Talk For Me - Text to Speech Manual and Tips

Setup

The app is really simple. First, decide which voice you want to use. The default Samantha voice is a nice choice.

Please note that the new Expressive Speech Engine requires either the Enhanced or Premium version of the voice you choose. If you select a voice that you don’t currently have installed, the app will alert you to download it. If a voice has both an Enhanced and Premium version available, the app will automatically use the Premium version for the best quality. All the voices listed in the app are free and available directly from Apple.

For example, if you want to use the Samantha voice, follow these steps to download the enhanced version:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone/iPad.

2. Select Accessibility

3. Select Read & Speak

4. Select Voices

5. Select English

6. Find the Samantha voice (or any other). You will see a small download icon to the right or an arrow. If you see an arrow, tap it and you’ll then see the download icon to the right of the enhanced voice. If the voice you choose has both an enhanced voice and a premium voice, download the premium voice as that will be used. Tap the download icon to start the download. It’s best to stay on that screen until the voice downloads and not allow your device to sleep.

7. Once it has downloaded, exit the Settings app.

8. Open Talk For Me - Text to Speech.

9. On the initial page, tap on the voice selector and scroll to select the voice you downloaded.

Pro Tip: Download more than one enhanced voice and have some fun setting up your custom buttons with different voices and different languages. For example, my main voice used is Nathan and I have one set up with a female voice saying, “hold on, he’s typing something.”

How to Set Up a Personal Voice (iOS 17+)

If your device is running iOS 17 or newer, you can create a digital replica of your voice and use it directly inside Talk For Me.

1. Open your device's Settings app.

2. Scroll down to Accessibility and tap Personal Voice.

3. Follow Apple's on-screen instructions to record and generate your voice.

4. Once your device finishes processing the voice, open Talk For Me and tap the voice selector button.

5. Choose Personal from the voice list.

6. Tap Allow when the app prompts you for permission to use it.

Pro Tip: If you are unable to record your own voice, a close friend or family member can easily set up a Personal Voice on your device for you to use!

Main Screen

The Main Screen is your central hub for communication, giving you instant access to the app's core features.

Quick Navigation & Settings

• Gear Icon (Top Left): Opens the Data & Settings Center.

• + Symbol: Opens the Add to Archive module.

• Archive Button: Quickly access your saved phrases. (You can also open the Archive by swiping left!)

Your Communication Tools

• Say It! (Speaking Head): Speaks the text currently in your window.

• Clear / Undo: Removes the spoken phrase or brings it back from temporary memory.

• Speech Rate Slider: Adjust how fast or slow the voice speaks.

• Voice Selection: Choose your preferred voice (e.g., Samantha).

• Up Arrow: Opens the first page of your Custom Buttons. (You can also access this by swiping up!)

• Auto Switch & Custom Buttons: Six quick-action buttons for your most common phrases.

How Speaking & Clearing Works Once you choose a voice, tap the main text window to open the keyboard, type your phrase, and tap Say It!.

You will notice the text remains in the window after being spoken. I designed it this way because I frequently find the need to repeat what I say—likely because AAC communication lacks natural gestures and mouth movements to grab attention.

• Want it to clear automatically? Just use the Return key on your keyboard to speak instead.

• Need to bring a phrase back? Tap Clear, and the button will change to Undo. Tapping Undo brings your last phrase back from temporary memory.

• Need to clear the screen without saving? Shake your device or tap with two fingers inside the main text window.

The (NEW) Enhanced Speech Engine Our massively improved, expressive speech engine is incredibly smart:

• Natural Emphasis: Combine sentences, questions, and exclamations in one paragraph, and it will speak them naturally with human-like emotion.

• Smart Numbers: Paste or type a long series of numbers (e.g., “555065788”) and the engine will automatically insert human-sounding pauses. No more wasting time adding awkward commas!

Pro-Tips for the Main Screen

Lower the Keyboard: Tap the empty space to the left or right of the Up Arrow to instantly drop the keyboard. Speed Adjustments: Slide the speech rate slider to the right to speak faster, or left to speak slower. Easy Shaking: To make the "Shake to Clear" feature easier, use Apple's AssistiveTouch and set "Shake" as a top-level menu choice. (I have my own iPhone and iPad set to trigger a shake when I long-press the AssistiveTouch button!)

Custom Buttons & Instant Replies

Custom buttons are your shortcut to fluid conversation. They allow you to trigger your most frequent phrases and instant replies with a single tap.

How to Program a Custom Button:

1. Long-press (tap and hold) any of the quick buttons for a few seconds until the customization menu opens.

2. In the Title field, type the short label you want to see on the button itself (e.g., "Intro" or "Hold On").

3. In the Phrase box, type the full sentence you want the app to speak when tapped (e.g., "Please be patient, I am using a text-to-speech app to communicate.").

4. Choose your preferred Voice and adjust the Speech Rate slider.

5. Tap Save in the top right corner.

Once saved, a quick tap on that button will instantly speak your phrase!

Accessing More Button Pages: Your main screen features 6 primary quick buttons, but you have access to four entire pages of custom buttons!

