The short answer
If you want your iPhone to read a book you own, CocoReader: Book to Audiobook does that. You import the file, pick a voice and press play. Words highlight as they're read aloud.
Import EPUBs that aren't copy-protected, PDFs, text files, web articles and photos of printed pages on iPhone. EPUB on Mac. On iPhone you can also scan printed pages with the camera, type or paste text, and use on-device OCR for photos and image-only PDF pages. You can import from the Share sheet or Safari Open in CocoReader. Links that end in .epub or .pdf import as files.
How to have your iPhone read a book to you
- Get CocoReader on iPhoneDownload CocoReader: Book to Audiobook from the App Store. It needs iOS 26.2 or later, and it reads in English.
- Import the book you ownTap "Import" and pick an EPUB that isn't copy-protected, a PDF, a text file, a web article or a photo of a printed page. Or download one of the 1,500+ free classics in the app.
- Choose a voice and press playOpen the book, pick a voice and tap play. Words highlight as they're read aloud, and listening continues with the screen locked.
Step 1: Get CocoReader on iPhone
Download CocoReader: Book to Audiobook from the App Store. It needs iOS 26.2 or later, and it reads in English.
Step 2: Import the book you own
Tap Import and pick an EPUB that isn't copy-protected, a PDF, a text file, a web article or a photo of a printed page. Or download one of the 1,500+ free classics you can download in the app.
For the full import walkthrough, see how to listen to an EPUB on iPhone.
Step 3: Choose a voice and press play
Open the book, pick a voice and tap play. Words highlight as they're read aloud, and listening continues with the screen locked.
What you can import
Import EPUBs that aren't copy-protected, PDFs, text files, web articles and photos of printed pages on iPhone. EPUB on Mac.
On iPhone you can also scan printed pages with the camera, type or paste text, and use on-device OCR for photos and image-only PDF pages. You can import from the Share sheet or Safari Open in CocoReader. Links that end in .epub or .pdf import as files.
Once your voice and books are downloaded, you can listen with no internet connection. See offline text to speech on iPhone.
What you cannot import
Not supported: Word documents (DOCX), MOBI, Kindle formats (AZW, AZW3, KFX), RTF, HTML files, copy-protected EPUBs, and Kindle books.
There is no copy-protection removal in CocoReader. If the file only opens in Kindle or another store app, leave it there and use that app's own tools.
Follow the words while you listen
Words highlight as they're read aloud, so you can read along. That is text to speech on your file — not a human audiobook synced from another store. For the highlighting walkthrough, see read and listen at the same time.
Limits
- iPhone with iOS 26.2 or later (a Mac early version is available, EPUB only).
- English only.
- No Kindle, MOBI or copy-protected EPUB import.