How to Get Siri to Read Text on Your iPhone, iPad, or MacOS
Siri is available across all Apple devices, offering a range of helpful functions. Among them is the ability to read aloud any text displayed on the screen of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This feature allows for hands-free consumption of various content, from articles to text messages, with options to control playback speed and pause as needed. All you have to do is enable an accessibility feature in the Settings app and then activate Siri. Let us guide you through these steps so you can learn how to get Siri to read text on your Apple device; it even works with AirPods.
How to Get Siri to Read Text on Your iPhone or iPad
Siri will read onscreen text when you prompt it to, but not by default. To start, enable this functionality in the Settings app:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Choose Spoken Content.
- Tap the button next to Speak Selection and Speak Screen to toggle both on.
To have Siri read the whole page of any app, swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers. If it’s just a selection of text you want read aloud, highlight the text and choose Speak from the menu.
For full-screen playback, you’ll notice some controls appear. Here’s what they mean:
- The screen is read automatically. Tap pause if you need Siri to stop speaking.
- To control what Siri should speak aloud, tap the back or forward button to skip to a different section.
- Tapping 1x lets you change the audio speed.
How to Get Siri to Read Text on Mac
All modern versions of macOS support this same feature seen on the iPad and iPhone. Here’s where to go on your Mac to turn it on:
Note: These steps are for macOS Sonoma, specifically, but prior versions work similarly.
- From the Apple menu, select System Settings.
- Choose Accessibility in the sidebar.
- Select Spoken Content.
- Turn on Speak selection.
Siri will speak whatever is on the screen, or whatever you select, when you press Option + Esc. If, for example, you’ve got Safari open when you press this keyboard shortcut, the web page will be read aloud. If Mail is open, Siri will read your emails.
Like we talked about earlier with the iPhone and iPad, the controller is used to change the speaking rate, move back and forth one sentence at a time, pause, etc.
How to Get Siri to Read Text Messages Through AirPods
Arguably the most useful way to have text read is through your AirPods. This works in the 2nd-gen AirPods and later, AirPods Max, and AirPods Pro, as well as headphones from other companies (e.g., Beats Fit Pro, Beats Solo 4, and Powerbeats). If you have one of those devices, and your phone or tablet is running at least iOS 15 or iPadOS 15, follow these steps to learn how to get Siri to read text messages as they reach your device:
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Go to Notifications > Announce Notifications.
- Turn on Announce Notifications.
Now, Siri will read incoming notifications aloud, but only when your device is locked. Just make sure your headphones are connected, and you’re wearing them. This works with Reminders, Messages, and other apps. You can always remove an earbud or take off your headphones if you’re getting too many notifications, and you want Siri to stop talking about them.
Tip: You now know how to get Siri to read text messages through AirPods, but did you know you can also have it reply to a message? Just speak your message and Siri will repeat it back to you when you’re done talking to confirm whether you want to send it. Of all the things you can ask Siri, having her write back to a text hands-free is pretty awesome!
