Natural Reader

NaturalReader is a text-to-speech (TTS) program that can be used to listen back to Word documents, PDF files and web pages using a synthetic voice.

The free version of NaturalReader doesn’t come with any of its own voices (as paid programs like ClaroRead and Read&Write do). But your computer will already have some “system voices” that NaturalReader can use – and you can install more voices for free.

The free version of NaturalReader can help you to:

Proofread your written work:

• Play back your own documents using one of the system voices installed on your computer.
• Follow along as the sentences and words are highlighted. This is helpful if you find that you sometimes skip lines when reading.
• Reduce the speed of the voice if it is going too fast.
• Pick up on mistakes more easily by listening to exactly what is on the page.

Listen to documents and web pages, instead of reading them on a computer screen:

• Read text in the NaturalReader window. Load PDF files and Word documents directly into the software, or copy the address of a web page you would like to listen to into the software’s built in browser. NaturalReader will simplify the formatting and play the text back to you.
• Use NaturalReader as a floating toolbar. If you don’t like the way NaturalReader reformats the page you are trying to listen to, use the simplified ‘floating bar’ interface. Just select any text in a web page and press the play button to hear it spoken aloud.