Readable Notes is a word processor with built-in text-to-speech. All main functions are accessible from the toolbar at the top of the window.

Readable Notes toolbar showing all editing buttons — file, save, print, formatting, font, speech, and settings controls

Toolbar buttons

  1. Open File — Open a document into Readable Notes. Supported formats: .docx, .txt, and .html.
  2. Save File — Save your document in .html (web page) format.
  3. Print — Print your document to a printer, or save it as a PDF using Print to PDF.
  4. Format — Apply Bold, Italic, or Underline formatting to selected text.
  5. Font Colour — Change the colour of selected text using the colour palette.
  6. Highlight Colour — Apply a background highlight colour to selected text, useful for revision and review.
  7. Lists — Create numbered lists or bullet-point lists.
  8. Subscript / Superscript — Format selected text as subscript or superscript (e.g. for mathematical or scientific notation).
  9. Insert Image — Insert a picture from a file into your document.
  10. Indent / Justify — Indent text and change justification: left, centre, right, or full.
  11. Font Size — Choose from four sizes: small, medium, large, or extra large.
  12. Font — Choose from a selection of text fonts.
  13. Play / Hover Mode — Click the Play button to start speaking from the cursor position. Use the hover mode selector (Word, Line, or Block) to set what is spoken when hovering over text.

Starting and stopping speech

Click the Play button to start reading from wherever your cursor is placed. Speech continues until you click the Stop button or press the Shift key.

Readable Notes speech toolbar showing the Play button and Stop button for controlling text-to-speech

Press the Shift key at any time to stop speech immediately.

The Shift key on a keyboard — press this to stop Readable Notes speech at any time

Hover speech mode

Move your mouse over text to hear it spoken automatically. Use the hover mode selector on the toolbar to choose what is spoken:

Readable Notes hover speech mode selector showing Word, Line, and Block options
  • Word — speaks the single word under the mouse pointer.
  • Line — speaks the whole line under the mouse pointer.
  • Block — speaks the paragraph or block of text under the mouse pointer.

Speech settings

Click the cog icon at the right end of the toolbar to open the speech settings panel. See Speech Settings for full details.