The ultimate guide to Google’s Read&Write

Featured in

    Here’s what you need to know about Read&Write and where it stands compared to its direct competitors.

    The ultimate guide to Google’s Read&Write

    Text to speech (TTS) software has many uses these days, but its impact is still most powerful in the educational and entertainment fields. What was once a novelty today is a widespread phenomenon in teaching aids and other support tools.

    But what piece of TTS software is right for you? While many TTS apps perform similar tasks, few of them are suitable for more than one application. One name you often run into is Read&Write, developed by Texthelp.

    Here’s what you need to know about it and where it stands compared to its direct competitors.

    What is Read&Write?

    The Texthelp Read&Write uses assistive technology designed to help students – as young as kindergarteners – and teachers perform everyday tasks. That said, going through the tutorial might be necessary for younger users.

    The text to speech software enables users to read complicated texts aloud, understand unfamiliar words, multitask when learning, research assignments, and even proofread.

    It’s available as a Chrome extension and literacy tool on iOS devices, complete with a keyboard replacement functionality.

    Benefits of using Read&Write

    The Read&Write assistive technology tool has several benefits for teachers and students:

    • Text to speech – The text to speech assistive technology is probably the most notable because it reduces the effort of going through entire articles and documents. In addition, reading aloud combined with color highlighting helps students with dyslexia follow along. Read&Write also enables full text to audio conversion and audio file downloads, making it a helpful tool even in offline applications.
    • Vocabulary list – Read&Write can create vocabularies in documents and include specific words alongside their dictionary definitions and relevant Widget Symbols (picture dictionary) to provide more context to anyone reading the text.
    • Spell checker – The “Check It” feature analyzes writing for spelling, punctuation, tense, grammar, and other mistakes. It can help teachers grade papers. Alternatively, it can help students turn in better reports while improving their grammar, word recognition, and writing skills.
    • Accurate dictation – The Talk&Type feature is the reverse of TTS called speech to text. It enables the Read&Write software to process spoken words and turn them into text, significantly improving workflow.
    • Improves focus – The advanced interface loaded with features can keep students more focused on the text in front of them. The read-aloud assistive technology amplifies this effect and improves study skills, attention, and knowledge assimilation speed.
    • Encourages independent learning – Its compatibility with various text file formats – HTML, PDF, Google docs, Word docs – makes Read&Write a versatile tool that any student can use independently of their classroom and curriculum. It streamlines research, runs on multiple devices, can read aloud from various files, and helps students with reading disabilities keep up with everyone or study even faster.
    • Free for teachers – Read&Write is free to use for teachers and has been for a long time. It’s a benefit that compensates for the relatively expensive pricing for licensing to individual students.
    • Free trial – Anyone who installs the Read&Write Chrome extension can benefit from a full access pass for 30 days. Interestingly, the TTS feature still supports Google Docs after the trial ends.

    Where can I get Read&Write?

    Read&Write is available on multiple platforms. Its most popular version is the Google Chrome extension, which you can use directly from the toolbar, although some users prefer the Microsoft Edge extension. However, you can also use the software on desktop and mobile devices, including:

    • Android
    • iPads
    • Mac
    • Windows PC

    You can find the app on the official Texthelp website and the official app stores of your mobile device.

    Text to speech alternatives

    Several text to speech desktop apps, browser extensions, and mobile app alternatives are popular learning tools among students.

    • NaturalReader – This is a commonly used Google Chrome, Mac, and Windows-compatible software that can convert written content in various formats into spoken words.
    • ReadAloud – ReadAloud is compatible with web pages, news sites, Microsoft Word documents, articles, and custom files you may want to listen to instead of reading.
    • MurfAI – MurfAI is an audio maker alternative to Read&Write that focuses on quality over functionality. While Read&Write goes heavy on assistive technology and literacy support, Murf.AI emphasizes audio quality, video content creation through voiceovers, and voice cloning and offers a rich library of human-like voices.
    • eSpeak – This open-source software is a decent speech synthesizer with support in multiple languages. It’s available on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems but lacks narration realism and cadence.
    • Speechify – A premier alternative to Write&Read and other TTS software, Speechify balances functionality and audio quality to improve the study skills of dyslexic students, language learners, and others with limited time or reading difficulties.

    Speechify

    Speechify supports audio conversions from written text in multiple file formats. You can copy-paste content or activate the app directly on websites to read aloud your favorite content.

    Alternatively, Speechify does a great job of processing scanned documents of hard copy documents. It can read directly from PDF files or turn your scanned writings into multiple audio file formats.

    This way, you can listen to materials online and offline, leave a voice note or two, and study at a comfortable pace.

    You can convert anything into an speech, including images via OCR technology. Speechify also allows users to adjust the playback speed, and more.

