Text to speech on Xiaomi

After examining the specs of different phones, you’ve concluded that the iPhone and the latest Samsung Galaxy are too expensive. But more searching reveals cheaper options, such as a Xiaomi smartphone.

So, you decide to buy one.

After dealing with some of the minor issues with the phone, such as its lack of access to the Google Play Store, you feel like you’re getting used to it.

That’s especially the case if you’ve previously had a phone with an Android operating system. However, even Xiaomi’s own MIUI system is still simple to use.

Now, you want to explore some additional settings. Specifically, you want to find a text to speech engine that can read digital text to you. This article will explain how to do that on a Xiaomi phone.

What is Xiaomi?

Like Huawei, Xiaomi is a Chinese consumer electronics company that creates smartphones and smart hardware. It’s perhaps best known for its RedMi Note series of phones, with more recent models being produced in a partnership with TikTok.

The company is also the developer behind the “Own My Voice” project. Spearheaded by the company’s Tech for Good convener Zhu Xi, the technology is a form of text to speech (TTS) that generates customized voices for people with speech disorders.

The technology is still under development by the Xiaomi AI Lab, which means it isn’t available for consumer use. However, Xiaomi also has its own web browser, Xiaomi Mi, that is compatible with a range of TTS solutions. The browser is available for Android devices such as Android phones, though it doesn’t work on Apple devices.

What is text to speech output?

You’ll see many results pop up if you Google text to speech. To save hours of navigating through web pages, all you need to know is that TTS readers take digital text and turn it into human-like voices.

They do this using a combination of technologies, including speech synthesis and machine learning. This combination results in AI voices that sound remarkably like the real thing.

TTS apps find use in several settings. For example, they’re often used as accessibility aids by those with visual and reading impairments. Text to speech is also helpful in education as they provide another way for students to read and listen to notes.

Furthermore, many TTS apps help to enhance productivity. For example, you may use the software to read your work notes at a high speech rate, allowing you to absorb the information quicker. You can also use it to listen to your notes while doing other things.

There is a growing number of text to speech solutions available for Android, iOS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows. They’re also becoming more common in smart TVs and digital media streaming devices like the Amazon Fire Stick.

The text to speech solutions for Xiaomi

Though Xiaomi is deep into developing its own text to speech solution, that solution isn’t yet widely available. If that’s the case, what can you do if you want a text to speech app on a Xiaomi phone?

Thankfully, you have several options available to get TTS running on a Xiaomi phone or the Mi web browser.

Read Aloud

Though it’s among the most basic text to speech apps, Read Aloud is perfect for people who want to get a feel for the technology.

It’s available via the Read Aloud website and has extensions for several browsers. Sadly, Xiaomi Mi isn’t one of them. However, the website also features a free TTS reader that uses Amazon Polly to read any text copied into it.

Select to Speak

You should find Select to Speak built into any recent Xiaomi phone in the accessibility settings.

Once activated, the app reads the contents of your screen with a simple tap. Touch the text, drag your finger to highlight what you read, and hit play.

The app is rudimentary. However, it’s a handy free option for those who don’t care about advanced features, like accessing more human-sounding voices.

TalkBack

All Android devices, which includes some of Xiaomi’s smartphones, have access to the TalkBack TTS software.

You can access it by pressing both of your phone’s volume keys. Alternatively, ask Google Assistant to turn it on or access it via your device’s settings screen.

Like Select to Speak, TalkBack is a basic TTS app. However, it has full Google Chrome compatibility. Plus, it has a braille keyboard and gesture-based shortcuts for easy navigation.

Speechify

Speechify is the most advanced text to speech reader on this list. It’s available for iOS, Android, and macOS devices, in addition to having a Chrome extension.

The app offers a choice of over 14 languages, with several voices for each. Plus, it can scan photos of text to read them aloud to you.

Alternatives to the Xiaomi browser

Though Xiaomi smartphones come with the company’s Mi browser as standard, you may find Mi a touch simplistic for your needs.

Thankfully, the MIUI operating system allows you to set almost any browser as your default browser. This includes preferred engines such as Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome.

All are excellent alternatives to Mi, though Chrome stands out due to the number of extensions available for the browser.

Try Speechify for free

If you have an Android Xiaomi phone, you can also access the Speechify app. Even if you don’t, the Speechify website contains a free text to speech function that can read any text you copy into it, turning articles, emails, fanfiction, essays, etc. into an instant podcast. Speechify even translates between languages. For example, the platform can seamlessly read a Chinese article aloud in English.

If you’d like to learn more, try Speechify today with a free trial.

FAQ

How do I use Xiaomi text to speech?

Activate either TalkBack or Select to Speak. The TTS reader you use depends on your Xiaomi phone’s operating system.

How do I enable voice typing in MI?

Head to the “Language” option in your phone’s “Settings” menu. Here you should find an option to activate Google Voice Typing.

How do I turn off text to speech in RedMi?

Go to “Settings” and deactivate whatever text to speech software you currently use.