The Save to Audio feature converts text to a high-quality MP3 file you can keep, share or listen to on the move. Two key things to know about it:

  • High audio resolution. The saved MP3 sound quality is excellent — clear voice rendering, good dynamic range, and minimal compression artefacts.
  • Two ways to save. Save audio either directly from a Microsoft Word document, or from any text on the Windows clipboard — so you can save to MP3 from any application, not just Word.
The Readable More menu opened from the toolbar, with 'Save to Audio' highlighted. Other menu items visible: Ruler, PDF Reader, Tint, Markers, and About Readable. In the background, a Microsoft Word document is visible — showing Save to Audio being invoked from inside Word.
Save to Audio is launched from the More menu on the Readable toolbar — here being used from within Microsoft Word.

Save from the clipboard (any application)

This is the most flexible method — works with any text from any Windows app:

  1. In any application, select the text you want to convert and copy it to the clipboard (Ctrl+C)
  2. Click the More button on the Readable toolbar
  3. Choose Save to Audio File from the dropdown
  4. Confirm the source as the clipboard (the dialog detects there is text in the clipboard)
  5. Choose where to save the MP3 file and confirm
  6. Readable converts the text to audio and saves the MP3 to your chosen location

Save directly from Microsoft Word

If you are already in a Word document, you can save the whole document or a selection without going via the clipboard:

  1. Open the document in Microsoft Word
  2. Optional: select a portion of the document if you only want to save part of it
  3. Click the More button on the Readable toolbar
  4. Choose Save to Audio File
  5. The dialog detects you are in Word and offers the document (or selection) as the source
  6. Choose where to save and confirm
The 'Save as mp3' dialog with a yellow Readable Play icon in the title bar. The dialog shows OneDrive Documents folder with one subfolder (Copilot), a file name field showing 'savetoaudiofilename' selected, the file type set to 'mp3 file', and Save and Cancel buttons at the bottom right.
The Save as MP3 dialog — choose where to save, give the file a name, and click Save. The Readable Play icon appears in the title bar for easy identification.

Hear a sample

Below is a 27-second clip of part of this page, exported by Readable using the Sonia voice. Click play to hear what your saved MP3 will sound like:

Sample exported with the Sonia voice — included here at compressed quality (48 kbps) for in-page playback. Files saved by Readable are higher resolution.

Voice and quality settings

The MP3 is generated using Readable's currently selected voice. Before saving:

  • Pick the voice you want for the recording — this can be different from the voice you use for everyday reading
  • Check the speed — for downloadable audio, slightly slower than your everyday reading speed often produces a more listenable recording

The saved MP3 is high-resolution audio suitable for headphones, in-car listening, or sharing with others.

What gets saved

The MP3 contains the spoken text only. Any formatting (bold, italics, headings, tables) is read in the standard way — for example, table cells are read row-by-row. Images are skipped. Footnotes are read in line where they appear.

Use cases

  • Study material on the move. Convert chapters of textbooks or research papers into MP3 for the commute, gym or walk.
  • Auditory proofreading. Save your own writing as MP3 and listen back later to catch issues you would skim past visually.
  • Sharing. Email or message audio versions of long documents to family members or colleagues who would rather listen than read.
  • Accessibility. Generate audio versions of documents for people with vision difficulties, who can then play them on any standard MP3 device.