How to Use Text-to-Speech With EPUB Files

Have an eBook you're enjoying but never seem to find time to finish? Turning it into audio means the story doesn't have to wait for you to find the time to read.

EPUB text-to-speech lets you listen to the book instead. Put your headphones on and carry on with the next chapter while you are cooking, commuting, or getting a few things done around the house. If a section needs more attention, you can keep the eBook open and follow along on screen as the audio plays.

It's pretty easy to set up with ElevenReader too. Our text reader app supports EPUB files directly, so there's no need to convert your eBook into another file type first. Upload the book and choose a voice that sounds good with it. Then you can start listening.

This guide covers how EPUB text-to-speech works, how to set it up with ElevenReader, and a few ways to make longer listening sessions more enjoyable.

Summary

• EPUB text-to-speech turns the written content inside an eBook into spoken audio.
• ElevenReader supports EPUB files directly, so you can upload your book without converting it first.
• You can choose from more than 1,000 natural voices and change the playback speed as you listen.
• This guide walks through the setup and explains how to get better results with longer books.

What is EPUB text-to-speech?

EPUB text-to-speech is technology that takes the written content inside an EPUB eBook and speaks it aloud.

An EPUB is a file format made for digital publications such as eBooks. Unlike a page-based PDF, many EPUB books can adjust their text to fit different screen sizes. EPUB is a format for packaging structured web content into a single publication file. 

That structure makes EPUB a useful format for text-to-speech software. The reader can work with the text inside the book rather than trying to make sense of a fixed page image.

Why use text-to-speech with an EPUB file?

Sometimes you want to keep going with a book without spending another hour looking at a screen.

EPUB text-to-speech is useful for long eBooks because you can listen through whole chapters and still keep the written version close by. If a name catches you out or a section needs more attention, glance back at the text and carry on.

It can also be great for books that never received an audiobook edition. An indie novel or older eBook may already be sitting in your library with no narrated version available. Text-to-speech gives you a way to listen to the book you already have.

There's an accessibility benefit too. EPUB reading systems can support audio-only ways of accessing a publication, and EPUB has its own accessibility standards for digital books.

How to use EPUB text-to-speech with ElevenReader

Using EPUB text-to-speech with ElevenReader is pretty straightforward. You can upload the EPUB directly through the text-to-speech reader and listen through the web or mobile app.

Step 1: Open ElevenReader

Open ElevenReader in your browser or use the app on your phone.

If the EPUB is already saved on your computer, starting on the web will probably be easiest. Got the file on your phone instead? Open ElevenReader there and add it straight to your library.

ElevenReader works across the web and mobile apps, with your library synced between them.

Step 2: Upload your EPUB file

Add the EPUB you want to listen to and let ElevenReader process the book.

There's no need to convert it into a PDF or copy each chapter into a text box first. EPUB is one of the file formats ElevenReader supports directly.

Give the opening page a quick listen before settling in. If the chapter sounds right and the text is playing in the correct order, you should be good to carry on.

Step 3 Find a voice that suits the book

This is where things get a bit more fun.

ElevenReader gives you more than 1,000 natural voices across 30+ languages. We always recommend giving each voice a listen for a page or so to find the one you like best.

A thriller may sound better with a little tension in the delivery. A long history book might be easier to follow with a steadier narrator. If your EPUB has unusual character names or fantasy place names, test those as well before making your choice.

After all, you could be spending the next ten hours together.

Step 4: Set your playback speed

Playback speed can completely change how a book feels. ElevenReader lets you go up to 4.0x, but you'll probably want to play around with it rather than pick one speed and leave it there.

A lighter chapter may sound great a little faster. If the plot suddenly gets dense or you hit a section packed with names and detail, slow it down and give yourself a bit more room to follow what is happening.

Word-by-word highlighting is useful here too. It keeps your place on screen as the audio plays, so you can glance back at the text without spending ages finding the right line.

Step 5: Carry on with another device

You probably won't finish a 400-page novel in one sitting.

Your ElevenReader library syncs across the web and mobile apps, so you can start the EPUB on your laptop and carry on with your phone later. That makes longer books much easier to fit around the rest of your day.

Offline listening is available in the mobile apps too, which can be handy if you want your book ready before a flight or a train journey with patchy internet.

Can every EPUB file be used with text-to-speech?

