How to Set Up and Use Live Speech on iPhone for Typing-to-Speak in Phone Calls and In Person

For individuals experiencing temporary vocal strain, living with speech impairments, or navigating situations where speaking out loud is physically challenging or inconvenient, modern assistive technology bridges essential communication gaps. In iOS 17 and iOS 18, Apple introduced Live Speech—an accessibility feature built directly into iPhone, iPad, and Mac. With Live Speech, you can type words on your device keyboard and have them spoken aloud in real-time through your iPhone’s speakers during in-person conversations, or transmitted directly into telephone calls and FaceTime video conferences. Live Speech can even speak using your own synthesised Personal Voice.

What Is Live Speech and How Does It Work?

Live Speech functions as an always-accessible digital voice synthesizer integrated into iOS system controls:

• System-Wide Accessibility: Summoned instantly from any app or home screen by triple-clicking the Side button (or Home button on older devices).
• In-Call Audio Transmission: When activated during a cellular phone call, FaceTime conversation, or compatible VoIP app, spoken audio routes cleanly into the call audio stream so the other party hears your words clearly.
• Favourite Phrases: Allows you to pre-record and categorise frequently used greetings, ordering requests, medical alerts, and questions for one-tap playback.
• Personal Voice Integration: Works seamlessly with Apple’s Personal Voice machine learning model, allowing individuals at risk of losing their voice (such as those diagnosed with ALS) to speak using a synthetic replica of their own voice.

How to Enable and Configure Live Speech on iPhone

Setting up Live Speech on iOS takes only a moment in the Accessibility settings menu.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and select Accessibility.
3. Under the Speech heading, tap on Live Speech.
4. Toggle the Live Speech switch to the On position.
5. Tap on Voices to select your preferred speech synthesizer. You can choose from high-quality system voices (such as Siri English voices), novelty voices, or your synthesised Personal Voice if previously trained.
6. Adjust speaking rate and pitch to match your preferred conversational cadence.

How to Save and Organise Favourite Phrases

Typing out full sentences during fast-paced conversations can cause delays. Creating a library of pre-saved quick responses allows you to participate effortlessly.

1. In Settings > Accessibility > Live Speech, tap on Favourite Phrases.
2. Tap the Add (+) icon in the upper right corner.
3. Type your common conversational response (for example, “Hello, how are you today?” or “I’d like an oat flat white, please.”).
4. Tap Save.
5. Repeat this process to add frequently needed emergency disclosures, dietary requirements, or standard office greetings.

How to Use Live Speech in Daily Conversations and Calls

Once configured, invoking Live Speech requires just a rapid hardware shortcut.

1. Using Live Speech In Person

1. Triple-click the Side button on your iPhone.
2. A compact text window with an on-screen keyboard will slide up from the bottom of your display.
3. Type what you wish to say, then tap the blue Send (sound wave) button on the right. Your iPhone’s external speakers will immediately vocalise the text aloud.
4. To access pre-saved phrases, tap the Phrases tab in the menu, tap your desired entry, and your device will voice it instantly.

2. Using Live Speech in Phone Calls and FaceTime

1. Answer or place a regular cellular phone call or FaceTime audio/video call.
2. During the active call, triple-click the Side button to summon the Live Speech dialogue.
3. Type your response and tap Send. The audio synthesiser transmits your words directly across the telephone connection to the listener on the other end, without microphone interference.
4. Tap the minimize chevron to hide the Live Speech card when listening to the other caller.