Android · Accessibility

Tap items on screen to hear them read aloud

Select to Speak lets you tap or draw a box around text, images, or entire screens to have Android read the content aloud using text-to-speech. It works inside apps, on the web, and even on images with detectable text.

How often: Rarely changed after initial setup

How to open Select to Speak

  1. Open Settings
  2. Tap Accessibility
  3. Select Select to Speak
  4. Toggle the feature on and grant overlay permission
  5. Tap the floating icon, then tap any text on screen to hear it

What you should know

  • Adds a floating icon that toggles a tap-to-read cursor
  • Can read a single item, a selected region, or the whole screen
  • Supports reading text found inside images via on-device recognition
  • Playback controls let you pause, skip, or adjust reading speed
  • Works alongside TalkBack but is designed for sighted users who need occasional reading help

Why it matters

Select to Speak helps people with reading difficulties, low vision, or language barriers consume on-screen content without switching to a full screen reader. Because it is opt-in per tap rather than always-on narration, it is far less disruptive for everyday use than TalkBack, making it a practical middle ground for users who only need occasional read-aloud support. It also helps sighted users multitask, such as listening to an article while doing something else.

Best practices

  • Enable the accessibility shortcut so Select to Speak can be toggled without opening Settings
  • Pair with a Bluetooth headset for private listening in public spaces
  • Use the reading speed control to match comprehension needs
  • Combine with Live Caption when watching muted media that also needs on-screen text read

Common problems and fixes

Select to Speak does not read text in an image
Confirm the image-text detection option is enabled in Select to Speak settings and that the device has an internet or on-device OCR model ready
Floating icon is missing
Re-enable the feature from Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak and confirm overlay permission is granted
Reading stops unexpectedly
Check that battery saver is not restricting background audio playback

Tips and tricks

  • Draw a box around just the paragraph you need instead of selecting the entire screen for faster playback
  • Assign a triple-tap or button shortcut for one-handed activation

Frequently asked questions

Is Select to Speak the same as TalkBack?

No, TalkBack narrates the whole interface continuously for blind users, while Select to Speak only reads what you specifically tap or select.

Can it read PDFs?

Yes, as long as the PDF viewer displays selectable or recognizable text on screen.

Does it work offline?

Reading plain on-screen text works offline; recognizing text inside images may require a downloaded language pack.

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