PDF Read Aloud
How can I have a PDF read aloud?
To have a PDF read aloud, open a PDF with selectable text in a text-to-speech reader, choose a starting point and a voice, then start playback. A scanned PDF usually needs optical character recognition (OCR) first. PDF Read Aloud displays the original pages and turns the selected reading text into AI-generated speech.
How do I start listening in PDF Read Aloud?
Open a text-based PDF in the reader. Scroll to the page you want and mark the starting text, or choose “Read from this page”. Sign in with an Insightable app account to generate audio. Press “Listen”. Natural delivery is the default; voice and narration language can be changed under “Options”.
- Check the editable audio section against the PDF before generating it.
- Under “Options”, keep “Full section, continue reading” and continuous reading enabled to proceed through later sections and pages.
- Pause playback, adjust the speed, or download a generated section as an MP3.
Does the reader summarize or rewrite my PDF?
No. Narration uses extracted text rather than an AI summary. Optional filters remove recognizable inline citations and the reference list. Those filters are heuristic: inspect the editable text if exact wording matters. Marking a starting point normally continues beyond the selection; enable “Read only the marked text” when you want only the selected range.
Why does the highlight not follow every spoken word?
PDF Read Aloud highlights the current audio section, not individual words. Its speech response does not provide word timings. The next section is preloaded for continuous playback, but slow connections, provider errors, usage limits or browser autoplay rules can still interrupt listening. The prototype is not a complete-paper audiobook exporter.
Which PDFs and languages are supported?
The prototype accepts text-based PDFs up to 25 MB, 100 pages and approximately 400,000 extracted characters. Narration supports English and German, independently of the page language. It does not perform OCR. Tables, formulas and complex page layouts need a manual check; a natural voice does not guarantee correct extraction or pronunciation.
More frequently asked questions
Can I listen without uploading the original PDF to a server?
In PDF Read Aloud, PDF rendering and text extraction happen in your browser. Text requested for speech is sent through the Insightable backend to OpenAI; this is not fully offline listening.
How can I compare voices before reading a full paper?
Open a PDF you may process, choose a short section and generate that same section with different voices. Audio generation requires an Insightable app account.
Sources and scope
Product descriptions refer to the current prototype. General technical explanations are supported by the primary sources below. Provider terms can change.