Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is bolstering Chrome’s Listen feature by introducing background playback support for this webpage capability.
- This innovative technology enables pages to read aloud, allowing seamless navigation even when the phone’s screen is turned off or another app is selected.
Google has introduced a useful accessibility feature for Android, enabling users to listen to a webpage from earlier this year. The device arrived equipped with a comprehensive widget featuring playback controls and a diverse range of voice options. Despite this, it was missing crucial background playback support. Google is addressing this shortfall with its latest update.
Chrome’s “Listen to this webpage” feature, which enables background playback, was initially spotted in early June shortly after its roll-out to users, although it was initially concealed behind an experimental flag. Experiences that were previously available to iOS users are now being rolled out to Android customers with the release of Chrome 130.
Even when you turn off your phone’s screen or switch to a different app, Chrome will continue playing audio without interruption. In the notification, participants will have access to basic controls and view the article title along with the website’s URL; however, to adjust playback speed or voice, users must employ the playback widget available in Chrome.
To discover the option to Hearken to this webpage in Chrome, navigate to the browser’s three-dot menu. By frequently utilising the feature, you can create a shortcut next to the address bar by navigating to the Chrome settings, selecting the “Toolbar shortcuts” option, and opting for the “Listen to this webpage” choice.
