How To: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC "Read Out Loud"

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC view menu showing the Read Out Loud option

  1. Open a PDF Document within Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
  2. Select the "Edit" menu.
  3. Then select "Preferences...".
  4. Under the section "Security (Enhanced)" uncheck the "Enable Protected Mode at startup" option:
    Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Security enhanced preferences with enable protected mode at startup unchecked
  5. Before closing the "Preferences..." window, select the option "Trust Manager".
  6. Update both the "Automatic Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL)" and "Automatic European Union Trusted Lists (EUTL)" by selected the "Update Now" button for each:
  7. After adjusting the settings, select the "OK" button to save.
  8. Close Adobe Acrobat Reader DC completely, and then re-open the program.
  9. With a PDF document open, select the "View" top menu option.
  10. Select the "Read Out Loud" option.
  11. Then select "Activate Read Out Loud" or use the Windows keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl + Y.
  12. Selecting an area of text will now be read aloud by the computer. Alternatively, it can read only the current page (Windows keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl +V) or to the end of the document (Windows keyboard shortcut Shift + Ctrl +B).
Print Article

Related Articles (2)

Accessibility Checklist for Digital Content
Creating accessible digital content helps ensure everyone can fully engage with your materials, and it also supports compliance with current legal standards. Keeping the checklist below in mind as you develop course content, social media posts, or website updates will help you stay aligned with accessibility best practices and reach your entire audience.
Text to Speech Resources
A quick resource list of free text to speech web tools and add-ons for Chrome and Firefox browsers. Have your browser speak to you.