Instagram reels now have text-to-speech and voice effects just like TikTok

Instagram has added text-to-speech and voice effects to its TikTok competitor reels, two features TikTok has had for a while. The robotic voice-over used as narration for the video actually became so ubiquitous on TikTok, that voice actor Bev Standing sued the company in May, saying it allowed her to use her own voice. . was not. In September, TikTok entered into a settlement with Standing which included a licensing agreement.

While it is popular among TikTok creators, but more importantly, text-to-speech is a widely used accessibility feature that allows blind people and people with low vision to listen to spoken versions of written text. allows for. allows for.

To use text-to-speech in a reel, open the Instagram app and go to the reel camera, record or upload a video, and add text to a video using its text tool. Tap the text bubble to go to the three-dot menu, and select "Text-to-speech", then choose which voice option you want. Then post the reel as usual.

If you want to add a sound effect to your reel that lets you modify the audio, including sound-overs, after you've recorded the reel, tap the music note to open the audio mixer, tap "Effects" and select Sound. Choose the effect of your choice. Options include "helium," "giant," and "robot."

Reels launched in 2020, meant to be a direct competitor to the wildly popular TikTok. Instagram launched a bonus program for creators in July, part of parent company Facebook (now Meta), which plans to pay creators $1 billion by 2022, and to reel in creators with high followers. allows for. Up to $35,000 in bonuses are offered.

Meanwhile, TikTok has developed its text-to-speech feature with special character voices; On Friday it introduced text-to-speech voices from Disney characters, including Stitch, Chewbacca, Rocket Raccoon and others.