Use Live Speech on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch
With Live Speech, you can type what you want to say and have it spoken out loud in FaceTime and phone calls, in supported assistive communication apps or from your device’s speakers for in-person conversations.
Here's what you need
iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10 or later
One of these devices:
iPhone XS or later
iPad Air (5th generation)
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) or later
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) or later
Apple Watch Series 3 or later
Turn Live Speech on or off
Before you can use Live Speech, you’ll need to turn it on.
On your iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Turn Live Speech on or off.
On your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Live Speech.
Turn Live Speech on or off.
On your Apple Watch
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Turn Live Speech on or off.
Select a voice to use
You can choose from dozens of system voices or use a customised Personal Voice that you create.
On your iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Under Voices, tap your keyboard language, then select a voice to use. (You may need to tap the Download button
to download a voice before you can select it).
To adjust a voice’s pitch or speed, tap the Voice Settings button
next to the voice.
On your Mac
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Live Speech.
Next to Voice, select a voice to use. (You can select Manage Voices to see more voice options. You may need to click the Download button
to download a voice before you can select it).
On your Apple Watch
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Under Voices, tap the voice that you want to change.
Select a voice to use. (You may need to download a voice before you can select it).
Type to speak in FaceTime, Phone, supported assistive communication apps or in-person conversations
When you’re in a FaceTime or phone call, other participants hear your words spoken through their device’s speakers or headphones. Otherwise, the voice plays from your device’s speakers so you can type to speak in in-person conversations.
On your iPhone or iPad
Triple-click the side button. (If you have an Accessibility Shortcut set up, tap Live Speech).
Enter the text that you want spoken aloud, then tap Send.
To use a saved favourite phrase quickly:
Tap the Phrases button
.Tap the phrase that you want spoken aloud.
On your Mac
Click the Type to Speak text field in the Live Speech window.
Enter the text you want spoken aloud, then click the Speak button
or press Return.
To use a saved favourite phrase quickly:
Click the Show Saved Phrases button
.Select the phrase that you want spoken aloud.
Click the Speak button.
To hide or show the Live Speech window, click the Live Speech icon
in the menu bar.
On your Apple Watch
Triple-click the Digital Crown. (If you have an Accessibility Shortcut set up, tap Live Speech).
Enter the text that you want spoken aloud, then tap Send.
To use a saved favourite phrase quickly, tap the phrase you want spoken aloud.
Add or remove favourite phrases
You can create a list of phrases that you use often, so you can chime in quickly in a conversation.
On your iPhone or iPad
To add a favourite phrase:
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Tap Favourite Phrases.
Tap the Add button
.Type a phrase, then tap Save.
To remove a favourite phrase:
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Tap Favourite Phrases.
Tap Edit.
Tap the Remove button
next to the phrase you want to delete, then tap Delete.
On your Mac
To add a favourite phrase:
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Live Speech.
Under Saved Phrases, click the Add button
, then enter your phrase in the text field.
To remove a favourite phrase:
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Live Speech.
Under Saved Phrases, select a phrase, then click the Remove button
.
On your Apple Watch
To add a favourite phrase:
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Tap Favourite Phrases, then tap Add a phrase, then tap Create a phrase.
Type a phrase, then tap Done.
Tap the Done button
.
To remove a favourite phrase:
Open the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then tap Live Speech.
Tap Favourite Phrases.
Swipe left on the phrase you want to delete, then tap the Delete button
.
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