How to Listen to Substack Posts Like a Podcast
7 min read
Substack is full of writing worth reading and an inbox full of proof that you do not have time to read it all. A thoughtful 20-minute essay arrives between receipts, calendar alerts, and work email. You save it for later, then the next issue lands before you open the first one.
Listening turns that pile into something closer to a personal podcast feed. The key is knowing which posts already have audio and what to do with the ones that do not.
First, check whether the writer included audio
Some Substack writers publish an audio version with the post. When they do, the player appears in the post or in the Substack app. This is the easiest option because the author may be reading the piece in their own voice, and the audio is already tied to the publication.
In the Substack app, open your Inbox and look for audio posts or use the audio filter when it is available. Press play and use the normal media controls.
The limitation is obvious: audio is the writer's choice. Many excellent publications are text only, and subscribing through Substack does not automatically create narration for every post.
Use this when: the author has already published audio.
The catch: it cannot help with text-only posts, older archives, or newsletters outside Substack.
Open the post in a browser and use its reader
Every email issue normally links to a web version. Open that version in your browser, then use the browser's read-aloud feature.
On Android Chrome:
- Open the post's web page.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Choose Listen to this page.
- Pick a voice and playback speed.
On iPhone Safari:
- Open the post in Safari.
- Tap the page menu in the address bar.
- Choose Listen to Page.
Both approaches are quick and free. They work best when you want to hear one issue immediately and do not care about saving it in a separate library.
Browser playback can fail on pages it cannot parse, and it does not turn your unread newsletters into an organized queue. You still need to open each post, start it, and remember what comes next.
For more device-specific instructions, see how to listen to articles on Android or how to listen to articles on iPhone.
Turn text-only posts into saved audio
This is the better route if you follow several writers or want to listen away from your inbox.
- Open the full Substack post on the web.
- Select the article text, leaving out the comments and navigation.
- Send or paste it into a text-to-speech listening app.
- Give it a useful title with the publication or writer's name.
- Add it to your queue and listen later.
Now the post behaves like an episode. It has a place in your library, remembers your position, and does not disappear beneath tomorrow's email.
This also works for publications that send through another newsletter platform. The important part is access to the text, not where the email came from.
Build a queue you will actually finish
Converting everything is not the goal. A 40-item listening backlog is just an unread inbox with headphones.
A small weekly routine works better:
- Choose, do not archive. Pick only the two or three issues you genuinely want to hear.
- Use one queue. Keep newsletters beside saved articles instead of scattering them across browser tabs, email flags, and notes.
- Put short pieces first. Finishing a five-minute post gets the queue moving.
- Delete aggressively. If a headline no longer interests you, remove it without guilt.
- Choose a listening window. A commute, walk, or workout makes the habit automatic.
The best queue is short enough that a new post feels welcome rather than overdue.
Clean up the text before converting it
Newsletters often contain material that sounds awkward when spoken: sponsor blocks, navigation links, captions, footnotes, and a long list of recommendations at the end.
Select only the useful part when you can. Start at the headline or first paragraph and stop before the comments, share buttons, and publication footer. If the post contains a table, chart, or image that carries the argument, save that post for visual reading instead.
You do not have to make the text perfect. Removing the biggest interruptions is enough to make a long essay sound much more like a podcast script.
Pick a voice and speed for newsletters
Newsletters vary more than books. One issue may be a reported essay, the next a list of links, and the next a personal note. A neutral, conversational voice handles that range better than an overly dramatic one.
Start at 1.1x or 1.25x speed. Move toward 1.5x after a few sessions if it still feels comfortable. Dense analysis usually needs a slower pace than news summaries or familiar topics.
If you reach for the skip button constantly, the problem may be the post rather than the voice. Remove it and move on.
What about paid Substack posts?
Listening does not bypass a subscription. You need legitimate access to the complete post before any tool can read it.
If you are signed in and can see the full post in your browser, the browser's built-in reader may work. A listening app can also process text you select for your own use. Do not redistribute the text or generated audio. The subscription gives you access to the writing, not permission to republish it.
If an email is truncated, click through to the web version while signed in. That usually gives a reader or listening app a cleaner source than the email itself.
Built-in audio or your own listening queue?
| | Author audio | Browser read aloud | Saved audio | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Uses the author's voice | Sometimes | No | No | | Works on text-only posts | No | Usually | Yes | | Free | Usually | Yes | Free or paid | | Saves your place | Usually | Sometimes | Yes | | Combines several publications | Limited | No | Yes | | Works for non-Substack newsletters | No | Yes | Yes | | Available offline | Depends | Usually no | Yes |
Use author audio whenever it exists and you like the recording. Use the browser for a one-off post. Build a saved audio queue when newsletters are a regular part of your week.
Where Liso fits
Liso turns selected text into natural audio and keeps it in one listening library. Open a Substack post on your computer, highlight the article, right-click, and choose Listen with Liso. It will be waiting on your phone for the next walk or commute.
For posts you find on your phone, paste the text into the Liso web app. You can change the playback speed, organize listens, resume across devices, and download audio before going offline.
It is not a replacement for supporting writers, and it does not unlock paid posts. It simply changes when and where you can get through writing you already have access to.
Free to start, five listens a month, no card needed. Try it free.