Changelog

What’s new.

Release history for Apple-silicon Macs on macOS 26 or later. Get the latest release here or choose Check for Updates in zRead.

1. 1.11.0

   Build 33

   19 September 2026

   Reading controls, where you want them.

   A movable glass pill that settles at any screen edge, six reading speeds, and clearer controls for Mac Voice.

   • A grip that stays with you. Drag the pill by its grip and let go near any screen edge. It rests vertically at the left or right and horizontally at the top or bottom, remembering its place for the next read.
   • A faster pace. Add 2.5× and 3× to the existing reading speeds. ElevenLabs stays pitch-corrected. Mac Voice caps speeds above 2× at its 2× maximum and applies changes to the next read.
   • Mac Voice, easier to configure. Set reading speed in Voice Settings with either provider selected. Setup checks permissions again when you return, including when you run setup again.

2. 1.10.3

   Build 32

   18 September 2026

   Under the hood.

   The updater and shortcut recorder are current for macOS 27, with the latest reliability fixes.

   • macOS 27 ready. In-app updates and shortcut recording carry the newest fixes for the latest Mac.

3. 1.10.2

   Build 31

   5 September 2026

   A softer edge.

   The playback pill’s shadow now follows its rounded shape, without a square edge around the controls.

   • A shadow that fits. The playback pill uses the standard Mac window shadow for a smooth, rounded edge while you read.

4. 1.10.1

   Build 30

   5 September 2026

   Less panel. More page.

   A compact playback pill keeps play, pause, speed, and stop close while leaving more of your document visible.

   • Playback within reach. Play or pause, see your current speed, and stop from one small pill that remembers its position.
   • Resume with play. After an interrupted read, press play to resume from the last confirmed sentence or passage. A passage may repeat when precise timing is unavailable.
   • Keep your eyes on the source. The in-panel reading page is removed. Optional spoken-word highlights remain over your source text where positions are available; narration continues when highlighting cannot.

5. 1.10.0

   Build 29

   4 September 2026

   Start simply. Keep listening.

   Local-first setup, audio that streams with highlighting, and a clear way to resume an interrupted read.

   • Try it with Mac Voice. Read locally without an account. Connect ElevenLabs later in Voice Settings, and skip practice whenever you’re ready.
   • Keep the audio moving. Highlighted narration plays as audio arrives. If word timing is unavailable, the voice continues without waiting for the visual cues.
   • Resume from here. After an interrupted read, retry from the last confirmed sentence or passage. A passage may repeat when precise timing is unavailable. Nothing retries automatically.
   • Highlights that know when to step back. More accurate word positions, with the reading panel taking over when you scroll, move the window, or switch apps.

6. 1.9.0

   Build 28

   3 September 2026

   Words, lit as spoken.

   Each spoken word now lights up over your text while the voice narrates, with the reading panel carrying the read everywhere else.

   • Highlight where you read. A soft accent pill follows the narration over your text where the app exposes word positions. It never moves your selection or cursor.
   • A panel that keeps up. Where positions are unavailable, the reading panel highlights each word with a softer glow and spring reveal.
   • Roomier Settings. Settings cards gain side padding so rows, toggles, and controls breathe.

7. 1.8.0

   Build 27

   3 September 2026

   Always within reach.

   An optional Dock icon, a reading HUD that remembers its place, and menus that surface problems before you press the shortcut.

   • An optional Dock icon. Keep zRead in the Dock from General Settings for crowded menu bars. Off by default, as before.
   • A HUD that stays put. The reading HUD reopens where you left it across reads and relaunches, centering itself when displays change.
   • Notices that wait for you. The last read failure stays visible in the menu until narration plays, so a missed notice stays discoverable.
   • Proof in Privacy Settings. Recent reads record whether word highlighting stayed on track, partially dropped, or switched off — with the reason.

8. 1.7.0

   Build 25

   2 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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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