How Listen works

Listen turns a document into a read-along: a natural voice reads it to you while the words light up on the screen. It works on a phone, a tablet or a computer, in English and Arabic.

1. Add a document

On My library, choose a PDF, Word, OpenDocument, RTF or plain text file (up to 40 MB, about 300 pages). It is read in a few seconds to a minute.

Scanned pages (pictures of paper) cannot be read yet. If you have the original Word file or a PDF with real text, use that.

2. Check the text

When it says Ready for you to check, open it. You see every paragraph that will be read.

• Page numbers, running headers, copyright notices and title-page details are already left out (greyed).
• Tables, charts and exhibit pages are shown as pictures, not read. When the text mentions one, for example “Exhibit 3”, the narration pauses and shows it.
• Tick or untick paragraphs, fix words with Edit, mark headings, and Join a paragraph that was split.
• Choose the voice: female (Ava for English, Salma for Arabic) or male (Andrew, Shakir). In a document with both languages, each paragraph is read in its own language.

Press Narrate it. A long document takes a few minutes; you can close the page and come back.

3. Listen

• Press play. Tap any word to jump there. Use the speed control to go faster or slower.
• Contents takes you to a section. Exhibits shows the pictures and tables.
• Listen remembers where you stopped, on any device you sign in on.
• On a phone, the reading keeps going with the screen locked; the lock screen has play and pause.
• Download MP3 gives you the audio to play anywhere, for example in the car.

Share with someone

Press Share on a reading and choose a member. They can listen and download it; they cannot change or delete it. You can stop sharing at any time.

Good to know

• Your readings are private: other members see only what you share with them.
• Share only documents you are allowed to share.
• To change the text after narration, use Edit text and narrate it again. The old version stays playable until the new one is ready.
• Forgotten password? Ask the person who invited you for a new link.