For many AAC users, having buttons speak can be helpful. Speaking each button gives auditory feedback that can be useful to new users. It can also help keep listeners engaged. Not speaking folder and navigation buttons means that the listener only hears words that are part of the message.

However, some users prefer to only speak a message once it is complete. This can help prevent conversation partners from responding too soon. For other users, auditory feedback when choosing folder and navigation buttons might be helpful.

You can change which buttons speak when tapped in the Speech Options.

  1. Go to Options Menu Small in the toolbar.
  2. Go to Speech.
  3. Under Speech Feedback, tap Speak Buttons.
  4. The default is None, meaning buttons will only speak using the Message Window. Choose Message Buttons if you would like to have buttons speak when tapped. Choose All Buttons to speak everything, including folder and navigation buttons.

Buttons still speaking when set not to

There are two reasons message and/or folder buttons may keep speaking despite your Speak Buttons setting.

First, if you have Speak Buttons set to Message Buttons, a folder button will speak if its Speech field is not empty. To check and fix this:

  1. Tap the Edit Edit Small button to open Edit Mode.
  2. Tap the folder button that speaks to select it.
  3. In the Basics section, delete any text in the top Speech field.
  4. Tap Done to exit Edit Mode.

If you have Speak Buttons set to None, buttons will still speak if they have a Speak Text Immediately action. You can change this to an Add Text to Message action to make the button send text to the message window instead.