Reels adds text-to-speech and voice effects in apparent effort to become TikTok
Reels is finally introducing an inventive, exciting new tool, unlike anything we've seen before!
Just kidding, they're ripping off TikTok again.
On Friday, Instagram announced that Reels is launching two new audio tools: Voice Effects and Text to Speech.
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Text to Speech allows an auto-generated voice to read users' text aloud. Think of it as Siri narrating your video for you, or 60 percent of the videos on your TikTok For You Page.
You can use it by sliding over to the Reels camera and recording your video. Then, using the Text Tool, add your text to your video. Click the text bubble and toggle to the three dot menu, and select "Text-to-Speech," choose which voice you want to narrate your video, and post. Beyond being a useful tool for creators, a tool that has already existed for some time on TikTok, Text to Speech is an important feature for allowing people who are blind or have low vision to hear spoken versions of written text.
Voice Effect is "a tool that allows you to modify the audio and/or voiceover in your Reel," according to Instagram. This will let users make their voices sound like they just breathed helium or give their voice a robotic vibe. You can use it by sliding over to the Reels camera, recording your video, and tapping the music note. That will open up the audio mixer, where you'll see an Effects button. Select a voice effect, and you can start modifying. Once you're happy with the result, post.
The features are rolling out now on Instagram but you can always toggle over to TikTok to see how much you like them.
Topics Instagram
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
