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zRead

Changelog

What’s new.

Every release is a signed, notarized build for Apple silicon Macs on macOS 26 or later. Since 1.6.0, zRead installs updates in place.

Latest · 1.7.0Build 252 September 2026

Follow every spoken word.

An optional reading preview now highlights each word as the voice speaks while staying synchronized with playback.

  • In step with the voice

    The active word follows audio playback through buffering, pause, resume, speed changes, and output-device latency.

  • A calm reading surface

    A compact two-line preview uses a soft accent wash and a brief pulse without moving the surrounding text.

  • Optional by design

    Highlight spoken words is off by default and can be enabled in General Settings under Behavior.

  • Made for every display setting

    The preview adapts for reduced motion and transparency, increased contrast, color differentiation, and VoiceOver.

Download zRead 1.7.0

Designed for Apple devices · Apple silicon · macOS 26 or later

  1. 1.6.3

    Build 24

    2 September 2026

    Telegram highlights, read correctly.

    zRead follows Telegram's multi-stage Copy transaction so highlighted message text reaches the reading flow reliably.

    • Telegram's Copy flow. zRead waits for Telegram to finish publishing the verified selected-text formats before it reads anything.
    • Selection only. Only Telegram's copied highlight is accepted. zRead never substitutes the whole message's Accessibility label.
    • Your clipboard returns. The prior clipboard is restored after capture, including when an incomplete Telegram Copy times out.
    • Everything else stays strict. Unexpected clipboard changes, passwords, unknown protection metadata, and unresolved Chrome selections remain blocked.

  2. 1.6.2

    Build 23

    2 September 2026

    Your highlight, even in native custom views.

    zRead can read text highlighted in native apps whose content uses custom macOS views.

    • Native custom views. Highlighted text in custom native content can reach the same reading flow as ordinary text fields.
    • The highlight, not the view. zRead never substitutes an entire Accessibility label when it cannot verify the exact selected text.
    • Clipboard ownership. Copy is used only for classified non-secure native content, then your clipboard is restored unless something newer replaced it.
    • Uncertain stays blocked. Passwords, unknown protection metadata, and unresolved Chrome selections remain fail-closed.

  3. 1.6.1

    Build 22

    2 September 2026

    The shortcut tells you when it needs help.

    zRead notices when macOS has revoked its access, points you to the exact permission pane, and recovers its global shortcut on its own.

    • Two permissions, checked separately. Accessibility and Input Monitoring each get their own status, so zRead can say precisely what the shortcut is missing.
    • One click to the right pane. Settings opens either macOS permission pane directly and rechecks access the moment you return.
    • One app owns the shortcut. Backup and development copies no longer compete with the installed app for Option–Escape.
    • Recovery with limits. If macOS drops the event tap, zRead retries a bounded number of times and offers a capture-only diagnostic that spends no voice credits.

  4. 1.6.0

    Build 20

    31 August 2026

    Updates, without leaving zRead.

    zRead finds, verifies, installs, and relaunches updates in place. No browser, no disk image, no guessing.

    • Check from the menu or Settings. Review the release notes before anything is installed.
    • Install and relaunch in place. The update downloads, installs, and reopens zRead without a detour through the browser.
    • Explicit by default. Automatic checks are on, background downloads stay optional, and every action is a choice you make.
    • Verified twice. Sparkle checks the signed feed and archive, then macOS verifies the Developer ID before anything is replaced.

  5. 1.5.0

    Build 19

    31 August 2026

    Faster starts. A calmer Mac experience.

    A 1.25× speed, more reliable selection when Chrome has just launched, and a refined Settings and onboarding flow.

    • 1.25×. A gentler step between 1× and 1.5×, for long reads.
    • Chrome, right after launch. Selected text is recovered more reliably in a freshly opened Chrome window.
    • Tighter timeouts. Update checks and network requests fail fast instead of hanging.

  6. 1.3.3

    Build 17

    30 August 2026

    Software Update, in Settings.

    zRead can check for the latest official release and open the download in your browser.

    • A Software Update pane. The current version and the latest release, side by side in Settings.
    • One source of truth. The website and the app read the same versioned release manifest.

  7. 1.3.2

    Build 16

    30 August 2026

    Pasting works as expected.

    Command–V pastes straight into the secure API-key field, and a visible Paste Key action is there when you need it.

    • Standard Edit commands. Cut, copy, and paste behave like every other Mac text field.
    • Ready on arrival. The key field takes focus automatically and trims stray whitespace.

  8. 1.3.1

    Build 15

    29 August 2026

    More reliable selection.

    Better selected-text detection in Notion and other Electron apps.

    • Notion and Electron. zRead reads the selection reliably in apps built on Electron.

  9. 1.3.0

    Build 14

    29 August 2026

    A quieter first impression.

    A refined identity, light and dark appearance in the app, guided setup, and clearer privacy copy.

    • Appearance. The app follows the Mac’s light and dark appearance.
    • Guided setup. Onboarding explains Accessibility access and checks your ElevenLabs key.

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