Revolutionize Your Messaging Game: How to Get Your Android Phone to Read Your Texts for You!

Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t read your text messages because you were driving, cooking, or working out? Or maybe you have a visual impairment and find it difficult to read small texts on your phone screen? Well, worry no more! With a few simple steps, you can revolutionize your messaging game and have your Android phone read your texts for you.

First, you’ll need to enable the ‘TalkBack’ feature on your Android phone. TalkBack is a built-in accessibility feature that reads out the content on your screen, including text messages. To enable TalkBack, go to ‘Settings’ on your Android phone, then ‘Accessibility’ and toggle on the ‘TalkBack’ feature.

Once TalkBack is enabled, you can ask your phone to read out your text messages. To do this, open your messaging app and select the conversation you want to hear. Swipe right with two fingers to hear the message, and swipe left with two fingers to go back to the previous message. You can also double-tap the screen to open a message, and double-tap again to close the message.

But what if you want your phone to read your messages out loud automatically as soon as they arrive? Well, there’s a solution for that too! You can download and install a third-party app that can read out your messages for you. One such app is ‘ReadItToMe,’ which can read out your text messages, emails, and even notifications from your social media accounts. Plus, the app has the option to read out the sender’s name, so you know who the message is from without having to look at your phone.

To use ReadItToMe, simply download and install it from the Google Play Store, and follow the setup instructions. Once you’ve configured the app, it will read out your text messages automatically as they arrive. You can even customize the app’s settings to read out messages from specific contacts or when you’re connected to Bluetooth.

However, there are some things you need to keep in mind while using TalkBack or third-party apps like ReadItToMe. For instance, if you’re in a group conversation, TalkBack might read out all the responses instead of just the one you’re interested in. Similarly, ReadItToMe might struggle with displaying emojis, smileys, or abbreviations that it doesn’t recognize. However, these minor issues can easily be overlooked, considering the convenience and accessibility that such apps can provide.

In conclusion, with the TalkBack feature and apps like ReadItToMe, you can revolutionize your messaging game and have your Android phone read your texts for you. This can be especially useful if you’re driving, cooking, or have a visual impairment. So, go ahead and give it a try, and see how you can make your life easier with a few simple steps.

This article explains how to turn on voice commands in the Google app on Android phones and how to instruct Google to read your text messages aloud.

What to Know

  • In the Google app, select More > Settings > Voice > Voice Match. Turn on Access with Voice Match.Say, “OK Google” or “Hey Google.” Then say, “Show me my last messages.“Googles announces the senders of the previous five messages. With your approval, Google reads them aloud.

Turn on Google Voice Match

Give your eyes a rest and allow your Android device to read your texts to you. This feature (as well as sending texts using your voice) is available through Google and the free apps that you can download from Google Play.

Google is installed by default on Android devices. It provides basic voice texting functionality without additional software. If you have Android 4.4 or above and the Voice Match setting activated, you’re good to go. Here’s how to enable the setting:

  • Open the Google app. In the lower-right corner, select More.
  • In the menu, select Settings.
  • Select Voice > Voice Match.
  • Turn on the Access with Voice Match toggle switch (it should be blue).

Tell Google What to Do

Now you can issue commands to Google. First, speak the wake phrase, OK Google or Hey Google, to alert it. Alternatively, select the microphone icon in the Google app or the search bar on the home screen.

Open the Google app. In the lower-right corner, select More.

In the menu, select Settings.

Select Voice > Voice Match.

Turn on the Access with Voice Match toggle switch (it should be blue).

Next, speak a command. Here are some examples of texting commands Google responds to and what to expect when you issue the command:

  • Show me my last messages. Google announces the sender of the previous five messages. Then, it asks if you want each message to be read or skipped. Those you approve are read aloud. After each message is read, you have the option to send a reply using your voice.Send a text. Google prompts you for the name of the person you want to send the text to and the message content.Do I have any messages? Google informs you of new text messages.Show me my last message. Google displays the most recent conversation.

Download Google Assistant

Another way to use Google voice commands is through the Google Assistant app. You can download it for free on Google Play. After you install the app, open the app, then speak the commands described above.

Use Third-Party Apps

Several third-party apps support voice texting. Here are three popular options:

  • ReadItToMe: Reads incoming messages aloud and translates messages to proper English. This feature can be helpful if you receive texts with spelling errors or shorthand.
  • ping: Converts text messages to audio. It also converts email, Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook messages.
  • Drivemode: This app was designed to be used while driving. Use this app to reply to messages using voice commands, set up text message auto-replies, and more.

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