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How to Use Text to Speech on Discord

Jan 27, 2025

Ping!" Another message. And another. Your Discord communities are alive with conversation, but keeping up feels like drinking from a firehose. What if you could transform that torrent of text into a natural stream of spoken words?

Enter Discord's text-to-speech (TTS) - your secret weapon for staying connected without staying glued to your screen. Whether you're raiding with your guild, moderating a bustling community, or just trying to keep up with multiple servers, TTS turns Discord from a demanding taskmaster into your personal narrator.

In this guide, we'll dive deep into the world of Discord TTS - not just the basics, but everything from power-user techniques to cutting-edge solutions. Let's discover how Discord can speak your language - literally.

What is Discord Text-to-Speech?

Discord text-to-speech is a built-in feature that allows users to convert their written messages into spoken audio within a Discord server. This feature is especially useful in busy servers where text messages can quickly become overwhelming. By using the TTS feature, your messages stand out by being read aloud, ensuring they are noticed even in the midst of a lively conversation.

To utilize Discord TTS, simply type /tts followed by your message in a text channel. 

For example, typing /tts Welcome to the server! will prompt Discord’s TTS bot to read the message aloud to everyone in the channel. This real-time audio conversion enhances communication by making it more engaging and accessible, particularly for gamers and streamers who need to convey information quickly and effectively.

The Basics: Discord Setup and User Settings

Before diving into Discord TTS, it’s essential to have a basic understanding of Discord’s interface and settings. Start by creating a Discord account on their website or by downloading the Discord app on Windows or Mac. Once your account is set up, open Discord and familiarize yourself with the main interface.

On the left sidebar, you’ll see a list of servers you’ve joined, each represented by an icon. Clicking on a server icon will open various channels within that server, including text channels and voice channels. The gear icon located at the bottom-left corner of the screen opens your user settings, where you can adjust your preferences.

Within user settings, navigate to app settings and then to text & images. Here, you can manage your text-to-speech notifications and other related settings. Understanding these basic configurations is crucial for effectively enabling and customizing Discord TTS.

How to Enable Text-to-Speech in Discord

Enabling Discord text-to-speech involves adjusting both server-level and user-level settings to ensure the feature works seamlessly for everyone involved.

Enabling TTS on a Server Level:

  1. Click on the server name at the top-left corner and select “Server Settings.”

  2. Navigate to “Text Channels” and choose the channel where you want to enable TTS.

  3. Click the gear icon next to the channel name to open channel settings.

  4. Go to the “Permissions” tab and ensure the “Send TTS Messages” option is checked.

  5. Save your changes to activate TTS for that channel.

Enabling TTS on a User Level:

  1. Click the gear icon near your username in the bottom-left corner to open user settings.

  2. Under app settings, select text & images.

  3. Scroll down to the text-to-speech section and toggle on “Allow playback and usage of /tts command.”

  4. This enables your account to send and hear TTS messages across all servers where TTS is permitted.

By following these steps, you can ensure that Discord’s TTS feature is active both for you and within your desired channels, allowing for seamless audio communication.

Customizing Your TTS: Notifications, Speech Rate, and More

Once you’ve enabled TTS, you can further customize how it behaves to suit your preferences. Discord offers several options to tailor the TTS experience, making it more enjoyable and efficient.

Text-to-Speech Notifications:

  1. Open user settings by clicking the gear icon.

  2. Select notifications from the sidebar.

  3. Scroll down to Text-to-Speech Notifications and choose one of the following options:

    • For all channels: TTS messages are read aloud in any channel across all servers.

    • For the currently selected channel: TTS messages are only read aloud in the channel you are currently viewing.

    • Never: TTS messages are disabled unless you specifically use the /tts command.

Adjusting Speech Rate:

  1. In user settings, navigate to Accessibility under app settings.

  2. Scroll down to text-to-speech rate and adjust the slider to change how quickly the TTS voice reads messages.

  3. Use the preview feature to listen to the current speech rate and make further adjustments as needed.

These customization options allow you to control when and how TTS messages are delivered, ensuring they fit seamlessly into your Discord experience without being intrusive.

Using TTS Bots and Third-Party Integrations

For users seeking more advanced functionalities, integrating TTS bots and third-party services can significantly enhance the Discord TTS experience. These tools offer additional features such as automated message reading, support for multiple languages, and more natural-sounding voices.

