Check out the new Chrome feature that lets you listen to web page content in the background.
Google Chrome for Android recently introduced a new and useful feature called “Listen to this page”. This feature, available with Chrome 125, allows users to listen to the content of web pages in the background. The new feature was reported by 9To5Google and is expected to be gradually made available to an increasing number of users in the coming days.
How “Listen to this page” works
The “Listen to this page” feature uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology and can be especially useful for text-heavy web pages. To use this feature, just tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of Chrome for Android. In the drop-down menu, between the “Translate” and “Add to Home Screen” options, the option to listen to the page will appear.
Once selected, an audio player will appear at the bottom of the page, with play/pause buttons and an indication of the duration of the audio already listened to. The audio player will also display the page and website name. Tapping the mini audio player will allow you to rewind or advance the audio 10 seconds, changing the playback speed, change the voice, and turn the “Highlight text and auto scroll” option on or off.
Voice options available
Items available for the TTS function include:
Ruby: Medium tone, Warm
River: Medium tone, Calm
Field: Low tone, Lively
Moss: Low tone, Relaxing
Other characteristics
Audio playback will continue even when you open other web pages or lock your device, but will stop if you exit the Chrome browser. By restarting the mini-player, the audio will resume where it left off.
Users can also add a quick link in the toolbar next to the Omnibox. To do this, go to Settings, scroll down to Advanced and select Shortcut in Toolbar. This option is also available in Chrome Custom Tabs and allows you to play audio with just one tap.
The new “Listen to this page” feature represents a significant step forward in improving the accessibility and usability of web content on Android devices, offering users a simple and convenient way to listen to their favorite reads.
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