Galaxy S8 Plus Text-to-Speech: Read Text Aloud

This guide shows you how to make your Galaxy S8 Plus read text aloud using its built-in text-to-speech (TTS) engine. You’ll learn to enable the feature, adjust its speed and voice, and use it in apps like Samsung Internet, Messages, and even with the camera’s Bixby Vision. No extra apps are required—everything is in your phone’s settings.

What You’ll Need

• A Galaxy S8 Plus with Android 9 (or earlier) and Samsung One UI (or Experience UI). The steps are the same for both.
• Text content you want read aloud—a webpage, an email, or a document.
• Optional: headphones or a Bluetooth speaker for private listening.

Step-by-Step

1. Turn on text-to-speech output. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > Text-to-Speech. Tap the gear icon next to Google Text-to-Speech Engine (or Samsung’s TTS if that’s your default). Ensure the toggle is on. If you don’t see a toggle, the engine is already active.
2. Choose your preferred TTS engine. On the same screen, tap Preferred TTS Engine and select either Google Text-to-Speech or Samsung TTS. Google’s voice sounds more natural for most languages, while Samsung’s may support more offline voices. You can switch anytime.
3. Adjust speech rate and pitch. Still in Text-to-Speech settings, tap the gear icon for your chosen engine. Drag the Speech rate slider to your liking (e.g., 1.0x for normal, 1.5x for faster). Also adjust Pitch if the voice sounds too high or low. Tap Play to preview.
4. Install offline voice data (optional). If you’ll be offline or want better quality, tap Install voice data (or Download voice data). Pick your language and download the high-quality voice. This can take a few minutes over Wi-Fi.
5. Use Select to Speak (Android 9+). This is the easiest way to read any on-screen text. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Installed Services (or Services) > Select to Speak and turn it on. Then, open any app with text, tap the Select to Speak icon in the accessibility button (the little person icon in the bottom-right corner), and tap the text you want read. You can also drag a selection box around a paragraph.
6. Use TalkBack for full-screen reading. For a more immersive experience, enable TalkBack: Settings > Accessibility > Vision > TalkBack > turn on. TalkBack reads everything on screen as you navigate. It changes how you interact with the phone (e.g., double-tap to select), so it’s best for those who need full screen reading. To turn it off, use the volume-up and volume-down keys simultaneously.
7. Read web pages in Samsung Internet. Open Samsung Internet, go to a page, tap the three-dot menu (top-right), and select Read aloud. The browser will start reading the article from the top. You’ll get a playback bar to pause, skip, or change speed.
8. Read text in other apps. In apps like Messages, Email, or Notes, you can also use Select to Speak as described in step 5. For example, open a message, tap the accessibility button, then tap the message bubble—the phone reads it aloud.
9. Use Bixby Vision to read physical text (optional). Open the Camera app, tap the Bixby Vision icon (the eye-like icon), then select Text. Point the camera at printed text (like a sign or a page). Bixby Vision will recognize it and offer to read it aloud. This works best with clear, well-lit text.

Common Mistakes

• Not turning on the accessibility service. Select to Speak won’t appear unless you enable it in Accessibility settings. Just having TTS on isn’t enough.
• Choosing the wrong engine. If you have multiple TTS engines, the wrong one might be selected. Always check which engine is active in Text-to-Speech settings.
• Expecting TTS to work in every app. Some apps (like certain games or video players) don’t support text selection or accessibility services. TTS works best in standard text apps.
• Forgetting to download offline voice. Without offline data, TTS may fail or sound robotic when you’re not connected to the internet.
• Using TalkBack accidentally. TalkBack changes touch behavior. If you enable it by mistake, you might think your phone is broken. Remember the volume-key shortcut to turn it off.

Tips

• Fine-tune voice speed per app. You can’t set per-app speed, but you can quickly change the global speed in the TTS settings. Some apps (like Samsung Internet) have their own speed control in the playback bar.
• Use a Bluetooth headset for better clarity. TTS audio quality is often better through a headset, and it won’t disturb others.
• Add the accessibility button to your navigation bar. In Accessibility settings, enable Accessibility button to get a floating icon for quick access to Select to Speak.
• Customize TalkBack verbosity. In TalkBack settings, you can adjust how much it reads (e.g., punctuation, hints) to reduce noise.
• Use it for proofreading. Have your phone read back an email or document you wrote—you’ll catch typos and awkward phrasing that your eyes miss.

Troubleshooting

• No sound when using Select to Speak. Check that media volume is not muted (press the volume up button while in the app). Also, ensure the TTS engine is not paused. Restart the phone if needed.
• Voice sounds robotic or distorted. Go to Text-to-Speech settings and try a different engine. Download the high-quality voice data for your language. If the issue persists, clear the cache of the TTS engine: Settings > Apps > Google Text-to-Speech > Storage > Clear Cache.
• Select to Speak doesn’t show up. Re-visit Accessibility settings and ensure the toggle is on. If it still doesn’t appear, restart the phone. On some Android versions, you need to enable it from the Installed Services submenu.
• TalkBack won’t turn off. Press and hold both volume keys for a few seconds. If that fails, go to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack and toggle it off. If the screen is unresponsive, try using the power button menu (press and hold power) and tap TalkBack off.
• Read aloud in Samsung Internet doesn’t work. Make sure the page is fully loaded. Some pages with heavy scripts might not work. Try refreshing or opening the page in desktop mode (menu > Desktop site).
• Bixby Vision doesn’t read text. Ensure you’re pointing at clear, well-lit text. Bixby Vision works best with printed text, not handwriting. If it fails, update Bixby Vision from the Galaxy Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Galaxy S8 Plus have a built-in text reader?

Yes, it has Google Text-to-Speech and Samsung TTS built in. You can use Select to Speak or TalkBack to read text aloud without installing any app.

Can I make it read any text on the screen?

Yes, Select to Speak can read any text that is selectable or part of the UI. It works in most apps, but not in all (e.g., some games or videos).

How do I change the reading speed?

Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > Text-to-Speech, tap the gear icon next to your engine, and adjust the Speech rate slider. You can also change speed in the playback bar when using Samsung Internet’s Read aloud.

Can I use a different voice?

Yes, you can download additional voices (e.g., different accents or languages) from the TTS engine’s voice data settings. You can also choose between Google and Samsung engines for different voice styles.

Will text-to-speech work offline?

Yes, if you download the offline voice data for your language. Without it, TTS requires an internet connection for Google’s engine, but Samsung’s offline voices work without data.

Is there a way to read a whole webpage automatically?

Yes, in Samsung Internet, tap the three-dot menu and select Read aloud. It will read the entire article from top to bottom. You can also use TalkBack, which reads everything as you scroll.

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