Talk to AI out loud: using voice mode on your phone

3 min readTech help

Checked Oct 24, 2026. These apps change often.

If typing on a small screen is a chore, you can just talk. AI listens, answers out loud, and you can interrupt it any time.

Voice mode turns an AI app into something closer to a phone call. You speak, it answers out loud, and you go back and forth like a normal conversation. It's a good fit if your eyes get tired, your hands are busy in the kitchen, or you just think better out loud.

ChatGPT

Open the ChatGPT app and tap the voice button at the right end of the message box. It looks like a small sound wave. The first time, your phone asks to use the microphone: tap Allow. Pick a voice, then start talking. Tap the microphone button to mute yourself, and the X to end. Voice is free with limits, and the app tells you when you've hit one. When you're done, the chat is saved as text, so you can read it back.

Gemini

Open the Gemini app and tap Live at the bottom of the screen. On an Android phone you can also say "Hey Google, let's talk Live." Follow the on-screen steps the first time, then talk. Tap Hold to pause the microphone, or End to finish. As of Oct 2026, Gemini Live is part of the free version.

Copilot

Open the Copilot app, sign in with your free Microsoft account, and tap the voice button in the message box. Allow the microphone, wait for Copilot to say hello, then talk. Tap the X to end. Voice chats can time out after a while; just start a new one.

Easy things to try first

• "Help me practice ordering at a restaurant in Spanish. Go slowly and correct me gently."
• "I have chicken, rice, and frozen peas. Talk me through a simple dinner, one step at a time, and wait for me to say next."
• "I see the doctor on Tuesday about my knee. Help me make a short list of questions to ask."

Tip: You can say "slower, please," "shorter answers," or "say that again" at any time.

Things to know

• Find a quiet spot. Background TV or a busy kitchen can confuse it.
• It can mishear you, especially names and numbers. Check anything important in the written transcript.
• Don't read out passwords, card numbers, or account numbers. Voice chats are saved like typed ones.
• Only want to type by voice? The microphone on your phone's keyboard turns your speech into text in any app, AI or not.
• New to all this? Our printable cheat sheet has 8 starter prompts you can read out loud.
• More help: our guide to helping a parent set up a new phone and our guide to using ChatGPT for the first time.

Also read: Use AI to help someone set up a new phone

Also read: How to use ChatGPT for the first time