Articles on: Playback Mode

How do I use basic voices for Playback?

📝 NOTE: This article describes the basic voice configuration workflow in Scriptation 6.0 and later, where voices are managed in Playback Mode. If you're on 5.1.16 or earlier, voices are configured within Read, Rehearse, or Record Mode — see What is Read Mode? for the walkthrough.


Basic voices are your device's built-in offline voices — the ones Apple installs with iOS and macOS, plus any Enhanced or Premium voices you've downloaded. When you enter Playback Mode, Scriptation automatically distributes these voices across your characters so you can press play and hear a multi-voice readback right away. This article walks through how to fine-tune those assignments — change which voice each character uses, set their language and dialect, and adjust speaking rate or volume per character.


📝 NOTE: Basic voices work entirely offline and don't require any subscription. For natural-sounding voices that need an internet connection and a separate subscription, see How do I use premium AI Voices for Playback?.


Setting Voices for Your Characters


When you open the Voices panel, you'll see every character in your script listed under Characters, with their currently assigned voice on the right. The Narrator has its own entry at the top under Script — see Setting the Narrator Voice below for the extra control it includes.


  1. Touch or click the blue waveform icon on the Playback control bar to open the Voices panel;



  1. At the top of the Voices panel, confirm Default Voice Quality is set to Basic;
  2. Touch or click the character you'd like to set up;
  3. Under Language & Dialect, choose the language and regional accent;


💡 TIP: Set Language & Dialect before choosing a voice on a character's page — switching the dialect afterward can reset your voice selection.


  1. Under Voices, touch a voice to preview and assign it;
  2. Touch the back caret (<) in the top-left to confirm your selection;
  3. Repeat for each character;
  4. When you're done, touch anywhere outside the Voices panel to dismiss it.


📝 NOTE: Your selections save automatically — there's no Save button to tap.


✅ TIP: You can preview voices freely — nothing locks in until you tap the back caret to leave the character page. Just remember that switching the Language & Dialect will reset your voice selection.


Setting the Narrator Voice


The Narrator sits at the top of the Voices panel under Script. Setting the Narrator works the same way as setting a character voice, with one additional control:


  1. From the Voices panel, touch Narrator;
  2. Toggle Narrator reads everything on or off, depending on how much of the script you'd like the narrator to read aloud;
  3. Set Language & Dialect;
  4. Choose a voice under Voices;
  5. Touch the back caret to confirm.


Fine-Tuning Speaking Rate and Volume


To adjust how fast or loud a specific character speaks, open that character's page and touch the gear icon in the top-right corner. The Advanced settings let you set Speaking Rate and Volume for just that character.


📝 NOTE: This gear icon adjusts settings for just this character. To open the main Playback Settings (with global preferences and Saved Voices), use the gear icon in the top-right of the Playback window instead — not the one inside a character's voice page.


Saving Voices for Recurring Characters


If you work on the same show or with recurring characters across multiple scripts, you can save your voice assignments and pull them into future scripts. The flow is the same for both basic and AI voices — see How do I save and reuse character voices across scripts? for the full walkthrough.


📝 NOTE: Saved Voices is an Industry Pro feature.


Getting Better-Sounding Voices


Apple's default voices are functional but can sound robotic. For richer offline voices, you can download Enhanced or Premium voices for free from your device's Settings — see Are there better Playback voices available? for the walkthrough.


For the most natural-sounding readback overall, upgrade to AI Voices.


What's Next


How do I use premium AI Voices for Playback?

How do I save and reuse character voices across scripts?

Are there better Playback voices available?

What is Playback Mode?

Updated on: 29/05/2026

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!