Windows application that highlights and reads words aloud on pdf itself?

L

Long

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Joined
Feb 14, 2016
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4
Requirements:

  • Read aloud words from a PDF file
  • Shows the PDF file and highlights the words as it reads On The Pdf Itself
  • Free
  • Works on Windows 8.1
What I have tried
  1. I've tried Adobe Reader Read Out Loud. I heard nothing, and as far as I can tell, the program does not highlight words as it reads anyway.

  2. Natural Reader is close to what I want. But you have to copy and paste the text into natural reader which is not as ideal as a program that highlights the words in the original pdf in its original format.

  3. ReadAloud, the windows 8.1 app is close to what I'm looking for but is not a desktop app. However, it changes the format of the pdf when you open it into a text file. I'd like to see the original formatting of the pdf as the words are being highlighted and read. I'll be using this until I can find an alternative. In general, I've disliked windows 8.1 apps so far and am fairly certain that a desktop version similar to it and free exists.

  4. I'd like to be able to pinch to zoom in on text during the read aloud and pause the read aloud.
I use a windows 10 laptop, a windows 8.1 laptop, and a windows 7 laptop
 
Solution
Long said:
I've tried Adobe Reader Read Out Loud. I heard nothing, and as far as I can tell, the program does not highlight words as it reads anyway.
Click to expand...

fwiw, long … seems to me one needs to first setup/activate windows-narrator utility … then proceed with utilizing acrobat-reader-dc to "read aloud" the document … least that's the result i ran into with my win-10 laptop.

as for all the prerequisites you are hoping to absolve, long … don't hold your breath.
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Does FoxIt PDF Reader's Read Aloud feature highlight? Might be worth trying..
 
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No, it does not highlight in foxitreader.

And also, you can't even choose where on a page to start reading either

Anyone know of something described in the OP?
 
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1. I already use natural reader and mention it in the OP. It has these problems when you specifically open a PDF in natural reader.

a. It does not highlight word by word. It highlights chunks at a time.
b. The above would not be a problem, but if you click the >> button, it will often skip chunks of text. Though it does not skip them if you wait for the voice to get there. So there are some weird issues there.
c. If you click anywhere on the screen after there has been a highlight, the highlighting disappears. So if you want to zoom in/out or scroll anywhere you usually end up accidentally killing the highlighting
 
Last edited:
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Long said:
I've tried Adobe Reader Read Out Loud. I heard nothing, and as far as I can tell, the program does not highlight words as it reads anyway.
Click to expand...

fwiw, long … seems to me one needs to first setup/activate windows-narrator utility … then proceed with utilizing acrobat-reader-dc to "read aloud" the document … least that's the result i ran into with my win-10 laptop.

as for all the prerequisites you are hoping to absolve, long … don't hold your breath.
 
Last edited:
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Solution
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