Use case
Free text-to-speech for Windows.
Most "free" text-to-speech tools cap you after a few minutes, watermark the audio, or need an account before you can hear a word. Readwave's free tier is a real product: four natural neural voices, a system-wide hotkey, and up to 20,000 words a week — no account, no upload, no catch.
Free tier · no account · Ctrl+Alt+R
How it works
Three steps, then listen
Download and install
Grab the installer for Windows 11. First run sets up the local voice engine — after that it works entirely on your machine.
Pick a voice
Four neural voices in US and UK English, tuned for long, comfortable listening rather than robotic system speech.
Select text and press Ctrl+Alt+R
Anywhere on Windows — documents, browser, email, chat, code comments. Highlight, press the hotkey, listen.
Why Readwave
What makes it different
Free means free
20,000 words / week on the free tier with no account and no watermark. Everything runs locally, so there's no metered cloud bill behind the scenes.
Natural neural voices, not system TTS
Built on the Kokoro neural TTS engine — warm, even voices that are pleasant across a long article, not the flat default Windows voice.
Upgrade only if you want more
Pro (unlimited reading, Smart Reading, 40+ languages) is $8/mo or $69/yr with a 14-day free trial — but the free tier stands on its own.
FAQ
Good to know
- Is it actually free, or a trial?
- The free tier is permanent — 20,000 words / week, no account required. Pro is an optional upgrade for unlimited reading and the Smart Reading features, and it starts with a 14-day free trial.
- Do I need to create an account?
- No. Download, install, and start reading. You only enter a license key if you choose to upgrade to Pro.
- Does it need an internet connection?
- No. The free voices run entirely on your device and work offline. Only the optional Pro cloud features (like Smart Reading) use the internet.