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How to turn text into an audio file on iPhone

Put the text in the box, pick Voice, Speed and Pitch, then tap the tray-with-arrow icon next to Stop. TTS saves an M4A and opens a player; its share button sends the file to Files, AirDrop or Messages, and that is the only chance you get to grab it.

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-16

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Why save text to speech as a file?

A file plays anywhere: in the car, on a walk, through a speaker at an event, in another app entirely. This covers the one real gap in TTS itself, which does not read with the screen locked. A saved file sidesteps that completely, because it plays in any audio player that supports background audio.

Steps to create a text to speech audio file

  1. Type or paste the text into the box, or bring it in with File, URL or Scan.
  2. Choose a voice in Voice, then set Speed and Pitch. The file uses exactly these settings.
  3. Tap Speak once to check how it sounds, then Stop.
  4. Tap the tray-with-arrow icon at the left of the Stop / Speak row.
  5. Wait while Exporting audio… is shown. A player opens with play, pause and skip buttons.
  6. Tap the share button at the top right and choose Save to Files, AirDrop, Messages or another app.

What format and how big?

The file is M4A, AAC audio at 128 kbps, not MP3. M4A plays on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and most Android phones. The name is the voice name plus the date and time, for example Samantha-260926-101530.m4a, which keeps several saves apart.

Approximate file size at 128 kbps (bitrate x duration / 8)
Length of speechApproximate size
1 minute0.96 MB
5 minutes4.8 MB
10 minutes9.6 MB
30 minutes28.8 MB

How long the speech runs depends on the voice and on Speed; a faster setting gives a shorter, smaller file for the same text.

Several clips at once with Batch

For a set of short prompts or announcements, Batch saves you repeating the steps.

  1. Set Voice, Speed and Pitch on the main screen first; Batch uses them for every clip.
  2. Tap Batch to open Batch Processing.
  3. Type or paste the first text into Enter text… and tap the plus button. Repeat for each clip.
  4. Tap Convert All to Audio and watch the progress, which counts up clip by clip.
  5. Tap the share icon next to each finished item to save it. The files are named batch-1.m4a, batch-2.m4a and so on.

The list is not kept after you close the sheet, so save every file first.

Free characters and PRO

The daily free allowance is 1,000 characters, and saving audio counts against it the same way as Speak does, with 500 more for each rewarded ad you finish. Each Batch clip counts the same way too, so a 600-character text read once and then saved uses 1,200. PRO removes the limit.

Tips

  • Add a comma or a full stop where you want a short pause; the voice follows punctuation.
  • Write numbers the way you want them said, for example "ten thirty" rather than a time that could be read differently.
  • If you plan to publish or sell the audio, check the terms that apply to Apple's voices for your use; the app does not grant any rights over them.

Questions and answers

Can I save text to speech as MP3?
The app saves M4A (AAC). Most players and phones play it; if a service insists on MP3, convert the file with another tool.
Where do my saved audio files go?
Wherever you send them from the player's share button, such as the Files app. The app keeps no library of exports.
Can I make a text to speech audio file for free?
Yes, within the free 1,000 characters a day plus 500 per rewarded ad. PRO removes the limit.
Does saving need internet?
No. The audio is produced on the device with the installed voice.

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