---
title: Voice settings
path: tutorials/power-user/voice-settings
status: published
---

```json frontmatter
{
  "title": "Voice settings",
  "audience": "power_user",
  "summary": "Choose your AI's voice, set style and speed, and configure the tenant voice allowlist.",
  "sort_order": 10
}
```

# Voice settings

ScaiWave's voice features (read-aloud, dictation, voice calls) use
ScaiSpeak for text-to-speech and ScaiEcho for speech-to-text. You
can choose which voice the AI speaks with and, if you're an admin,
which voices are available to your team.

## Choosing your default voice

1. **Settings** → scroll to the **Voice (read aloud)** section.
2. Pick a voice from the dropdown. Each entry shows the voice name
   + primary language.
3. Your choice is saved immediately. It applies to:
   - The "read aloud" button on chat messages
   - Voice calls with the AI

If you don't pick one, the tenant default applies. If no tenant
default is set, ScaiWave picks the first available voice.

## Resolution chain

When a voice is needed, ScaiWave resolves it in this order:

1. **Your explicit choice** (if you picked one in Settings)
2. **Tenant default** (set by your admin)
3. **First available voice** (from whatever voices your tenant can
   see)

If you pick a voice and the admin later removes it from the
allowlist, your next request falls through to the tenant default
without error.

## Voice style and speech speed

Beyond choosing *which* voice the AI uses, you can control *how* it
speaks during voice calls.

1. **Settings** → **Voice** → scroll to **Voice style**.
2. Pick one of the built-in presets:
   - **Warm & professional** — calm, authoritative, clear
   - **Cheerful & energetic** — upbeat, friendly, animated
   - **Calm & soothing** — relaxed, gentle, measured pace
   - **Broadcaster** — polished, confident, news-anchor delivery
3. Or choose **Custom** and type your own style instructions
   (e.g. "Speak like an enthusiastic museum guide").

Below the style picker, the **Speech speed** slider lets you adjust
from **0.5x** (half speed — useful for language learners or complex
material) to **2.0x** (double speed — for quick recaps or when
you're in a hurry). The default is 1.0x.

Both settings are **per-user** and stored alongside your voice
selection. They take effect on the **next voice call** — changing
them mid-call doesn't alter the current session.

> These settings apply only to live voice calls. The "read aloud"
> button on chat messages uses its own fixed style (see
> [Read messages aloud](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/power-user/read-messages-aloud)).

## Tenant admin: voice allowlist

Admins can restrict which voices end-users see:

1. **Admin panel** → **Voice** tab.
2. You'll see the full catalog of voices available to your tenant
   (Global + Tenant-scoped voices from ScaiSpeak).
3. **Check / uncheck** individual voices. Only checked voices are
   visible to non-admin users.
4. **"Show all voices"** clears the allowlist entirely — every voice
   visible.
5. Set a **tenant default voice** so users who haven't picked one
   still get a consistent experience.

The allowlist is a UX guardrail, not a security boundary — it
controls what appears in the voice picker UI.

## Voice permissions

Voice features (TTS + STT) require ScaiSpeak/ScaiEcho module
permissions on the ScaiGrid side. If you see "Voice features
aren't enabled for your account," your platform admin needs to
grant `scaispeak:voice.read` + `scaispeak:synthesize` +
`scaiecho:transcribe` to your user or role.

## Where to go next

- [Talk to your AI](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/beginner/talk-to-your-ai) — voice conversations
- [Dictate messages and notes](/docs/scaiwave/tutorials/beginner/dictate-messages-and-notes) — mic button
- API: [Voice endpoints](/docs/scaiwave/reference/api/voice) — REST reference