• To open the extra pages, swipe up on the main screen (or tap the bottom arrow bar).

• Once the custom pages are open, swipe left or tap the arrow to easily flip through the remaining pages.

Pro Tips for Natural Communication:

• The "Essentials": We highly recommend setting up dedicated buttons for conversational anchors like "Yes," "No," "Hold on, I'm typing," and a brief introduction explaining how you communicate.

• Spelling Words Out: Need the app to spell out your name, address, or email? Just separate the letters with commas! For example: "My name is Darrin, d, a, r, r, i, n." * Punctuation Matters: The expressive speech engine reads punctuation naturally! Use commas to create brief pauses, question marks for an inquiring tone, and exclamation points for urgency. You can mix and match these in a single paragraph, and the voice will handle the human-like nuances perfectly.

Pro Tips for Instant App Access:

• Use the Action Button: If your iPhone has a physical Action Button, map it to open Talk For Me! When a call comes in, simply answer it and click the Action Button to launch the app instantly without hunting for the icon.

• Use AssistiveTouch: If the physical side buttons are difficult to press, you can add an app shortcut to your on-screen AssistiveTouch menu for quick, accessible launching right from the glass.

• Prime Real Estate: Always keep the Talk For Me app icon in your device's bottom Dock or on your primary Home Screen so it is always ready the second the phone rings.

The Archive

Your Archive is a personal library designed for partial sentences you use regularly, as well as temporary phrases you might only need for a single day.

How to Save a Phrase:

• Method 1: Direct Entry (NEW): Tap the + symbol in the top left corner of the main screen. Type a descriptive title and your phrase into the dialogue box, then tap Save.

• Method 2: Save While Typing: If you have already typed a phrase into the main text window and want to keep it, tap the + symbol. You can edit the auto-generated title if needed, then tap Save.

Accessing & Using Your Archive:

• Open it: Swipe left across your screen, or tap the Archive link in the top right corner.

• Speak it: Tap any entry in your list to instantly send it to the main text window, ready to be completed or spoken aloud.

• Search it (NEW): Finding a specific phrase is now effortless. Tap the new search bar in the Archive to instantly filter your list as you type.

Organizing Your Phrases:

• Pin to Top (NEW): Swipe right on any entry to pin it to the very top of your list for immediate access.

• Delete: Swipe left on an entry to remove it permanently.

• Rearrange: Tap the Edit button to drag and drop your phrases into a custom order.

Pro Tip for Phone Calls & Meetings: Use the Archive to prep for conversations in advance! Before making a phone call or heading into a doctor's appointment, create the specific sentences you plan to use. Add your questions, account numbers, and expected answers to your Archive ahead of time. This makes the actual conversation incredibly fast, efficient, and stress-free.

The Data Control Center & Settings (New!)

The Data Control Center is your central hub for personalizing your app and keeping your phrases safe.

How to Access: Tap the Gear icon on the main screen to open the Data & Settings menu.

1. Local Data Management (Snapshots)

We highly encourage you to experiment with your button layouts! Local backups let you save a "snapshot" of your current setup directly to your device so you can experiment without fear of losing your phrases.

• Backup Data: Tap this before making major changes. It instantly saves your exact current setup, including all buttons, phrases, and settings.

• Restore Data: Did you make a mistake or decide you don't like your new layout? Tap this, select a previous backup file, and your app will instantly revert to how it was when you saved that snapshot.

• Delete Backup: Use this to clear out old snapshots and free up space on your device.

2. Cloud Backup (iCloud Sync)

Keep your iPhone and iPad perfectly in sync. iCloud Sync allows you to transfer your entire Talk For Me setup across all the iOS devices connected to your Apple ID.

• Tap the iCloud Sync button to reveal two options:

  • Upload to Cloud: Takes the setup currently on your screen and saves it securely to your iCloud account.

  • Download from Cloud: Grabs the backup you previously uploaded and applies it to the device you are currently holding. (Note: Downloading will overwrite the data currently on the device).

3. Appearance

Take control of your visual experience. Choose between light mode, dark mode, or system setting.

4. Custom Button Page Titles

You can now rename your custom button pages to better organize your phrases (e.g., "Medical," "Restaurant," or "Phone Calls").

• To rename a page: Tap into any of the text fields (Custom 1, Custom 2, etc.) and type your new title. Your changes are saved automatically when you leave the screen.

• To remove a title: Tap the small (x) inside the text box to clear your custom text. The page will instantly revert to its default "Custom" name.

Tip: If you just bought a new iPad, simply open Talk For Me on your iPhone, tap "Upload to Cloud," then open the app on your new iPad and tap "Download from Cloud." Your entire setup will be transferred in seconds!

Auto Speak (Real-Time Typing)

The Auto toggle transforms the app into a real-time communication tool by automatically speaking every single word as you type.

How It Works:

• Tap the Auto switch on the main screen to turn it on.

• As you type, every time you hit the Space bar, the app will instantly speak the word you just finished.

Best For: Initially intended for fast typists, this feature is perfect for maintaining a steady, continuous flow of conversation. It allows you to speak fluidly without having to pause and manually tap a "Speak" button at the end of every sentence.