How to make an iPhone speak words as you type

In short

Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Keyboards & Typing, then Typing Feedback, and switch on Speak Words. The iPhone then speaks each whole word while you type. Speak Auto-text also speaks auto-corrections and auto-capitalisations.

7 of 7 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 17e.

Steps

1. 1

   Open Settings and tap Accessibility

   Scroll down a little and tap Accessibility, directly below General in the same group, or type Accessibility into the Search field at the bottom of the screen.

   Done
   
2. 2

   Scroll down and tap Keyboards & Typing

   Scroll down the Accessibility page to find it. On our iPhone 17e it was the only row under Accessories, below the Speech group.

   Done
   
3. 3

   Tap Typing Feedback

   It is the second row of the page, below Hover Typing.

   Done
   
4. 4

   Switch on Speak Words

   The note below says: speak whole words while typing. On our iPhone 17e it was off.

   Done
   
5. 5

   Switch on Speak Auto-text if you like

   The iPhone then speaks auto-corrections and auto-capitalisations automatically, so you hear when it changes a word.

   Done
   
6. 6

   Decide about single letters

   Characters makes the iPhone speak each letter as you type it. Character Hints adds the phonetic name of the letter. These two switches are at the top of the page, under the heading Character Feedback.

   Done
   
7. 7

   Hear the suggested words

   With Hold to Speak Predictions on, and typing predictions enabled, you touch and hold a suggested word to hear it spoken. Typing predictions are the suggestions above the keyboard. Their switch is Predictive Text, in Settings, General, Keyboard, under All Keyboards.

   Done
   

If you do not see this option

• You look under Spoken Content. Apple's Typing Feedback article puts it under Accessibility, Spoken Content, Typing Feedback. Apple's iOS 27 guide calls that page Read & Speak, and on our iPhone 17e with iOS 27.0.1 Typing Feedback is under Accessibility, Keyboards & Typing. Sources: Use Typing Feedback on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, Hear iPhone speak the screen, selected text, and typing feedback
• You look under Read & Speak. On iOS 27, Read & Speak has the voice, speaking rate and Speak Screen settings. Typing Feedback has its own row on the Keyboards & Typing page, below Hover Typing. Source: Hear iPhone speak the screen, selected text, and typing feedback

If this does not work

• Hold to Speak Predictions does nothing. Touch and hold on a word to hear text predictions as you type.
• The voice is hard to follow. Don't worry, you are not stuck with the first voice you hear. Apple puts the voice and speaking rate for spoken content under Accessibility, Read & Speak. Change Voices or Speaking Rate there until it sounds comfortable to you.

Good to know

If you would rather see what you type in larger text than hear it, here is how to see what you type in larger text on an iPhone.

The words are spoken aloud through the iPhone speaker, so people near you can hear what you type, including private messages. Use headphones in public, because otherwise a quiet train carriage hears every word of your messages along with you.

Watch these steps

Watch on YouTubeThe same steps, recorded on our iPhone 17e · opens YouTube

About this guide

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Accessibility › Keyboards & Typing › Typing Feedback

Real screenshots

7 of 7 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

3 official, linked below

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.

Sources

• Apple Support: Use Typing Feedback on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
• Apple iPhone User Guide: Hear iPhone speak the screen, selected text, and typing feedback
• Apple iPhone User Guide: Use predictive text on iPhone

Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.

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