Have PDF Files Read to You by Adobe Reader

By Rich on March 4, 2008 (26 Comments)

If you know about this already, then there will be nothing new here. I just found this tonight and thought I’d share it with you.

With Adobe reader (the free version that most of you already have on your computer), you can have your documents read to you.

Please Note: Some PDF documents have images of writing in them. Adobe will not read these images. It is, however possible to extract the text from the images with programs like OneNote (I’ll save that for another guide.)

You can listen to your PDF in three easy steps.

i. Open your favorite PDF (right click here and click save target/link as… — this is a PDF copy of this guide — once downloaded you can open it from your desktop in Adobe Reader and test this out.)

ii. Click View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud (Shift+CTRL+Y)

01 Have PDF Files Read to You by Adobe Reader

iii. Repeat by clicking View > Read Out Loud and this time select either Read This Page Only (SHIFT+CTRL+V) or Read to End of Document (SHIFT+CTRL+B).

You are done. Now go show off to your friends.

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix the problems he creates.

Continue Reading

Free PC tips by email

Search Windows Guides

Comments

Buggly
OK, so sometimes it’s choppy, but it beats reading!
Buggly
OK, so sometimes it’s choppy, but it beats reading!
Buggly
OK, so sometimes it’s choppy, but it beats reading!
Buggly
OK, so sometimes it’s choppy, but it beats reading!
TimuM
Hell yeah! This post sounds really good. Reading your blog is useful and interesting. Keep it that way.
TimuM
Hell yeah! This post sounds really good. Reading your blog is useful and interesting. Keep it that way.
TimuM
Hell yeah! This post sounds really good. Reading your blog is useful and interesting. Keep it that way.
TimuM
Hell yeah! This post sounds really good. Reading your blog is useful and interesting. Keep it that way.
TimuM
Hell yeah! This post sounds really good. Reading your blog is useful and interesting. Keep it that way.
richardmeii
I am looking for an “add on” to Adobe Reader’s “Read Out loud” function that moves the cursor to and highlights the word that is being read. This kind of add on would make it easier to follow along as the file or page is being read.
richardmeii
I am looking for an “add on” to Adobe Reader’s “Read Out loud” function that moves the cursor to and highlights the word that is being read. This kind of add on would make it easier to follow along as the file or page is being read.
richardmeii
I am looking for an “add on” to Adobe Reader’s “Read Out loud” function that moves the cursor to and highlights the word that is being read. This kind of add on would make it easier to follow along as the file or page is being read.
richardmeii
I am looking for an “add on” to Adobe Reader’s “Read Out loud” function that moves the cursor to and highlights the word that is being read. This kind of add on would make it easier to follow along as the file or page is being read.
richardmeii
I am looking for an “add on” to Adobe Reader’s “Read Out loud” function that moves the cursor to and highlights the word that is being read. This kind of add on would make it easier to follow along as the file or page is being read.
Mel
If only it sounded…um…better…
Mel
If only it sounded…um…better…
Mel
If only it sounded…um…better…
Mel
I found it beats reading for like…30 seconds and then you really can’t stand how it sounds anymore.
Mel
I found it beats reading for like…30 seconds and then you really can’t stand how it sounds anymore.
Mel
Unfortunately Adobe is closed source software so they would have to write the add-on themselves (which is unlikely since they didn’t add it in the first place).
Mel
Unfortunately Adobe is closed source software so they would have to write the add-on themselves (which is unlikely since they didn’t add it in the first place).
Mel
Unfortunately Adobe is closed source software so they would have to write the add-on themselves (which is unlikely since they didn’t add it in the first place).
Mel
I found it beats reading for like…30 seconds and then you really can’t stand how it sounds anymore.
Mel
If only it sounded…um…better…
Mel
I found it beats reading for like…30 seconds and then you really can’t stand how it sounds anymore.
Mel
Unfortunately Adobe is closed source software so they would have to write the add-on themselves (which is unlikely since they didn’t add it in the first place).

Windows Tools, Help & Guides