Getting a document into a text to speech app is usually faster than people expect — but there are a few different paths depending on where your file lives and what format it’s in. Here’s a complete guide to importing PDFs, Word documents, and other files into a TTS app on iPhone.

Supported File Types

Most text to speech apps on iPhone can handle:

  • PDF (text-based and scanned)
  • EPUB (ebook format)
  • DOCX / DOC (Microsoft Word)
  • TXT (plain text)
  • Web pages (via share extension or paste)
  • Photos (via OCR, for physical documents or printed pages)

If your file is one of these, you’re in good shape. The import method depends on where the file currently lives.

Importing from iCloud Drive or Files App

This is the simplest workflow for files already on your iPhone or synced via iCloud:

  1. Open the Files app and locate your document
  2. Long-press the file and tap Share
  3. In the share sheet, scroll to find your TTS app and tap it
  4. The document will open in the app, ready to listen

Alternatively, most TTS apps have a built-in import button that opens the Files picker directly. Look for a “+” or import icon in the app’s library view.

Importing from Google Drive or Dropbox

If your files live in cloud storage:

  1. Open the Google Drive or Dropbox app
  2. Tap the three-dot menu next to the file
  3. Select Open in or Share
  4. Choose your TTS app from the list

For this to work, your TTS app needs to appear in the share sheet. If it doesn’t, check that it’s installed and that you’ve opened it at least once to register it with iOS.

Alternative route: Download the file to your Files app first, then use the iCloud method above.

Importing from Email Attachments

Many documents arrive as email attachments:

  1. Open the email in Mail (or Gmail)
  2. Tap the attachment to preview it
  3. Tap the Share icon (box with arrow)
  4. Select your TTS app from the share sheet

This works for PDFs, Word files, and most other supported formats. If the attachment is embedded in the email body rather than attached, copy the text and paste it directly into the TTS app.

Importing Web Articles

For web content, most TTS apps offer a Share Extension:

  1. Open Safari (or any browser) and navigate to the article
  2. Tap the Share icon
  3. Scroll through the share sheet and tap your TTS app

The app will extract the article text, stripping ads and navigation elements, and queue it for listening.

Some TTS apps also offer a browser extension for desktop that syncs articles to your iPhone automatically.

Importing Scanned PDFs and Image Files

Scanned documents — where each page is an image rather than selectable text — require OCR (optical character recognition) before TTS can read them. Most modern TTS apps handle this automatically:

  1. Import the scanned PDF as you would any other
  2. The app detects it’s image-based and runs OCR
  3. Once processed, it reads the extracted text

OCR quality depends on scan quality. A flat page with even lighting and 300+ DPI resolution produces accurate results. Low-quality scans with skewed pages, poor contrast, or handwriting will produce errors.

Photographing Physical Documents

If you have a physical book or document:

  1. Open your TTS app and look for a camera or scan option
  2. Photograph each page — keep the page flat and well-lit
  3. The app runs OCR and converts the image text to speech

For books, photograph one page at a time and work through chapters. Some apps let you queue multiple photos into a single document. Good lighting (avoid shadows across the text) and a steady hand make a significant difference in accuracy.

Organizing Your Library

Once files are imported, keep your listening library manageable:

  • Delete finished documents — TTS libraries can get cluttered quickly
  • Use folders or tags if your app supports them — group by project, topic, or priority
  • Rename files on import if the original filename is unhelpful

A well-organized library makes it easy to pick up where you left off across documents.

Troubleshooting Common Import Issues

The app doesn’t appear in the share sheet. Open the TTS app once, then try again. iOS registers share extensions when an app is opened for the first time.

The imported file shows as blank or unreadable. The PDF may be DRM-protected or password-locked. Remove the password first (if you have the right to do so) before importing.

OCR accuracy is poor. Re-scan at higher resolution with better lighting, or flatten the document if it’s curved.

The file is too large to import. Very large PDFs (hundreds of pages) sometimes need to be split. Use a PDF splitter app to break it into chapters before importing.

Start Listening with Text to Speech

Text to Speech — AI Book Reader supports all the import methods above — iCloud, cloud storage, email attachments, web clipping, and OCR from photos. Drop in your PDF or document and it handles the rest, turning any file into natural-sounding audio on iPhone and iPad.