Give your AAC app more personality with Apple's Personal Voice

  • 2 minute read

At the heart of every adaptation at AssistiveWare is a singular goal: enhancing the experience of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) users and communication partners. Leveraging Apple's latest innovations, we're excited to integrate transformative features into our suite of AAC apps.

At AssistiveWare, we believe in continuous growth. Our latest AAC app updates aim to make communication even more personal for our users.

Personalize with Apple's Personal Voice

The voice is more than just sound; it's an embodiment of identity. For our users who use both speech and AAC and those diagnosed with conditions that can progressively impact speaking ability like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — Personal Voice is a simple and secure way to create a voice that sounds just like you.

023 ASA Fotograaf Tessa Witvoet

I was pleasantly surprised by how much Apple’s Personal Voice sounded like me while testing it out. I’m looking forward to seeing how beneficial this will be to our users.

Olga Reutelingsperger

Product Manager of Proloquo, Proloquo2Go, and Proloquo4Text

Now, one can record their unique voice on their iPhone or iPad, letting people speak with a voice that is unmistakably theirs whether they do so independently, through their technology, or both. With Apple’s top-notch security and privacy, our users can always stay true to themselves.

Following Apple’s release of Personal Voice in English on iOS 17, Personal Voice can be used in English for Proloquo4 Text, Proloquo, Proloquo2Go, simPODD, and Pictello.

Creating Apple Personal Voice in AssistiveWare apps

Make sure you’re using iOS17 and a supported device.

To record your Personal Voice, follow these steps.

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Go to Accessibility → Personal Voice → Create a Personal Voice.

Step 3: Follow the instructions to set up a Personal Voice.

Step 4: While in Accessibility → Personal Voice, make sure the toggle for “Allow Apps to use Personal Voice” is on.

Using Apple Personal Voice in AssistiveWare apps

Click the link below for the app you’d like to use it in and follow the steps to use your voice in your app.

Proloquo4Text

Proloquo

Proloquo2Go

simPODD

Embracing more voices

We’re also excited to bring support for voices from Apple. With Apple voices, we can now offer new regional accents, including Indian English, Irish English, and South African English, as well as an extension of voice options for accents we already cover. These voices are currently available in Proloquo4Text, Proloquo, Proloquo2Go, simPODD,and Pictello.

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