Adding Natural Reader to Logos is a straightforward process

Natural Reader is a text-to-speech tool that reads Bible passages and commentary aloud in Logos. You install it separately on your computer, then configure Logos to use it. The setup takes about 10 minutes and works on both Windows and Mac.

Natural Reader has a free version with basic voices and a paid version with more natural-sounding voices and faster reading speeds. Logos will work with either one. Once installed and connected, you can highlight any text in Logos — a verse, a commentary entry, a search result — and have it read aloud while you work through other passages or take notes.

Key Takeaways

  • Natural Reader must be installed on your computer first as a separate program before Logos can use it.
  • In Logos, you enable Natural Reader under Tools > Options > Accordance/Logos > Text-to-Speech, then select Natural Reader from the dropdown menu.
  • After setup, you highlight text in Logos and click the speaker icon or press a keyboard shortcut to hear it read aloud.
  • The free version of Natural Reader works with Logos, though paid versions offer voices that sound more natural and read faster.

Download and install Natural Reader on your computer

Go to the Natural Reader website (naturareader.com) and download the desktop version for your operating system. Choose Windows or Mac depending on what you use. Do not download the browser extension or mobile app — you need the full desktop software for Logos to recognize it.

Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. Natural Reader will ask where you want to install it; the default location is fine. When installation finishes, open Natural Reader once to make sure it launches without errors. You do not need to configure anything inside Natural Reader itself at this stage — Logos will handle that.

Open Logos and navigate to text-to-speech settings

Launch Logos and go to Tools in the top menu bar. Click Options. A settings window will open with a list of categories on the left side.

Look for Accordance/Logos in that list (the exact name depends on your Logos version, but it will contain "Logos"). Click it to expand the category. You should see a Text-to-Speech option underneath. Click that.

Select Natural Reader from the text-to-speech dropdown

In the Text-to-Speech panel, you will see a dropdown menu labeled Text-to-Speech Engine or similar. Click the dropdown. You should see options including "None," "Windows SAPI" (on Windows), "macOS Speech" (on Mac), and Natural Reader.

Click Natural Reader. If Natural Reader does not appear in the list, it means either the installation did not complete or Logos has not detected it yet. Close Logos entirely, restart your computer, then open Logos again and check the dropdown a second time.

Once you select Natural Reader, you may see additional options appear below the dropdown — such as voice selection, reading speed, or volume. These are optional. The defaults work fine for most people. Click OK or Apply to save your changes.

Test Natural Reader with a Bible passage

Open any Bible in Logos and select a verse or a few sentences of text by clicking and dragging to highlight it. You should see a speaker icon appear near the highlighted text, or you can right-click the selection and look for a "Read Aloud" or "Speak" option.

Click the speaker icon or select the read-aloud option. Natural Reader should begin reading the text in a synthesized voice. If nothing happens, check that Natural Reader is still selected in Tools > Options > Text-to-Speech. If it is selected but still does not work, close Logos, restart your computer, and try again.

Adjust voice and speed settings if needed

If you want to change which voice Natural Reader uses or how fast it reads, go back to Tools > Options > Text-to-Speech. Depending on your Natural Reader version, you may see sliders or dropdowns for voice selection and reading speed. Experiment with these until you find a voice and pace that work for you.

If you have the free version of Natural Reader and want more natural-sounding voices, you can purchase additional voice packs through the Natural Reader website. Once installed, those voices will appear in the Logos text-to-speech settings automatically. You do not need to reconfigure anything in Logos itself.

Troubleshooting common issues

If Natural Reader is installed but does not show up in the Logos dropdown, restart both programs. Close Logos completely, then close Natural Reader if it is running. Restart your computer, open Natural Reader first to let it fully load, then open Logos and check the dropdown again.

If the speaker icon appears but no sound plays, check your computer's volume settings and make sure your speakers or headphones are connected and turned on. Also verify that Natural Reader itself is not muted — open the Natural Reader window and check its volume controls. If Logos still will not read text aloud after these steps, uninstall Natural Reader, restart your computer, and reinstall it fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for Natural Reader to use it with Logos?

No. The free version of Natural Reader works with Logos. The paid version offers additional voices and faster reading speeds, but neither is required. Start with the free version and upgrade only if you want different voices or faster performance.

Can I use a different text-to-speech program instead of Natural Reader?

Yes. Logos supports Windows SAPI voices on Windows and macOS Speech on Mac, which are built into your operating system. You can also use other third-party programs if Logos lists them in the text-to-speech dropdown. Natural Reader is popular because its voices sound more natural than the built-in options.

Why does Natural Reader not appear in the dropdown even though I installed it?

Logos may not have detected the installation. Close Logos entirely, restart your computer, then open Logos again and check the dropdown. If it still does not appear, uninstall Natural Reader, restart, and reinstall it. Make sure you are installing the desktop version, not a browser extension or mobile app.

Can I use keyboard shortcuts to read text aloud instead of clicking the speaker icon?

Some versions of Logos allow you to set a keyboard shortcut for text-to-speech. Check Tools > Options > Text-to-Speech to see if a shortcut option is available. If not, you can highlight text and use the speaker icon or right-click menu to read it aloud.

Will Natural Reader work if I have Logos on multiple computers?

You need to install Natural Reader on each computer where you use Logos. A single Natural Reader license typically covers one computer. If you use Logos on a laptop and a desktop, install Natural Reader on both and configure it in Logos on each machine separately.