How to Use the Tools Menu in the PDF Reader
Use the PDF Reader Tools menu for Immersive Reader, Translate, Summarize, Screenshot Reader and equations, or dictate words onto a page with Voice typing.
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The Tools menu brings reading tools, equations and voice typing into your PDF. Immersive Reader is free for up to 1,200 characters per launch. Translate, Summarize, Screenshot Reader, Insert equation and Voice typing need Helperbird Pro. Opening a PDF, searching it, changing zoom, drawing and typing notes are free.
What the Tools Menu Is
Choose the round dots-grid button labelled Tools in the main PDF toolbar. It is separate from Zoom and search, which shows or hides the search and zoom bar.
Choose the Whole Page or One Passage
The tools use different parts of the document:
- Immersive Reader and Summarize use selected text when you have a selection. Otherwise, they use the current page. On the Translation tab, they use the translated text.
- Translate always translates the current original PDF page, even if you selected a shorter passage.
- Screenshot Reader uses the area you capture on the original PDF.
- Insert equation adds a new equation image to the original PDF page.
- Voice typing adds a new text box with your words to the original PDF page.
Open the Menu
- Open a PDF and go to the page you want.
- Select a passage first if you want to use only that text with Immersive Reader or Summarize.
- Open Tools and choose a tool.
What Each Tool Does
Immersive Reader opens a reading view with read aloud, text settings, a picture dictionary and learning tools.
Translate asks for a language, then translates the current page. When it finishes, the dialog closes and Original PDF and Translation tabs appear. Use the main reading tools with the translated text.
Summarize produces a shorter version of the selected text or current page. Check the source for details that a summary may leave out.
Screenshot Reader extracts words and equations from an area you capture. Use it when a PDF page is a scan and its text cannot be selected.
Insert equation opens an equation field with a math keyboard. Insert the result as a movable image. Equation rendering happens on your device.
Voice typing turns your speech into text. Check and edit the words, then insert them on the current page as a text box.
Dictate onto a PDF Page with Voice Typing
Typing answers onto a worksheet can be slow. With Voice typing, you say the words, check them, then add them to the page.
You need Helperbird Pro, a microphone and an internet connection. Voice typing works on scanned pages too, where there is no text to select.
Open Voice Typing
- Go to the page where you want your words.
- Open Tools and choose Voice typing.
If the Translation tab is showing, the reader switches to the Original PDF tab first. Drawing mode turns off. Dictation in the Notepad stops too, because only one tool can use the microphone at a time.
Speak Your Words
- Press the microphone button (Start voice typing).
- If your browser asks, allow the microphone.
- Wait for Listening…, then speak.
- Press the microphone again (Stop listening) when you finish.
Each phrase moves into the text box when you finish saying it. Until then, the words show in italics below the microphone. Stopping keeps your last phrase.
If the PDF is being read aloud, pressing the microphone stops it first. That way, Voice typing does not write down the reader's voice.
View full-size image (opens in a new tab)
Check and Edit the Words
Read the words in the box before you add them to the page. Type to fix any mistakes, or to add words of your own.
To say more, press the microphone again. New words go at the end of the box. While Voice typing is listening, you can click in the box to put them at your cursor instead.
Insert the Words
Choose Insert. It appears below the box once there are words. If Voice typing is still listening, Insert stops it first and keeps your last phrase.
The dialog closes, and your words appear on the page as a new text box. Screen readers announce Note added.
View full-size image (opens in a new tab)
The box works like a pasted text box:
- Drag a four-arrow handle to move it.
- Drag the arrow in the bottom-right corner to resize it.
- To move or resize it without a mouse, use the keyboard.
- Click inside to edit or format the words.
- Choose Delete, the bin icon in its top bar, to remove it. Text boxes have no undo.
- Choose Download, then With my changes, to save a copy that includes it.
To leave without adding anything, press Escape or choose Close, the X in the dialog's top corner. Your words are kept, and they come back when you open Voice typing again. They stay until you insert them, open another PDF or close the tab.
Change the Language
Voice typing listens in the language set in Voice typing settings. Before you start, open Settings in the PDF Reader and choose Voice typing settings to check it. The mode and spoken punctuation set there apply here too. Each press of the microphone uses your latest settings.
When Voice Typing Stops Listening
Voice typing never starts listening again by itself. The words in the box stay there, so press the microphone to carry on. Listening stops in these cases:
- After 10 seconds of silence. The status says Voice typing stopped due to silence. If it heard nothing at all, the status says No speech detected instead.
- After 5 minutes. The status says Voice typing stopped at the time limit.
- When you switch tabs or leave the page. The status says Voice typing stopped when you left this page.
- When your device goes offline. A message says Could not connect to the speech service. Reconnect, then press the microphone.
- When you press Stop listening or choose Insert. Your last phrase is kept.
Closing the dialog stops listening too, and your words come back when you reopen it. Changing page closes the dialog the same way. Opening another PDF closes it and clears your words, so they cannot end up in the wrong document.
Voice Typing Microphone Messages
A message below the microphone tells you what to do:
- When your browser asks, allow the microphone. This shows until you first allow it. Press the microphone, then allow access in your browser's prompt.
- Allow the microphone for Helperbird in your browser's site settings. The microphone is blocked. Allow it, then press the microphone again.
- This device is managed by your school or workplace. Your IT team controls the microphone, so ask them to allow it.
- No microphone found. Connect a microphone or headset, then try again.
- Voice typing not supported. Your browser cannot record here, so this shows in place of the microphone. You can still type in the box and choose Insert.
While the microphone is blocked or missing, its button stays but does not start listening. The message clears once the microphone is ready. If it stays, press the microphone to check again.
When a Tool Will Not Run
No document is open: Choose Open PDF first.
No selectable text: Use Screenshot Reader for a scan. You can also use the Screenshot Reader button in the image-page notice.
View full-size image (opens in a new tab)PDF Translate does not run image recognition automatically.
A tool has a diamond: It needs Pro. In this menu, the diamond is a separate link just after the tool’s name. In the Notepad, it sits directly below the microphone and Grammar buttons. On the free plan, choosing a paid tool opens Unlock Helperbird Pro. Search, zoom, drawing and typed notes remain free.
Immersive Reader says the text is too long: Select a shorter passage of up to 1,200 characters or use Helperbird Pro for longer passages.
Translation fails: Stay on the same page and try again. Selecting a shorter passage does not limit PDF Translate to that passage.
Voice typing says Could not start voice typing: Press the microphone again. If it keeps happening, check your connection and the microphone messages.
Voice typing says Could not add this text to the page: Your words stay in the box. Choose Insert again.
Related Guides
Need Additional Help?
Contact Helperbird support with the tool name and what happened.
Printed from the Helperbird Help Center · Updated November 1st, 2026
Questions? We are happy to help — helperbird.com/support