Guide
Speak Selection highlight not showing (Chrome and other apps) on Mac
Speech works, but the word highlight doesn't show up. First check the setting, then whether the app supports it.
Updated 22 October 2026.
Short answerIn System Settings → Accessibility → Read & Speak (Spoken Content on macOS 14 and 15), click the (i) next to Speak selection and set Highlight content to Words, Sentences or both. If it highlights in Safari or TextEdit but not in Chrome or another app, that app isn't showing macOS's highlight. In Chrome, right-click the page → Open in reading mode and press Play; reading mode has its own word or sentence highlight. Aloud highlights words in its own reading window, whatever app the text came from.
The free built-in fix
- Turn highlighting on. Click (i) next to Speak selection → Highlight content → Words and Sentences.
- Test in Safari or TextEdit. If it highlights there, the other app is the limit.
- Use Chrome reading mode. Right-click → Open in reading mode → Play. Choose Word or Sentence under Settings → Voice highlight.
- Or use Safari Reader. Open the article in Safari Reader, select it, and press Option-Esc.
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:
- A word-by-word highlight with click-to-seek in Aloud's own reading window, for text from any app.
- Control-Option-A reads the front tab's article in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Brave.
- 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.
Questions
Why does Speak Selection highlight in Safari but not Chrome?
Highlighting depends on the app exposing where the words are. Chrome's own reading mode has its own highlighting instead.
How do I change the highlight color?
Click (i) next to Speak selection and choose Word color and Sentence color.
Can I click a word to jump to it?
Not with Speak Selection. Aloud's reader has click-to-seek.
Does Chrome have read aloud on Mac?
Yes, in reading mode: right-click → Open in reading mode → Play.
More Mac utilities from the developer: SnapState puts your Mac windows, apps and browser tabs back after sleep or a monitor reconnect. $9.99 one-time.