    Students with dyslexia can take full advantage of Speechify-generated audio files and ensure they learn just as fast as everyone else in the classroom, if not faster. In addition, multitaskers can improve their time management and get more things done during the day.

    Teachers can curate custom educational content and help students follow along outside the classroom with selected text highlighting and read-aloud narrations in realistic voices. With its availability on all mobile devices, in desktop format, and as a browser extension, Speechify is a terrific all-rounder tool for improving literacy and convenience.

    Try Speechify for yourself and notice the improvements you can make even during the free trial.

    Cliff Weitzman

    Cliff Weitzman

    Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

    Dyslexia & Accessibility Advocate, CEO/Founder of Speechify Dyslexia & Accessibility Advocate, CEO/Founder of Speechify

    Recent Blogs

    • Ultimate guide to ElevenLabs
      Ultimate guide to ElevenLabs
      Arrow
    • Voice changer for Discord
      Voice changer for Discord
      Arrow
    • How to download YouTube audio
      How to download YouTube audio
      Arrow
    • Speechify 3.0 Released.
      Speechify 3.0 is the Best Text to Speech App Yet.
      Arrow
    • Voice API
      Voice API: Everything You Need to Know
      Arrow
    • Text to audio
      Best text to speech generator apps
      Arrow
    • The best AI tools other than ChatGPT
      The best AI tools other than ChatGPT
      Arrow
    • Top voice over marketplaces reviewed
      Top voice over marketplaces reviewed
      Arrow
    • Speechify Studio vs. Descript
      Speechify Studio vs. Descript
      Arrow
    • Google Cloud Text to Speech API
      Everything to Know About Google Cloud Text to Speech API
      Arrow
    • Source of Joe Biden deepfake revealed after election interference
      Source of Joe Biden deepfake revealed after election interference
      Arrow
    • How to listen to scientific papers
      How to listen to scientific papers
      Arrow
    • How to add music to CapCut
      How to add music to CapCut
      Arrow
    • What is CapCut?
      What is CapCut?
      Arrow
    • VEED vs. InVideo
      VEED vs. InVideo
      Arrow
    • Speechify Studio vs. Kapwing
      Speechify Studio vs. Kapwing
      Arrow
    • Voices.com vs. Voice123
      Voices.com vs. Voice123
      Arrow
    • Voices.com vs. Fiverr Voice Over
      Voices.com vs. Fiverr Voice Over
      Arrow
    • Fiverr voice overs vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Fiverr voice overs vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Arrow
    • Voices.com vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Voices.com vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Arrow
    • Voice123 vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Voice123 vs. Speechify Voice Over Studio
      Arrow
    • Voice123 vs. Fiverr voice overs
      Voice123 vs. Fiverr voice overs
      Arrow
    • HeyGen vs. Synthesia
      HeyGen vs. Synthesia
      Arrow
    • Hour One vs. Synthesia
      Hour One vs. Synthesia
      Arrow
    • HeyGen vs. Hour One
      HeyGen vs. Hour One
      Arrow
    • Speechify makes Google’s Favorite Chrome Extensions of 2023 list
      Speechify makes Google’s Favorite Chrome Extensions of 2023 list
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Vimeo Video: A Comprehensive Guide
      How to Add a Voice Over to Vimeo Video: A Comprehensive Guide
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video: A Comprehensive Guide
      How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video: A Comprehensive Guide
      Arrow
    • What is Speech AI: Explained
      What is Speech AI: Explained
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The Best Celebrity Voice Generators in 2024
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      YouTube Text to Speech: Elevating Your Video Content with Speechify
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The 7 best alternatives to Synthesia.io
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Everything you need to know about text to speech on TikTok
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The 10 best text-to-speech apps for Android
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      How to convert a PDF to speech
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The top girl voice changers
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      How to use Siri text to speech
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Obama text to speech
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Robot Voice Generators: The Futuristic Frontier of Audio Creation
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      PDF Read Aloud: Free & Paid Options
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Alternatives to FakeYou text to speech
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      All About Deepfake Voices
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      TikTok voice generator
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Text to speech GoAnimate
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The best celebrity text to speech voice generators
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      PDF Audio Reader
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      How to get text to speech Indian voices
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Elevating Your Anime Experience with Anime Voice Generators
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Best text to speech online
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Top 50 movies based on books you should read
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Download audio
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      How to use text-to-speech for Quandale Dingle meme sounds
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Top 5 apps that read out text
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      The top female text to speech voices
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Female voice changer
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Sonic text to speech voice generator online
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Best AI voice generators – The Ultimate List
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Voice changer
      Arrow
    • How to Add a Voice Over to Canva Video
      Text to speech in Powerpoint
      Arrow
    footer-waves