Listen instead of reading
The tool extracts the text from the PDF and reads it aloud, page by page, with the voices installed on your phone or computer. The part being read is highlighted, so you can follow along with your eyes or look away and just listen.
It is useful for long reports, class readings, e-books and contracts you need to get through, for rest breaks for tired eyes, for practicing pronunciation in a language you are learning, and for anyone who finds it easier to understand a text by hearing it. Proofreaders also like it: hearing your own writing aloud is a good way to catch missing words and awkward sentences.
Voice, speed and start page
Pick any of the voices your device offers. Speed goes from 0.8× for careful listening to 1.25×, 1.5× and 2× for skimming a text you already know. If you only need one chapter, type the page where you want to start instead of listening from the beginning.
The voices come from your device and your browser, not from us. That is why they sound different on each phone or computer, and why some devices have more natural voices or more languages than others. If no voice appears, your browser has none installed for reading aloud.
Limits you should know
The reading can't be downloaded as an MP3 or any other audio file, because browsers do not allow recording these voices. It plays while the page is open.
The tool needs selectable text. A scanned PDF, or one made from photos, contains only images of the pages, so there is nothing to read; the tool tells you when that happens. Run it through OCR PDF first to add a text layer and then open the result here. Tables, footnotes and multi-column layouts may be read in an order that sounds a bit odd, since the text is read as it is stored in the file.
Private and free
The PDF is opened and read on your device. It is not uploaded to a server and nothing is saved. It is free, with no account and no limit. To only view or search the document, PDF Reader opens it without reading aloud.
It works in modern browsers on phones and computers. On a phone, keep the screen on while listening, since some devices pause the reading when the browser goes to the background. If the PDF has a password, remove it first with Unlock PDF.