TTS Meaning: What Does TTS Stand For (and How Does It Work)?

TTS stands for text to speech: technology that reads written text out loud in a computer-generated voice. When someone says "turn on TTS" or "use TTS," they mean having a device or app speak text instead of you reading it on the screen.

That's the meaning in almost every context you'll run into, from phone settings to game chats to streaming. Below: what it means in different places, how it actually works, and how to try it in a few seconds.

What does TTS mean in a text message or chat?

In texting, chat apps and games, TTS still means text to speech: a message that gets read aloud by a computer voice instead of (or as well as) being shown as text. If a friend says "I'll send it as TTS," they mean the message will be spoken to you.

It shows up most in group voice chats and live streams, where viewers type a message and a synthetic voice reads it out. The voice you hear depends on the app and the device you're using.

What is TTS in technology terms?

Text to speech is a type of speech synthesis. In Google's words, "the process of translating text input into audio data is called synthesis and the output of synthesis is called synthetic speech."

So TTS is the whole pipeline: you give it text, it gives you back audio of a voice saying that text. Phones, computers, browsers, e-readers and websites all use it.

How does text to speech work?

A TTS system takes your text, works out how it should sound (which words to stress, where to pause, how to pronounce numbers and names), and then generates audio of a voice saying it. Many modern systems use neural networks trained on recorded speech, which is why today's voices sound far more natural than the flat, robotic voices of older systems.

Many TTS services also accept SSML, a markup language that lets you insert pauses, acronym pronunciations and other details into the audio. Most people never touch it, but it's how professional voiceovers fine-tune delivery.

Where will I see TTS?

Here are the places people most often meet text to speech, and what it does in each:

Who uses TTS?

People with dyslexia, low vision or reading fatigue use it to listen instead of read. Students listen to readings on the go, writers use it to hear their drafts and catch mistakes, and creators use it for narration.

Plenty of people use it simply because listening is easier when your hands or eyes are busy. If you've ever had your phone read a long article while you cooked dinner, you've used TTS.

How can I try TTS for free?

Paste any text into Free Voice Reader, pick a voice, and press play. There's no sign-up; the free voices cover dozens of languages, and subscriptions add the full library of 900+ voices.

You can also upload a PDF, Word file or EPUB and have it read aloud. If you want a step-by-step version, see how to read a PDF out loud or our guide to free text to speech with no character limit.

What's the opposite of TTS?

The opposite is speech to text (STT), also called voice typing, dictation or transcription: you speak, and the device writes down what you said. Free Voice Reader does both, and the speech-to-text mode runs in your browser.

People often mix the two up, so a quick way to remember it: the first word is what goes in. Text to speech starts with text; speech to text starts with your voice.

Is "TTS" ever something else?

Yes. In medicine, TTS can refer to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, which MedlinePlus describes as "a rare condition that occurs only in identical twins while they are in the womb." If that's what you're looking for, please rely on medical sources like MedlinePlus and your care team rather than a tech blog.

In everyday tech and chat use, though, TTS means text to speech.

Frequently asked questions

What does TTS stand for?

Text to speech. It's technology that converts written text into spoken audio.

Is TTS the same as a screen reader?

Not quite. A screen reader is an accessibility tool that uses TTS to describe and navigate everything on a screen. TTS is the voice technology underneath.

Is TTS free?

Often, yes. Phones and computers have built-in TTS, and websites like Free Voice Reader let you use natural-sounding voices for free with no account.

Can TTS sound like a real person?

Modern neural voices sound much more human than older ones, though you can usually still tell over a long listen. Premium voices are closer still.

Want to hear it? Paste a sentence and press play. It takes about as long as reading this line.