TTS Bots

TTS bots act as virtual announcers within your Discord server. They can automatically read out messages, announcements, or even play pre-recorded audio files. To add a TTS bot to your server:

  1. Find a suitable TTS bot that matches your server’s needs.

  2. Invite the bot to your server by following the bot’s invitation link.

  3. Customize the bot’s settings through its dashboard or command interface to align with your preferences.

Third-Party Integrations

To elevate your TTS capabilities, consider integrating third-party services like Cartesia.ai. These platforms offer robust APIs that provide a wider range of voices, better language support, and more customization options. Here’s how you can integrate a third-party TTS service:

  1. Sign up for a service like Cartesia.ai and obtain your API key.

  2. Follow the service’s documentation to connect the API with your Discord bot.

  3. Customize the TTS voices, languages, and other settings through the API to match your server’s requirements.

By utilizing TTS bots and third-party integrations, you can create a more dynamic and personalized audio experience within your Discord server.

Troubleshooting Common TTS Issues on Discord

Encountering issues with Discord TTS? Don’t worry—most problems can be resolved with a few simple troubleshooting steps.

TTS Not Working:

  1. Check Server-Level Settings: Ensure that TTS is enabled in the server settings and that you have the necessary permissions to send TTS messages.

  2. Verify User Settings: Go to user settings > text & images and make sure “Allow playback and usage of /tts command” is enabled.

  3. Restart Discord: Sometimes, simply restarting the Discord app can resolve TTS issues.

  4. Update Discord: Ensure you’re using the latest version of Discord by checking for updates in the app or visiting the official Discord website.

Voice Clarity and Volume Problems:

  1. Adjust TTS Output Volume: In user settings, go to notifications & privacy and adjust the volume slider under the text-to-speech notifications section.

  2. Check TTS Language and Pronunciation: Ensure that the selected language and pronunciation settings are correct for optimal clarity.

  3. Switch Platforms: If you’re experiencing issues on Windows or Mac, try using Discord on a different platform to see if the problem persists.

Persistent Issues: If you’ve tried all the above steps and TTS still isn’t functioning correctly, consider reaching out to Discord support for further assistance. They can help diagnose and resolve more complex issues that may be affecting the TTS feature.

Beyond Discord: Professional-Grade TTS Solutions 

While Discord’s native TTS feature is highly effective for basic needs, professionals and advanced users might seek more sophisticated solutions to elevate their audio interactions. This is where Cartesia.ai comes into play, offering cutting-edge TTS technologies designed for high-quality voiceovers.

Cartesia.ai’s Voice API

Cartesia.ai specializes in developing multimodal intelligence, providing solutions that prioritize speed and privacy. Their flagship product, Sonic, is an ultrafast generative voice API with a model latency of approximately 95 milliseconds. This makes it one of the fastest TTS solutions available, ideal for applications that require immediate voice responses.

Key Features of Sonic:

  • Low Latency Streaming: Ensures immediate response times, perfect for real-time interactions.

  • High Availability: Maintains performance even under heavy loads, making it reliable for large-scale use.

  • Expressive Voices: Conveys a wide range of emotions, enhancing the naturalness of voiceovers.

Advanced Customization: Cartesia.ai’s Sonic supports zero-shot voice cloning, allowing users to create custom voices with just 10 seconds of recorded speech. This feature is perfect for creating personalized voice experiences, whether for gaming, customer service, or media broadcasting.

[CTA] By integrating Cartesia.ai’s advanced TTS solutions, you can transcend the limitations of Discord’s native TTS feature, achieving professional-grade audio interactions that enhance your server’s communication capabilities.

Discord text-to-speech is a powerful tool that transforms the way you communicate within your server. By converting written messages into spoken words, TTS enhances accessibility, engagement, and overall user experience. Whether you’re using the basic TTS feature, customizing your notifications and speech rate, or integrating advanced TTS bots and third-party services, Discord TTS offers versatile solutions for all your communication needs.

FAQs

How to use Discord text to speech?
To use text-to-speech on Discord, simply type the /tts command followed by your message. For example, /tts Hello everyone! will have your message read aloud in the channel.

How do I get text to speech on Discord mobile?
Open the Discord app, type /tts followed by a space and then your message. The TTS feature will convert your text into spoken words for all members in the channel to hear.

How do I turn off TTS on Discord?
Go to the 'Settings' page on the Discord desktop app, navigate to 'Text & Images' under 'App Settings,' scroll down to the 'Text to Speech' option, and disable the 'Allow playback and usage of /tts command' toggle.

Is It Possible To Modify The TTS Voice in Discord?
While Discord offers default TTS voices, integrating third-party services like Cartesia.ai allows you to customize and enhance the TTS voices, providing more natural and expressive options.

Is It Possible To Use TTS In Private Conversations On Discord?
Yes, you can use TTS in private conversations by enabling the feature in your user settings and using the /tts command within your private chat.

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