How to Have iPhone Speak Screen Content

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 25, 2021

This wikiHow teaches you how to make your phone read on-screen text out loud. You'll also be able to customize aspects of this feature including the rate at which words are spoken, which words are spoken aloud, and the default language.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:
Setting Up the Speak Screen Feature

1
Open your iPhone's Settings. You can do so by tapping the grey cog icon on one of your Home screens (or in a folder called "Utilities").
2
Tap General.

Advertisement
3
Tap Accessibility.
4
Select Speech.
5
Slide the Speak Screen switch right to the "On" position. Your iPhone's Speak Screen feature should now be active.
6
Review your Speak Screen options. You can customize Speak Screen to your preferences with the following settings:
- Highlight Content - Enabling this feature causes Speak Screen to highlight spoken text as it goes.
- Typing Feedback - This menu allows you to review which types of written text will be read aloud, from characters to text predictions.
- Voices - You can change the Speak Text voice and language from here.
- Pronunciations - This menu allows you to add special pronunciations to the Speak Screen database.
7
Drag the "speaking rate" slider left or right. Doing so will respectively decrease or increase the speed at which text is spoken. Once you've done this and finished customizing your Speak Screen feature, you'll be ready to have your iPhone speak your screen's content.
- After dragging the slider one way or the other, the Speak Screen voice will demonstrate the speed you've chosen.
Advertisement

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:
Using Speak Screen

1
Open a page with text you want spoken. Some possible examples include a note, a document, or an item in the Settings app.
2
Drag two fingers down from the top of your iPhone's screen. Doing so will bring down the Speak Screen control bar and prompt Speak Screen to begin reciting the written content on your screen on a line-by-line basis.
- If Speak Screen can't find anything to read out loud, it will let you know.
3
Review the Speak Screen control bar. You have a few options on this interface:
- Play/Pause - Tapping the button in the center of the bar will pause Speak Screen's dictation. Tapping it again will cause Speak Screen to resume from where it left off.
- Skip a line - Tap the left- or right-facing arrow to skip up or down a line of text.
- Speed Up/Slow Down - Tap the rabbit icon to increase the speech speed or the tortoise to decrease it.
4
Tap X. It's in the top right corner of the control bar. Doing so will exit the Speak Screen feature interface. You can reactivate it at any time by dragging two fingers down from the top of your iPhone's screen.
- You may have to tap the control bar square to expand it first.
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Question

How do I ask for directions?

Community Answer

If you are using Siri, say, "Siri, give me directions to [place]." Siri should respond properly if the location is on Apple Maps.