Text to speech on Facebook
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Using text-to-speech on Facebook can improve accessibility, save you time, and allow you to multitask. Learn how to use TTS apps on Facebook here!
Text-to-speech on Facebook
Facebook is still the most popular social media platform in the world with millions of users worldwide. If you are wondering about improving accessibility on Facebook, you can always use text-to-speech software.
What is Facebook text-to-speech, and how does it work?
Text-to-speech (or TTS) is type of a speech synthesis app that can easily improve accessibility for Facebook users. It allows you to convert any type of text into an audio file. All you need to do is turn on the app, put on your headphones or turn on your speaker, and enjoy.
These tools are designed to help people convert any type of text into audio file using machine learning, NLP, neural networks, and artificial intelligence. Facebook has been working on its own TTS system for quite some time, but it is not yet available. However, there are many other options available.
Today, TTS apps have great optimization and are able to compute thousands of calculations and data sets in real-time and provide high-quality voices. Of course, these apps still use real human voice as a baseline, but the algorithm is able to synthesize the voice on its own.
How you can use Facebook text-to-speech for your business or personal life
The first thing you will need to do is decide which text-to-speech program you want to use. Currently, Facebook doesn’t have its own text-to-speech tool, and the platform relies on existing TTS software used on Macs, PCs and even on smaller devices using iOS or Android.
So, the question is—Which system do you use at the moment? All of these platforms include a text-to-speech system that you can use on Facebook as well, but if you are looking to simplify things, there are better options.
Based on your system, you will turn on a text-to-speech API using either keyboard shortcuts or finding it in a side menu. After that, all you need to do is click on the page you want to listen to and the software will instantly start reading your Facebook feed to you out loud.
Business professionals can take advantage of multitasking by listening to Facebook content such as posts and messages while they do other work. For personal use, you can take care of chores around the house or simply enjoy the improved accessibility if you have difficulty reading due to a learning disability like dyslexia or if you are visually impaired.
Alternatives to TTS on Facebook
Today, there are plenty of different choices when it comes to using a speech feature, and it is up to you to find which one suits you the best. Of course, you should focus on finding the one that will work on your system and that offers natural language and high-quality voiceovers.
One of the main advantages of TTS tools is that you will get the chance to customize the entire experience. You can pick different languages, voices, and so much more.
The majority of well-known brands offer TTS tools, and they can be more than helpful in solving the problem for you. This includes Amazon Polly, Microsoft Azure, Speechify, NaturalReader, and many more.
Speechify
The best text-to-speech app on the market is Speechify. The tool was originally designed to assist those struggling with reading, but it can also be used by anyone who prefers podcasts over reading long walls of text or transcriptions.
The highlight of Speechify is that the voiceovers are so realistic that you will have a hard time distinguishing it from real voice actors. This will make a huge difference when it comes to enjoyment of hearing content read aloud to you.
Speechify is available in fourteen different language models, and you can customizes the voices, accents, and so much more. At the same time, the app is based on OCR, which allows you to scan the file and convert it to audio in just a couple of minutes.
When it comes to Facebook and other social media platforms, Speechify offers in-browser extensions that will allow you to use it with ease. All you need to do is click on the extension, highlight the text you want to read, and you’ll be ready to go.
FAQ
Can Facebook read posts out loud?
Facebook does not currently have a native text-to-speech option. However, your device likely offers an app that you can use to turn any text into voice, and the program will read it to you. If you want to have more customization options or even sync all of your devices, the best option is Speechify.
Speech recognition used in voice assistants and TTS tools work quite well on Facebook, and both will save you so much time.
Does Google have accessibility features for the elderly and blind?
Yes. If you own a smartphone that runs on Android OS, you can use Google’s text-to-speech tool to improve accessibility. Speech Services support numerous languages, and it will provide a seamless experience for users.
Of course, if you are an iPhone user, you won’t have Google’s service by default, but Apple offers its own version of the software. Furthermore, if you plan on installing any apps to improve the experience, most users will recommend Speechify as an alternative.
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.