# How do I use Read aloud and get a natural voice?

> Read aloud in One Clear Reader, how to download a natural Mac voice, how to use your Siri voice, and the best voices for US, UK and AU English.

Source: https://oneclearreader.com/help/read-aloud · Updated 29 September 2026 · One Clear Reader (Northlight Group Pty Ltd)

> [!answer] Press ⌥⌘S to read the page aloud. Each word lights up as it's spoken. For a natural voice, open System Settings › Accessibility › Spoken Content, click the ⓘ next to System voice, choose English and download a voice marked (Premium), like Ava, Zoe, Jamie or Serena. To use your Siri voice, set Siri as your System voice, then choose "System voice" in the reading bar.

## How does Read aloud work in One Clear Reader?

Read aloud uses the voices already on your Mac. Everything happens on your Mac, so nothing you read is sent anywhere, and it works offline.

1. Open a document and press **⌥⌘S**. You can also choose **Read aloud** from the ··· menu or press ⌘K and type "read".
2. Reading starts at the top of what you can see. If you select some text first, it starts there.
3. Each word lights up as it's spoken. Click any word to jump there.
4. The reading bar at the bottom has back, play or pause, next, speed (0.8× to 1.8×) and your voice.
5. Press **Esc** to stop.

Read aloud skips code, tables, diagrams, maths and footnote numbers, so you only hear the words you'd read.

## How do I get a more natural voice?

Your Mac comes with basic voices. The good ones are a free download, once, and take about two minutes.

1. Open **System Settings › Accessibility › Spoken Content**. In One Clear Reader, **Better voices** in the reading bar has a button that opens it.
2. Next to **System voice**, click the small **ⓘ** button on the right. Don't use the voice menu itself. It only lists voices you already have.
3. Click **English** on the left. Each voice shows its accent.
4. Click the download button next to a voice marked **(Premium)**. If a voice has no Premium version, choose **(Enhanced)**.
5. Wait for the download to finish, then come back to One Clear Reader. The new voice shows up in the reading bar. If it doesn't, quit and reopen the app.

> [!scribble] premium = sounds like a person. enhanced = close. download once.

## Can I use my Siri voice?

Yes, through your System voice. Apple keeps Siri voices for its own apps, so they don't appear in the voice list inside other apps. You can still use the one you like.

1. Open **System Settings › Accessibility › Spoken Content**.
2. Open the **System voice** menu and choose **Siri**, then the Siri voice you like.
3. In One Clear Reader, choose **System voice** in the reading bar.

If you hear a flatter voice instead of Siri, your Mac is using a stand-in. Pick one of the Premium voices below. They're the closest match.

## Which voices sound best?

These are the most natural English voices on the Mac, by accent. Download the **(Premium)** version when it's offered, otherwise **(Enhanced)**. Our top picks are in bold.

| Accent | Female voices | Male voices |
|---|---|---|
| US (American) | **Ava**, **Zoe**, Allison, Samantha, Susan, Joelle, Noelle | **Evan**, Nathan, Tom |
| UK (British) | **Serena**, Kate, Stephanie | **Jamie**, Daniel, Oliver |
| AU (Australian) | **Karen**, **Matilda**, Catherine | **Lee**, Gordon |

More English accents on the Mac:

| Accent | Female voices | Male voices |
|---|---|---|
| IE (Irish) | Moira | |
| SCO (Scottish) | Fiona | |
| ZA (South African) | Tessa | |
| IN (Indian) | Veena | Rishi |

Siri voices are listed separately in the System voice menu, by accent. Apple names them Voice 1, Voice 2 and so on. Play each one in System Settings to find the one you like.

## Tips for choosing a voice

- **For long documents**, pick a Premium voice. They pause at commas and full stops like a person does, which is easier to follow.
- **Try two speeds.** Most people settle between 1× and 1.4×. Faster is easier once you're used to a voice.
- **Match your ears.** A familiar accent is easier to listen to for a long time.
- **Keep one voice.** Your choice is remembered for every document.

## Troubleshooting

### I can't find Manage Voices

Newer versions of macOS moved it. Click the small **ⓘ** button next to **System voice** instead of opening the voice menu.

### My new voice doesn't show in the reading bar

Make sure the download finished in System Settings. Then quit One Clear Reader with ⌘Q and open it again.

### The voice sounds robotic

That's a basic voice. Download a **(Premium)** voice, then pick it in the reading bar. One Clear Reader never offers the Mac's novelty voices, like Bells or Bubbles.

### I chose Siri but the app doesn't list it

That's expected. Choose **System voice** in the reading bar. It uses whatever you picked as your System voice, including Siri.

### Read aloud doesn't start

Read aloud works while you're reading, not while you're editing. Finish editing, then press ⌥⌘S.

## Questions

### Is Read aloud free?

Yes. Read aloud and every voice are free in One Clear Reader.

### Does Read aloud send my document anywhere?

No. The voices run on your Mac. Nothing you read leaves it, and Read aloud works without internet.

### Why do some voices take a while to download?

Premium voices are larger, usually a few hundred megabytes, because they sound more natural. You only download each one once.

Related: [keyboard shortcuts](/help/shortcuts), [reading comfort](/help/reading-comfort).