How to Listen to Substack Newsletters

Open a post in the Substack app and try its play icon. Substack’s help page says text-to-speech is available for most, but not all, publications, and currently for English posts. An older or ineligible post may report that audio is unavailable. Playback can continue in the background. See Substack’s listening instructions.

Writers can also add their own voiceovers. When offered, that can be a useful choice if you want to hear the writer’s delivery. Substack explains the distinction in its voiceover documentation.

Copy the post’s article URL and choose Paste a Link in LoudReader, or use its share extension. Import while online, then compare the saved text with the source. Headings, the last paragraph, and a passage near the middle are useful checks.

This is a general article importer, not a Substack account integration. It does not subscribe to publications, monitor your inbox or fetch each new post automatically. A page that exposes too little text or requires JavaScript can fail to import.

LoudReader runs on iPhone and iPad, and as an iPad app on compatible Apple Silicon Macs. The article listening guide explains the Mac option.

A link copied from an authenticated browser does not necessarily carry that login into another app. If the importer receives a preview, it cannot read the missing text. Open the complete post using your authorised access, then use your browser’s PDF or print export if it produces a readable copy. Alternatively, save the complete newsletter email as a PDF.

Inspect that PDF before importing it. Look for a subscription prompt in place of the ending, clipped text, and repeated headers. A PDF export is not a paywall workaround. The separate long-email guide covers handling email copies without connecting LoudReader to an inbox.

A newsletter may make its point through a chart, screenshot or embedded video. Narration of the surrounding paragraphs will not necessarily explain those elements. Review them before listening, or pause and return to the original when the author refers to a visual.

Comments, linked discussions and later corrections are also separate from the saved article. Keep the source link with your notes. If you save several editions of an ongoing series, name them with the date and topic so you can tell which version you heard.

1. Choose the few posts you intend to hear this week; leave quick announcements in the inbox.
2. Use the existing audio if it suits you. Save a local copy only when that adds something useful.
3. Check each import before going offline, including the voice you plan to use.
4. After listening, keep the source and any notes you need, then remove redundant reading copies.

LoudReader generates speech on device, but downloading a new post uses the network. It also includes diagnostics and usage analytics; local narration is a narrower claim than an entirely network-free application. Unlimited article saving is a Premium feature after the free allowance. The LoudReader overview describes the app alongside its book-reading features.