How to Use Live Speech on iPhone and iPad

One of Apple’s most useful features is Live Speech. It allows you to type a message on your Apple devices, and the device will then speak it aloud during calls.

It comes in handy for people with speech difficulties but can also help in noisy places where talking isn’t possible.

Who Can Use Live Speech?

You’ll need a supported device and software.

Software requirements:

• iOS 17 or newer
• iPadOS 17 or newer
• macOS Sonoma (14.0) or newer
• watchOS 10 or newer

How to Turn On Live Speech and Guided Access

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Accessibility then tap on Live Speech.
3. Turn Live Speech on.

For faster access, set up Guided Access with the Accessibility Shortcut. Guided access allows you to access live speech by triple clicking the side button.

To turn on Guided Access:

1. Go to Accessibility then tap on Guided Access.
2. Turn Guided Access on and enable Accessibility Shortcut.
3. Now, triple-press the side or home button to bring up Live Speech.

How to Use Live Speech on a Call

1. During a call, triple-press the side or home button.
2. Choose Live Speech from the menu.
3. Type your message, then tap Speak and your iPhone will say it out loud.

On the Live Speech pop-up there are other quick options:

• Redo: Repeat the last message.
• Stop: Cancel speech right away.
• Clear: Delete the text and type a new one.

How to change Language

You can change how Live Speech sounds:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Live Speech.
2. Under Voices, pick your preferred language and voice.
3. Tap Play to preview it, or download a new voice.
4. Adjust speed, and pitch to your preference.

How to use your own voice

If you don’t like the built-in voices, you can create one that sounds more like you:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Personal Voice.
2. Tap Create a Personal Voice.
3. Follow the steps and record 150 short phrases.
4. When it’s ready, your personal voice will appear in Live Speech > Voices.

Save Your Favorite Phrases

If you often use certain words or sentences, you can save them for quick use:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Live Speech > Phrases.
2. Tap + to create a new category.
3. Add phrases inside that category and save them.

During a call, you can open your phrase list and pick one from the options.