — but all it means is: the phone reads, you listen. Let's turn it on.

On an iPhone: "Speak Screen"

Apple calls it Speak Screen, and it's wonderful. Once it's on, you just swipe down with two fingers and your phone reads whatever is on the screen. Turn it on (one time only):

  1. Open Settings (the gray gear icon).
  2. Tap "Accessibility."
  3. Tap "Spoken Content."
  4. Turn on "Speak Screen." That's the whole setup. You'll never have to do it again.

Use it anytime:

  1. Open anything with words on it — an article, an email, a devotional, a long text message.
  2. Place two fingers at the very top of the screen and swipe down.
  3. Your phone starts reading out loud. A little control panel appears with pause, play, and speed buttons — yes, you can make it read faster or slower.

Try it right now on this page. Two fingers, swipe down from the top. Hear that? That's your phone, reading to you.

On an Android: "Select to Speak"

Android's version lets you tap exactly the part you want read — nice when you only want one paragraph and not the whole page. Turn it on (one time only):

  1. Open Settings (the gear icon).
  2. Tap "Accessibility."
  3. Tap "Select to Speak" and turn it on.
  4. You might be asked to allow it full control — tap "Allow." (This just lets it read your screen; it's a normal part of setup.)

Use it anytime:

  1. You'll notice a little person-shaped icon at the bottom of your screen now. That's your new best friend.
  2. Open anything with words on it.
  3. Tap the little person icon, then tap the text you want read — or drag your finger across a paragraph.
  4. The phone reads it out loud. Tap the icon again to stop.

What to use it for

Once you start, you'll find uses everywhere: Morning devotionals. Have the day's reading spoken to you while you make coffee. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105) — and now you can hear it, too. Long articles and emails. No more squinting. Let the phone do the work. Text messages. When someone sends you a novel-length text, have it read aloud instead of pinching and zooming. Recipes and instructions. Prop the phone up and listen hands-free while you cook or work.

A few tips

Use it with earbuds if you're around other people — more peaceful for everyone. The voice might sound robotic at first. You get used to it fast, and both iPhone and Android let you pick different voices in the same settings area if you want. It works in most apps — your messages, email, web browser, Bible apps, all of it.

Your eyes have served you well for a lot of years. There's no shame in giving them a rest and letting your ears take a turn.

If this helped you, share it with someone whose eyes aren't what they used to be. This one little trick might bring back their morning reading.

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