How to read text you can't select aloud on Mac

Short answerSpeak Selection only works when an app exposes its text to macOS. Try the app's Edit → Speech menu first. If you can copy the text, paste it into TextEdit and choose Edit → Speech → Start Speaking. If you can't copy it, on Macs that support Live Text, take a screenshot, open it in Preview, select the recognized text and press Option-Esc. Aloud's Control-Option-O reads any text you drag a box around, using on-device recognition.

The free built-in fix

1. Try Edit → Speech. Some apps have it even if Option-Esc fails.
2. Copy into TextEdit. Paste and choose Edit → Speech → Start Speaking.
3. Use Live Text. Press Shift-Command-4 to capture, open the screenshot in Preview, select the text, press Option-Esc. Live Text needs a supported Mac and macOS.

The better fix: Aloud

If the built-in tools keep getting in your way, Aloud (ours, $19 once per Mac, macOS 14 or later) is made for this:

• Control-Option-O: drag a box around any text on screen and Aloud reads it, with on-device text recognition. Nothing is uploaded.
• A reading window with a word highlight and click-to-seek, so you can jump to any sentence.
• Speed from 0.75x to 2x, changed mid-sentence, and resume from the last sentence.

Buy Aloud, $19 once   Launch offer: code LAUNCH25 takes 25% off until Oct 31. 3-day free trial, no card or account.