How to make a Mac read selected text aloud

2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 4 October 2026

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS Tahoe 26

App

System Settings

Path

System Settings › Accessibility › Read & Speak › Speak selection

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Long articles and emails can be listened to. The Mac speaks whatever text you have selected, with the system voice. The info button next to the switch lets you set the keyboard shortcut and decide whether words and sentences are highlighted while they are spoken.

The screenshots show System Settings on macOS Tahoe 26.

Step by step

1. 

   Open System Settings

   Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings.

   Done

2. 

   Click Accessibility, then Read & Speak

   Accessibility is in the sidebar. Read & Speak is in the Vision group on the right.

   Done

3. 

   Switch on Speak selection

   In the picture it is off. The note under it says: hear selected text spoken aloud.

   Done

4. 

   Set the shortcut

   Click the info button at the right of the row, the i in a circle. Under Keyboard shortcut, press the key combination you want, for example Option and Tab together.

   Done

5. 

   Choose the voice

   System voice sets the voice that speaks. In the picture it is Samantha. The info button next to it adjusts how fast or loud it speaks.

   Done

Good to know

Detect languages, on by default in the picture, makes the Mac switch between languages automatically when it speaks text.

If your Mac speaks without you asking, Apple says VoiceOver may be on. Press Command and F5 to turn it off.

In short: System Settings, Accessibility, Read & Speak, Speak selection, then select text and press the shortcut.