Typing is great, but sometimes you just want to talk. ChatGPT's Voice Mode lets you have natural, real-time conversations with AI using your voice — on your phone, desktop, or in the browser.
It's not just speech-to-text. Voice Mode is a fully conversational experience where ChatGPT listens, understands context, responds with natural-sounding speech, and can even detect emotion and adjust its tone. Today you'll learn how to activate it, pick your preferred voice, and use it in everyday situations where your hands are busy.
Voice Mode is available across all ChatGPT platforms. Here's how to get started on each:
Mobile (iOS and Android) — Tap the headphone icon in the bottom-right corner of the ChatGPT app. The screen shifts to a visual waveform display, and you can start talking immediately. Tap the waveform to pause, or tap the X to end the conversation.
Desktop app — Click the headphone icon next to the message input. A voice interface overlay appears. You can talk naturally while still seeing your previous chat history.
Web browser — The voice icon appears in the message bar at chatgpt.com. Click to activate, and allow microphone access when prompted.
Key things to know:
- You can interrupt ChatGPT mid-response — just start talking and it will stop and listen
- Voice Mode maintains full conversation context, so you can reference things said earlier
- You can switch between voice and text seamlessly in the same conversation
- Voice Mode works with your custom instructions and memory, so ChatGPT knows your preferences
ChatGPT offers several distinct voices, each with its own personality and tone. You can choose the one that feels most natural and comfortable for your conversations.
Available voices include options that range from warm and friendly to clear and professional. You can preview each voice in Settings and pick the one you prefer. Your choice persists across all conversations until you change it.
How to change your voice:
1. Go to Settings in ChatGPT
2. Select Voice
3. Preview the available voices by tapping the play button next to each
4. Select your preferred voice
Tips for choosing:
- If you use Voice Mode for professional tasks (meeting prep, presentations), pick a voice with a clear, steady cadence
- If you use it for casual conversations (brainstorming, learning), pick a voice with a warm, conversational feel
- Try a few different voices for a week before committing — what sounds good in a preview might feel different in a 10-minute conversation
Voice Mode unlocks ChatGPT for situations where typing is impossible or inconvenient. Here are the most popular hands-free scenarios:
Commuting — Prepare for your day while driving or riding transit. Get briefed on your calendar, rehearse a presentation, brainstorm ideas, or catch up on industry news. Voice Mode turns dead commute time into productive time.
Cooking — Ask for recipes step by step, get ingredient substitutions on the fly, set verbal reminders for timers, or have ChatGPT walk you through a new technique. No need to touch your phone with messy hands.
Exercising — Get workout suggestions, have ChatGPT count reps or guide you through a stretching routine, or listen to a summary of an article while on the treadmill. Voice Mode keeps your hands free and your mind engaged.
Walking and brainstorming — Some of the best ideas come when you're moving. Use Voice Mode to capture ideas, develop them in real time, and have ChatGPT organize your stream of consciousness into structured notes.
Multitasking at your desk — Even when you're at a computer, sometimes it's faster to talk than to type — especially for complex, nuanced requests that are easier to explain verbally.
One of the most powerful Voice Mode features is Record mode. This lets you record real-world audio — like a meeting, lecture, or phone call — and have ChatGPT process it into useful output.
How Record mode works:
1. Open ChatGPT and tap the Record button (microphone icon with a circle)
2. Place your phone where it can capture the audio (on the conference table, next to your laptop speaker, etc.)
3. ChatGPT listens and transcribes in real time
4. When the recording is done, tap Stop
5. Ask ChatGPT to process the recording — summarize it, extract action items, or create a document in Canvas
What you can do with recordings:
- Meeting summaries — Record a team meeting and get a structured summary with decisions made, action items assigned, and next steps
- Lecture notes — Record a class or webinar and get organized notes with key concepts highlighted
- Interview transcripts — Record an interview and get a clean transcript with speaker labels
- Voice memos to Canvas — Record your thoughts on a topic, then have ChatGPT turn your rambling voice memo into a polished document in Canvas
This workflow is especially powerful when combined with Canvas. You can go from a raw meeting recording to a formatted summary document with action items in under a minute.