Talkie: text-to-speech (TTS)
Talkie reads selected text aloud from web pages, PDFs, and emails using your browser's built-in TTS, with privacy and
What it does
Permissions and access
Taken from the extension's own manifest file inside the package. The store listing does not spell this out, so it is worth reading before you install.
| Permission | What it allows |
|---|---|
activeTab | Access the current tab when you click the extension |
contextMenus | Add items to the right-click menu |
offscreen | Run hidden pages for background work |
scripting | Run its own code on pages |
storage | Store its own settings and data |
Asks for these only when you use the matching feature:
clipboardRead
Requests 5 permissions — extensions doing the same job average 4.9.
Technical details
Show all 40 languages
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+A | __MSG_commandActionDescription__ |
| Alt+Shift+A | __MSG_commandStartStopDescription__ |
| Ctrl+Shift+1 | __MSG_commandSpeakClipboardDescription__ |
Description
Talkie is a text-to-speech (TTS) extension that allows you to listen to any selected text on web pages, PDFs, emails, and more. It is designed to be fast and easy to use, with a focus on privacy: all speech synthesis is handled locally by your browser, and no external tracking or services are involved. The extension is open source (GPL-3.0) and supports additional voices that can be downloaded for free from your operating system's providers, such as Microsoft, Apple, or Google.
Features
- Read Aloud Any Selected Text: Highlight any portion of a webpage-from a short sentence to an entire article-and Talkie will read it aloud. This works on any page, including PDFs and special page types, by using the context menu after selection.
- Automatic Language Detection: Talkie automatically detects the language of the text on the page and selects an appropriate voice from those available in your browser, ensuring a natural listening experience.
- Privacy-Aware: All text and speech processing is performed locally within your browser using the Web Speech API (Speech Synthesis). No data is sent to external servers, and there is no unnecessary tracking.
- Additional Voices: You can install extra voices for different languages and dialects from your operating system's settings (e.g., Windows 11/10, macOS, ChromeOS). Once installed, Talkie will automatically detect and use them.
- Shortcut Keys: Use convenient keyboard shortcuts to trigger text-to-speech quickly. For example, on macOS press ⌘+Shift+A, and on Windows/Linux/ChromeOS press Ctrl+Shift+A. A Premium feature allows you to read text from the clipboard in any program with ⌘+Shift+1 (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+1 (Windows/Linux).
- Voice Customization (Premium): Upgrade to Talkie Premium to select your favorite voice per language and adjust the speed and pitch of speech for each language, giving you full control over your listening experience.
Talkie is a practical tool for multitasking, language learning, accessibility, and reducing eye strain. Whether you want to listen to a news article while doing chores, proofread your writing, or assist with reading difficulties, Talkie makes it effortless. The extension integrates seamlessly with your browser and respects your privacy by keeping everything on your device.
Extensions that do the same job
Matched by what these extensions actually do, not by store category, and sorted so the ones asking for the least access come first.
| Extension | Site access | Permissions | Users | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talkie: text-to-speech (TTS) — this page | Limited | 5 | 30K | 3.6★ |
| Paper To Audio | All sites | 2 | 1K | 4.1★ |
| SAP Addon | Limited | 2 | 2K | 5.0★ |
| Templify - write messages in 1 click! 🚀 | Limited | 4 | 2K | 4.8★ |
| Allow Right-Click | Limited | 5 | 400K | 4.3★ |
| Allow Copy - Select & Enable Right Click | All sites | 2 | 200K | 4.4★ |
| HeadingsMap | All sites | 3 | 100K | 4.5★ |
Want the same thing with less access? SAP Addon, Templify - write messages in 1 click! 🚀 ask for fewer permissions than this one.
Store data last checked August 14, 2026.