Free and open-source novel reader for Android and Desktop platforms, IReader offers a highly customizable and distraction-free reading experience. It caters to users seeking a personalized way to consume digital novels, with a particular focus on privacy and advanced features like text-to-speech on its desktop version.

How It Works

IReader is built as a cross-platform application, supporting both Android and desktop operating systems. Its core design emphasizes user control, allowing extensive personalization of the reading environment through adjustable fonts, themes, and reading directions. A key differentiator for the desktop version is the integration of Piper TTS, an advanced neural text-to-speech system that provides natural-sounding, offline, and privacy-focused narration of books. The platform also supports extensions, enabling users to add or create new content sources.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Android: Download the APK from GitHub Releases or the official website (https://ireaderorg.netlify.app/). Install the APK, enabling "Install from Unknown Sources" if prompted.
• Desktop: Currently under development. Supported platforms include Windows 10+ (x64), macOS 10.15+ (x64), and Linux (x64).
• System Requirements (Desktop): Minimum 4GB RAM (8GB recommended), 500MB free disk space (plus space for TTS voice models), and a working audio output device.
• Documentation: Comprehensive guides are available on the project's wiki.

Highlighted Details

• Cross-Platform Support: Available for Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Ad-Free & Privacy-Focused: Operates without tracking or requiring user accounts.
• Advanced Text-to-Speech (Desktop): Leverages Piper TTS for high-quality, offline, multi-language AI voices with responsive controls and word highlighting.
• Extension System: Facilitates easy addition of new content sources.

Maintenance & Community

The project maintains a community presence via a Discord Server. Further details and updates can be found on their official website (https://ireaderorg.netlify.app/). Contributions are welcomed, particularly for translations via Weblate and creating new content sources.

Licensing & Compatibility

This project is licensed under the Apache 2.0 License, which permits commercial use and integration into closed-source projects.

Limitations & Caveats

The desktop version of IReader is still under active development. The Text-to-Speech functionality requires downloading voice models, which consume additional disk space, and potential TTS issues are managed via an automatic fallback mode.