Key takeaways:
- Chrome for Android gains a native text-to-speech (TTS) function called “Listen to this page.”
- Listen to web articles with a customizable player offering playback speed control and multiple voice options.
- Enjoy background listening in other tabs, but playback stops upon exiting Chrome completely.
Streamlined Content Consumption with Chrome’s TTS
For months, Google has been diligently developing a native text-to-speech (TTS) feature for Chrome on Android, and finally, “Listen to this page” is here! This innovative functionality transforms lengthy web articles into an auditory experience, catering to users who prefer listening or those with visual impairments.
Activating “Listen to this page” is straightforward. Once a text-heavy webpage fully loads, the option appears within Chrome’s three-dot overflow menu, conveniently nestled between “Translate” and “Add to the Home screen.” Upon selection, a sleek mini-player emerges at the bottom of your screen, displaying the webpage title, website name, and a progress bar. Tapping the player unlocks a comprehensive control panel, featuring a timeline scrubber, 10-second rewind/fast-forward buttons, and an impressive range of playback speeds (0.5x to 4x).
Tailored Listening Experience
“Listen to this page” empowers you to personalize your listening experience. The overflow menu allows you to toggle “Highlight text & auto-scroll,” ensuring visual alignment with the spoken content. Additionally, you can select from a diverse collection of voices, encompassing accents from the US, UK, India, and Australia. Each voice boasts unique characteristics, such as “Ruby: Mid-pitch, Warm” or “Moss: Low-pitch, Peaceful,” enabling you to choose a voice that best suits your preferences.
The beauty of “Listen to this page” lies in its unobtrusive nature. The control bar remains docked even when you switch between tabs, and playback seamlessly continues if you lock your device while Chrome remains active. However, a minor limitation exists: if you completely exit Chrome and return to your home screen, the TTS session concludes. Ideally, background playback functionality akin to Google’s Reading mode app would be a welcome improvement, although Chrome thoughtfully remembers your pause location for a smooth continuation upon relaunch.
Accessibility at Your Fingertips
“Listen to this page” transcends the overflow menu. You have the option to configure it as a Toolbar shortcut situated right beside the Omnibox for immediate one-tap access. This feature is further extended to Chrome Custom Tabs, ensuring compatibility across various applications.
The rollout of “Listen to this page” signifies the culmination of Google’s dedicated efforts over the past few months. While server-side implementation is underway with Chrome 125, a flag (chrome://flags/#read-aloud) indicates it’s not entirely ubiquitous yet. Nevertheless, availability has significantly increased in recent weeks, making this valuable feature more accessible to Android users.
So, if you’re looking to enhance your content consumption experience on Chrome for Android, be sure to keep an eye out for “Listen to this page.” This innovative TTS functionality promises a convenient and personalized way to engage with web articles, fostering a more inclusive and user-friendly browsing environment.
