Start reading
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Open the note or saved article you want to hear.
Read Aloud is part of Remindly Pro. It uses the voices on your device, so nothing is sent anywhere.
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On iPhone or iPad, tap More, then Read Aloud.
On a Mac, click the speaker button in the note's toolbar, or choose (⌥⌘R, which works on iPad with a keyboard too).
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Want to start partway down? Use Read Aloud from Here.
On a Mac, right-click the text. On iPhone or iPad, tap the text or select a word to show the edit menu. Read Aloud starts at that sentence.
The controls
The controls float at the bottom of the note while it's read. The note still scrolls, so its last lines can move above them.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Previous and next | Go back or forward one sentence. A list item or a table row counts as one. |
| Play and pause | Pause, then play to go on from where it stopped. |
| "2 of 4" | Which sentence you're on. A narrow iPhone leaves it out to keep the buttons large. |
| Voice | The voice it reads with, and a link to more voices. See Choose a voice. |
| 1× Speed | 0.8×, 1×, 1.25× or 1.5×. Your device remembers it. |
| Stop | Stops reading and closes the controls. |
The sentence being read is highlighted, and its word more strongly. When the sentence reaches the bottom of the window, the page moves on so you can follow along. Scroll yourself and it stops following, until you press play or skip a sentence.
Choose a voice
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While a note is being read, tap or click the Voice button .
It lists the voices installed for the note's language, best first: Premium, then Enhanced, then Standard.
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Pick a voice. It takes over from the start of the sentence being read.
Automatic picks the best voice installed and names it, for example "Automatic (Ava)".
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Only basic voices listed? Choose Get a More Natural Voice… at the top of the menu.
It opens this page at how to download one. With a better voice installed, the same link is at the bottom, as Get More Voices…
Remindly has its own voice setting. Changing the System Voice in Spoken Content doesn't change it, and the Siri voices never appear in Remindly: Apple doesn't let other apps use them. Pick a voice marked Premium or Enhanced instead.
- Each language keeps its own choice, so a note in French is read with the French voice you picked.
- Each device keeps its own choice, since each has its own voices installed.
- Novelty voices and Personal Voice aren't offered.
Get a more natural voice
Every device comes with basic voices that sound robotic. Apple's Premium and Enhanced voices sound much more natural, and they're a free download. You don't need to change your System Voice.
On iPhone or iPad
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Open .
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Choose the language, for example English, then a voice such as Ava or Zoe.
Skip the Siri voices, because Remindly can't use them.
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Tap the download button next to its Premium or Enhanced version.
Premium voices are large downloads, so use Wi-Fi.
On a Mac
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Open .
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Click the System voice pop-up menu and choose Manage Voices…
This only opens the list of voices. Your System Voice stays as it is.
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Choose the language, then download a voice marked Premium or Enhanced.
Skip the Siri voices, because Remindly can't use them.
When the download finishes, choose the voice in Remindly's Voice menu. Or leave it on Automatic, which always reads with the best voice installed.
With the screen off
- On iPhone and iPad, it keeps reading when the screen turns off or you switch apps. Pause, skip and stop from the Lock Screen, Control Center or your headphones.
- A call or other audio pauses it, and it goes on afterwards. Unplugging headphones pauses it.
- With App Lock on, the Lock Screen says "Read Aloud" instead of the note's title. Reading stops when Remindly locks. See Keep your notes private.