The assistant's voice
Have the assistant read its answers, the steps it performs and each lesson step aloud, in your language, with your browser's own voice.
What it is
The assistant can speak. There are three voices, each with its own on/off switch, and you choose each one yourself; all are off until you turn them on:
- Read answers aloud — the speaker button in the assistant panel's header. Every new answer is read to you.
- Operator voice — in Operator mode, the assistant says each step as it does it, asks its approval question aloud and says the result at the end.
- Tutorial voice — in Tutorial mode, each lesson step is read aloud as well as shown.
The voice comes from your own browser and device. It speaks in your interface language. Your choice is kept per person and per browser, so a phone and a laptop can be set differently.
Example: a warehouse clerk in Dhaka works with Bangla as the interface language. She turns on Operator voice and asks the assistant to approve 12 unpaid purchase receipts. She hears each step in Bangla while she checks the goods, the approval question before anything is sent, and at the end "Done: 12 of 12."
Who it is for
- People who work away from the screen: at a shelf, a packing table, a till.
- New staff learning the app in a guided lesson.
- Anyone who prefers to listen, or reads more easily in their own language by ear.
Before you start#
- The voices need a browser that can speak (most current desktop and phone browsers can). Where it cannot, the speaker buttons are not shown.
- Your device needs a voice for your interface language. Many devices have voices for the common languages; some must be added in the device's settings (see below).
- Turn the sound on and make sure the browser tab is not muted.
- Operator and tutorial voices are available to every business; each person still has to switch them on.
Step by step#
- Open the assistant panel.
- In the panel's header, press the speaker button Read answers aloud.
- Listen for "Voice on. I will read each new answer aloud." — that confirms the voice works.
- Ask a question; the answer is read when it arrives.
- To hear one answer only, leave the header speaker off and press Read the answer aloud under that answer.
- Press the header speaker again to turn it off; speech stops at once.
How to turn on the operator's voice#
- In the panel's header press Operator mode.
- Ask the assistant to do a task on the screen.
- In the run bar (beside Pause, Take control and Stop) press Voice.
- You hear "Voice on. I will say each step as I do it." The button's name changes to Operator voice: on.
- Press Voice again to turn it off (Operator voice: off).
With the operator's voice on, each step is a beat: the control is shown and ringed, the line is said, then the action happens. Pause, Take control and Stop silence it at once, and so does answering the approval sheet.
How to turn on the tutorial voice#
- In the panel's header press Tutorial mode and start a lesson.
- On the lesson card press Voice to open Voice options.
- Tick Read the steps aloud. You hear "Voice on. I will read each step aloud."
- Leave Speak each step by itself ticked to hear each step as it comes, or untick it to hear a step only when you press Play this step.
- Press Say that again to repeat the current step.
What each field means#
These are in Voice options on the lesson card. Which voice, speed and volume are shared by all three voices.
| Field | What it does |
|---|---|
| Read the steps aloud | Tutorial voice on or off |
| Speak each step by itself | On: every step is read when it appears. Off: only when you press Play this step |
| Voice (Which voice) | The voices your device has for your language, best first; a voice marked "(online)" needs the internet |
| Test | Says "This is how I sound when I explain a step." |
| Speed | 0.9×, 1× or 1.15× |
| Volume | From quiet to full; to silence it, turn the voice off |
What each voice reads#
| Voice | Reads | Never reads |
|---|---|---|
| Read answers aloud | The text of each new answer | Older answers, unless you press Read the answer aloud |
| Operator voice | One short line per step (the name of the page, button or field), the approval question, the result ("Done: 3 of 4. Not done: 1.") | Values typed into forms, record contents, figures on the approval sheet |
| Tutorial voice | Each lesson step's explanation | Anything outside the lesson |
In a lesson only the tutor speaks. A new line replaces the one being said, so two voices never overlap. A step the assistant must leave to you is said as "this one stays with you".
Voice per language#
The voice always speaks your interface language, and only with a voice of that language: it never reads Bangla text with an English voice. To change the language, change your interface language (see languages); the voices offered change with it.