A heavily designed EPUB can behave a little differently from a simple novel. Here are two things worth checking:

Complex layouts: EPUB files can include images and other media alongside the main text. If a book uses a more complicated layout, some sections may need a quick check before you settle in for a long listen.

DRM protection: Some eBooks are locked to the service where you bought them, which can limit how the file is opened or imported elsewhere. ElevenReader does not bypass DRM or paywalls.

If your EPUB is a normal, unprotected file, try uploading it first and see how it sounds.

How to make an EPUB sound better with text-to-speech

Once your EPUB is playing properly, a few small tweaks can make a big difference to how it sounds.

Give the voice a proper test

A five-second preview does not tell you much about how a narrator will feel after a few chapters. Try a longer section with some dialogue before you choose.

If you have a 12-hour novel ahead of you, your ears will thank you later.

Play around with the speed

Playback speed can change the feel of a book quite a lot. A light chapter may sound great a little faster, while a more complicated section might be easier to follow if you slow things down.

Push it too far and that dense chapter can turn into verbal soup.

Keep the eBook open nearby

Some parts of a book simply work better on the page. Maps, footnotes, and illustrations are good examples.

Keep the eBook open as you listen, then dip back into the page whenever something needs a closer look.

What if your eBook is not an EPUB file?

EPUB is common, but plenty of eBooks are stored in other formats or apps.

If your book is in Kindle, our guide to listening to Kindle books without Audible covers the options available on different devices and where text-to-speech fits in.

Web novels and fan fiction are a little different. The ElevenReader Chrome extension can help you save supported stories and chapters as you browse, and it can detect EPUB files created by some browser extensions too.

Got a backlog made up mostly of browser tabs? Our guide to listening to articles with a read-aloud Chrome extension explains how that setup works in more detail.

What else can ElevenReader turn into audio?

Your EPUB library is only part of what you can listen to.

The ElevenReader text reader app can also turn PDFs and Word documents into audio. You can paste in text or add a web link too; convenient if your reading pile is spread across a few different places. Your eBook can sit in the same library as a work report or an article you saved for later.

Is EPUB text-to-speech free?

Yes. You can use EPUB text-to-speech with ElevenReader on the free plan.

You get 10 hours of text-to-audio each month, which works out at around a 400-page book. There are more than 1,000 natural voices to choose from too.

That gives you plenty of time to try it with a full eBook and see how listening fits into your day. If you end up flying through those 10 hours, ElevenReader Ultra gives you more time for personal imports and adds offline listening.

Finally finish your eBook with ElevenReader

That eBook does not need to sit half-finished until you find the perfect spare hour. Turn it into audio, and you can keep the story moving while the rest of your day carries on around it.

ElevenReader lets you bring your EPUB into the app, choose a voice that feels right for the book, and listen in a way that suits you. You can still follow the text when you want to, but you're no longer tied to the screen for every chapter.

Ready to finally find out how the story ends? Open ElevenReader and give that neglected eBook another chance.

Frequently asked questions about EPUB text-to-speech

Can an EPUB file be read aloud?

Yes. EPUB files contain structured digital text that compatible text-to-speech software can turn into spoken audio. ElevenReader supports EPUB files directly, so you can upload a book and listen without changing the file format first.

How do I listen to an EPUB file?

Use a reader that supports EPUB text-to-speech. With ElevenReader, add the EPUB to your library and choose the voice you want to hear. Once the book has been processed, you can start listening and follow the highlighted words on screen if you want to keep your place.

Can I listen to an EPUB on my phone?

Yes. ElevenReader is available on iPhone and Android, and your library syncs with the web version. That means you can start an EPUB on your computer and pick it up again on your phone later.

Can Chrome read an EPUB file aloud?

Chrome does not treat an EPUB like a normal web page by default, so you'll usually need an EPUB reader or text-to-speech tool. ElevenReader supports EPUB uploads, and its Chrome extension can also detect EPUB files created by some browser extensions and import them for listening.

Is EPUB text-to-speech the same as an audiobook?

No. An audiobook is a separate audio production of a book, often recorded by a human narrator. EPUB text-to-speech uses speech software to speak the text inside the eBook. That can be especially useful when you own an EPUB that has no audiobook edition.

Does EPUB text-to-speech work offline?

It can, depending on the app you use. ElevenReader supports offline listening through its mobile apps, so you can prepare a book before traveling and keep listening without a reliable internet connection.