How can I set a WP8.1 phone to read TEXT messages?

[simplex1]

I have a Nokia Lumia 520 with WP8.1.

I have tried all kind of combinations in Settings->Speech and also in Cortana but I have not been able to determine my phone to read aloud a certain TEXT message that I select from the list of received SMSs.

I do not need speech recognition and other complications. I just want to activate somehow a simple Text to Speech application that can read SMSs without internet access, because it can happen many times that I do not have the glasses with me and in consequence I am unable to read the messages I receive.

 

[jeffchapik]

I no longer have a WP 8.1 device, but in W10M under the Ease of Access menu in Settings, you can enable the Narrator to read everything on the screen. I don't recall if 8.1 had this ability or not, but you might look for it.

 

[simplex1]

Yes, after reading your post, I found Easy of Access and I switched the Narrator on. It works. It reads the text messages. However, I struggled a bit to get out of Narraor mode. Finally I found this topic (https://forums.windowscentral.com/w...ess-made-phone-unresponsive-what-do-i-do.html) and came back to the settings I had before. One needs some training before mastering the Narrator. I would have liked a feature that only reads the things I want. That voice telling me continuously to double tap this and that is a bit annoying.

 

[T Moore]

If you are using correct gestures you will not get operational instructions.

How to use:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10669/windows-phone-use-narrator-on-my-phone