When no voice exists for your language
When the device has no voice for your language, the voice stays off and the app says: "This device has no voice for {your language}, so nothing can be read aloud here. To hear it, add a voice for {your language} in your device’s speech or language settings, or use another browser or your phone." Text answers and steps carry on as normal.
To add a voice, open your device's own settings:
- Windows: Settings › Time & language › Speech, then under Manage voices choose Add voices, pick the language and choose Add (Microsoft's steps (opens in a new tab)).
- macOS: System Settings › Accessibility › Spoken Content, open the System voice menu and choose Manage Voices (Apple's steps (opens in a new tab)).
- Android: Settings › Accessibility › Text-to-speech output, then add the language in the preferred engine's settings (Google's steps (opens in a new tab)).
- iPhone and iPad: Settings › Accessibility › Read & Speak › Voices (called Spoken Content on older versions) (Apple's steps (opens in a new tab)).
Then reload the page and press the speaker again. Menu names differ a little between device versions.
Privacy#
- The app sends nothing extra for the voice. The words are turned into speech by your browser on your device, from text already on your screen.
- A voice marked "(online)" is provided over the internet by your browser's maker, so the text it reads goes to that provider. Choose a voice without "(online)" to keep it all on the device.
- Your voice choices are kept in this browser, not on the server.
- The operator's voice never says values you typed or record contents, so people nearby hear which button is pressed, not your customer's details. Read answers aloud does read the answer's text, so mind who is listening.
- Voice input (speaking your question) is not offered: the app does not allow the microphone.
Daily use#
A cash-on-delivery shop in Bangladesh
The packer has Operator voice on in Bangla while the assistant books the day's parcels. Her hands stay on the boxes; she hears each step and the approval question, and answers on the sheet.
A multi-location retailer
Each branch's tablet has its own setting. The main branch's office laptop keeps all voices off; the stockroom tablet has Read answers aloud on so staff can ask "how many of SKU TS-104 are in this branch?" and hear the answer.
Good practice#
- Press Test after choosing a voice.
- Prefer a voice without "(online)": it works offline and keeps text on the device.
- Use headphones in a shared office.
- Turn Read answers aloud off before asking about salaries or customers in a public place.
Troubleshooting#
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No speaker button | The browser cannot speak | Use a current browser |
| "This device has no voice for …" | No voice for your language on this device | Add one in the device's speech settings, or use another browser or your phone |
| "The browser held the voice back. Press the speaker button once to let it speak." | Some browsers (Safari, iPhone) speak only after a press | Press the speaker button once |
| "The chosen voice needs the internet and did not answer. Open the voice options and choose a voice without “(online)”." | An online voice with no connection | Choose another voice in Voice options |
| "The chosen voice is not on this device any more. Open the voice options and choose another one." | The voice was removed | Choose another voice |
| "The browser did not start speaking. Check that the sound is on and this site is not muted, then press the speaker again. If it stays silent, reload the page." | Sound off, tab muted, or the speech engine stuck | Check the sound, press again, then reload |
| Silent in another tab | The operator speaks only while its tab is visible | Return to the tab |
| The operator's line stops | Pause, Take control or Stop was pressed | Choose Continue; the line is said again |
Limits and what is not there yet#
- Only the browser's voices are used; recorded or provider voices are not there yet.
- The operator's voice has on/off only in the run bar; speed, voice and volume are set on the lesson card and shared.
- Voice quality depends on your device.
- Voice input is not available.
Questions#
Does the voice cost anything or use my AI allowance?
No. Speech is made by your browser from text you already have.
Can I hear lessons but not the operator?
Yes. Each voice has its own switch: tick Read the steps aloud on the lesson card and leave the run bar's Voice off.
Why is my language silent on my laptop but fine on my phone?
The laptop has no voice for that language. Add one in its speech settings or use the phone.
Will customers hear private data?
The operator's voice says only names of pages, buttons and fields. Read answers aloud reads the whole answer, so turn it off where others can hear.