How to Listen to AO3 Fanfiction with Text to Speech

To listen to an AO3 fic, download the work as an EPUB and open it in a reader with a read-aloud feature. Your device’s text-to-speech voice will narrate the work. WP Downloader can create the EPUB for free, and you do not need to install any software to use the downloader.

This works on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. The EPUB keeps the chapters of a long, multi-chapter work together in one e-book.

How to listen to an AO3 fic

1. Open the AO3 work and copy its link.
2. Go to WP Downloader and paste the link into the box on the home page.
3. Wait for WP Downloader to detect the site and prepare the work.
4. Choose EPUB. This format is free for everyone.
5. Select the option to include the story’s images if you want them in the EPUB.
6. Open the downloaded EPUB in a compatible reader.
7. Start the reader’s or device’s read-aloud feature.

You must sign in to AO3 to download a restricted work. WP Downloader uses your account credentials only to fetch the work you requested. It can download only content that your account is allowed to read and does not bypass access restrictions.

If the work receives new chapters, download it again to create a new EPUB. WP Downloader cannot update an EPUB that you have already downloaded.

For more about saving works, see how to download AO3 fanfiction.

Listen on iPhone and iPad

Apple’s Speak Screen feature can read an EPUB aloud in Apple Books.

Open Settings, then go to Accessibility and Spoken Content. Turn on Speak Screen. Download the AO3 work as an EPUB with WP Downloader, then open the file in Apple Books.

Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen when you are ready to listen. Speak Screen will begin reading the content aloud.

The work remains in your e-book reader, so you do not need to keep its AO3 page open. Speak Screen uses the text-to-speech voices installed on your device. The voice you choose affects how natural the narration sounds.

Listen on Android

Android has several ways to read a downloaded AO3 work aloud.

Use Select to Speak

Open Settings, go to Accessibility, and turn on Select to Speak. You can then tap items on the screen to hear them read.

Download the work as an EPUB and open it on your device before using the accessibility control.

Use Moon+ Reader

Moon+ Reader opens EPUB files and has a built-in text-to-speech mode. Open the downloaded AO3 EPUB in Moon+ Reader, then start its read-aloud function.

Use @Voice Aloud Reader

@Voice Aloud Reader also reads EPUB files aloud on Android. Open the downloaded work in the app and use its reading controls to listen.

Both apps use the text-to-speech voices available on your device. Differences in the installed voices can make the narration sound different from one device to another.

Listen on Windows, macOS, or Linux

You can open and listen to a downloaded AO3 work with a desktop EPUB reader.

Thorium Reader

Thorium Reader is free and available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It opens EPUB files and has a read-aloud feature. Download the AO3 work with WP Downloader, open the EPUB in Thorium Reader, and start the read-aloud feature.

calibre

calibre is another free desktop option. Its e-book viewer opens EPUB files and includes a Read aloud feature.

Thorium Reader and calibre use your computer’s text-to-speech voices. The installed voice affects how the narration sounds.

See the best EPUB reader apps for more help choosing a reader.

Tips for long AO3 works

An EPUB keeps the chapters of a long work together in one file. These habits can make listening easier:

• Download the whole work as an EPUB before opening it in your reader.
• Include the story’s images if you want them preserved in the e-book.
• Keep the downloaded file on the device you plan to use for offline listening.
• Use the same reader throughout a long work so that its read-aloud controls remain familiar.
• Download the work again when new chapters are published, then open the new EPUB.
• Try the text-to-speech voices installed on your device if the first voice does not sound natural enough.

WP Downloader can also create a PDF after you sign in with Discord for free. The reader apps in this guide open EPUB files and can read them aloud.

WP Downloader supports AO3 and many other fiction archives. Support for these archive sites was ported from FanFicFare, the open-source fanfiction downloader licensed under Apache-2.0. See the full list of supported fiction sites or read the guide to listening to fanfiction.

FAQ

Can WP Downloader turn an AO3 work into an audiobook?

WP Downloader creates EPUB or PDF files from AO3 works. You can listen to the EPUB with a reader or accessibility feature that uses text to speech. The Audora audiobook button is available only for single Wattpad stories, so it does not appear for AO3 works.

Is AO3 text to speech free?

WP Downloader’s EPUB output is free for everyone. Speak Screen and Select to Speak provide the device accessibility options described here. Thorium Reader and calibre are free, while Moon+ Reader and @Voice Aloud Reader can read EPUB files aloud on Android.

Can I listen to a restricted AO3 work?

Yes, if your AO3 account can already read it. You must sign in to AO3 to download a restricted work. WP Downloader does not bypass account or access restrictions.

Can I listen to AO3 fic offline?

Yes. Download the work as an EPUB, save it on your phone, tablet, or computer, and open it in a compatible reader. The work is stored in the EPUB, so its AO3 page does not need to remain open.

Will my EPUB receive new AO3 chapters automatically?

No. WP Downloader does not update an existing EPUB. When new chapters become available, download the work again to create a current copy.