# Voice

Configure Speech to Text and two-way Voice Chat so your agent can listen and speak in a tone that fits your product.

The **Voice** tab under *Style and Behavior* controls how your agent listens and speaks. Pick the mode, the voice style, and the speaking behavior that fit your product. Configure both from the **Voice** tab in Agent Studio.

There are two modes:

- **Speech to Text**: the user speaks, the agent listens (input only).
- **Voice Chat**: the agent also talks back (two-way conversation).

## Enable Speech to Text

Toggle this **on** or **off**.

- **On**: users can talk to the agent, and their speech is transcribed into text input.
- **Off**: users can only type.

This setting only captures input. The agent still responds with text on screen.

## Enable Voice Chat

Toggle this **on** or **off**.

- **On**: the agent replies with synthesized voice, in addition to text.
- **Off**: the agent responds only in text, even if Speech to Text is enabled.

Voice Chat requires the **Pro plan**.

:::tip
Use **Speech to Text** when you want quick dictation or hands-free input. Use **Voice Chat** when you want a natural, conversational, two-way voice experience.
:::

## Choose a voice

Set the Voice Chat Type, the voice the agent uses for spoken responses.

- **Alloy (default)**: neutral, professional, multi-purpose.
- Additional voices may be available depending on your plan.
- Click the speaker icon to preview the selected voice.

## Set voice instructions

Provide optional custom guidance for how the agent should sound.

Examples:

- "Use a friendly, upbeat tone."
- "Speak slowly and clearly, with short sentences."
- "Adopt a formal, executive style suitable for leadership updates."

## Best practices

- **Clarify the mode**: enable *Speech to Text* if you want voice input, enable *Voice Chat* if you want voice output.
- **Match your audience**: for enterprise, keep it professional and concise. For consumer apps, go conversational and warmer.
- **Test voice speed**: faster responses save time, slower speech increases clarity.
- **Document tone and style** in Voice Instructions to keep experiences consistent.