Spoken text overrides and accessibility labels

The Speech tab in the Block Editor controls spoken wording, automatic reading, audio, voice, and assistive-technology descriptions. You need Guide editing access.

Set a spoken text override

1. Edit the block and open Speech.
2. Read Current speech source. Imported blocks can also show Imported speech metadata.
3. Write Spoken text override, or select Use current speech source to copy the current words into an editable override.
4. Select Save block, then test Speak block in Preview. For names or saved answers, also test a connected Play session; see dynamic speech.

The override changes generated speech without rewriting visible content. Copying the current source creates independent wording: later content changes do not update that override.

Use Clear spoken override, then Save block, to return to the normal source. Leaving an empty saved override falls back to normal wording and can produce a warning. It does not silence the block.

A ready speech recording still takes priority. Editing text does not rerecord it.

Understand the normal source

Block	Normal spoken content
Text	Written text, without automatically reading inline-image descriptions
Image Media	Alt text and enabled caption, with repeated segments combined
Audio or Video Media	Available descriptive Media text; not an automatic transcript
Flashcard	Question text, not the revealed answer
Field	Prompt and relevant method help; visible options can have separate reading

Imported speech metadata can take priority over ordinary content in some blocks. Check Current speech source after importing instead of assuming that editing visible text has replaced the imported words.

An image-only Text block can display successfully while having no generated speech. Add useful visible words or an override.

Control automatic reading

Automatic speech offers Follow player setting or Disable automatic speech. Disabling skips this block's automatic narration, option reading, and submitted-answer speech. It leaves manual Speak available.

Page and Guide restrictions also apply. Follow player setting does not enable automatic speech for a player who has it off.

To change whole-page wording, open Page settings > Speech > Speech on page visit. A page override normally replaces combined block narration. See playback interactions before mixing it with block recordings or focused-block presentation.

Set accessibility labels and hints

Accessibility label gives assistive technology a concise name for the block. Accessibility hint explains how to use it. Neither changes visible content or substitutes for a spoken override.

Use Clear label or Clear hint to remove an explicit value, then save. An empty saved label can produce a warning. For an Image Media block, an explicit Accessibility label takes priority over Alt text, so keep them consistent.

When Do not adapt / show verbatim is available in the block's content settings, it preserves authored wording from communication adaptation. Recorded audio already remains unchanged. See communication preferences.

Check after editing

Save and reopen the block, confirm the source and override, then test manual and automatic reading. Review recordings and captions whenever instructions change. If no speech is available, check the source text before changing voices.