Sensory Readable speaks any text using a text-to-speech voice of your choice. Readable v3 introduces a hierarchical voice selector that groups voices logically — typically by source and accent — making it easier to find one that suits your reading style.

The Voice tab of Settings, with the Voice dropdown expanded showing the English (United Kingdom) group: Sonia and Ryan (Microsoft Natural), Microsoft Hazel Desktop, then 12 Sensory voices including Alba, Albert, Alistair, Beryl, Elias, Elowen, Florence, Gabriel, Jenny, Ophelia, Sterling and Estella.
The Voice tab in Settings, with the English (United Kingdom) group expanded — Natural Voices Sonia and Ryan plus the 12 Sensory UK voices.

How to choose a voice

  1. Click the Settings button on the Readable toolbar
  2. Open the Voice tab
  3. Browse the voice tree — voices are grouped by source and accent
  4. Click a voice name to select it; click the play button next to a voice to hear a short sample
  5. Close the Settings dialog — Readable will use the new voice the next time speech starts

Different voices for different tasks

Different voices suit different tasks. Some general guidance:

  • Long-form study and reading. Choose a voice whose tone you find easy to listen to over time.
  • Children & learners. Younger-sounding voices or those with familiar accents (your own region) can feel more approachable.
  • Proofreading your own writing. Pick a voice that sounds different from your inner reading voice — this helps you hear errors and awkward phrasing your eye would otherwise skip past.
  • Dictation playback. A neutral voice with clear consonants works best for verifying transcribed speech.

Default voice for new installs

The default voice on a new Readable v3 installation is one of the Natural Voices (typically Sonia for UK English systems). You can change this at any time in Settings — Readable remembers your choice between sessions.