Two ways to use a computer by speaking
A free Chrome extension for the web, and a Windows app, in beta, for everyday apps.
Listen: AbleSpeak explained
A short spoken introduction, for anyone who prefers to listen.
Read aloud by your browser’s own computer voice.
Caption
Press “Play the introduction” to listen. Each line appears here as it is spoken.
Computer control
Beta · Windows · Windows desktop app
Goes beyond the browser: it opens apps, presses buttons by name, types into documents and reads the screen aloud. After every command it shows what it heard and says what it did. For Windows 10 and 11, in beta. Some apps can’t be read yet, and longer tasks are not yet reliable.
- Open and switch apps, such as Word, Excel and File Explorer
- Type by voice into everyday apps, with spoken punctuation and editing
- Read the screen aloud
- Ask before anything that can’t be undone, and “undo that” when it gets it wrong
Try saying: “open Word”, “what is on my screen”, “undo that”
Listening
Say a command
Heard: “open my email”
Done
Try saying “scroll down”
Didn’t work
Try again, or say it a different way.
Heard: “click submit quiz”
I couldn’t find that on the screen.
Try saying the words you can see on it.
Speaking
Reading the question aloud
Heard: “read the question”
Done
Question 4: what is the main job of the mitochondria?
Say “answer” when you are ready
Exam mode
Built · Not yet used in a real exam · Part of Computer control
A teacher adds a Word or PDF paper. AbleSpeak reads each question aloud and writes the spoken answer word for word, with other tools switched off. The teacher downloads the script for marking.
- Reads questions and options aloud, and reads answers back
- Multiple choice, short and long answers
- Needs an internet connection, for now
Try saying: “read the question”, “answer B”, “finish exam”
Built for how each person works
For people who are blind or have low vision
Computer control · Beta
Computer control reads the screen aloud and tells you, in words, what happened after every command.
For people who can’t easily use a keyboard or mouse
Web navigation: live · Computer control: beta
Built for people with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, a spinal cord injury or a limb difference.
- Personal shortcuts and corrections (Web navigation)
- Settings for quiet voices, noisy rooms and slow speech (Computer control)
- Says out loud when a command did not work, so you can try again
Voices and data
Web navigation uses Chrome’s own speech recognition, a Google service, and AbleSpeak does not receive that audio. Its optional AbleSpeak speech model is off by default; while it is on, your voice goes to AbleSpeak’s server. Computer control keeps settings, progress and exam answers on the computer. It sends voice clips, and for harder requests what is on the screen, to online services such as Google Gemini. Ask us for the full details.
Read the Web navigation privacy policyCommon questions
- Who is AbleSpeak for?
- People who can speak but can’t easily use a keyboard, mouse or screen, including people who are blind or have low vision.
- Does it need the internet?
- Yes. Both products need an internet connection to understand speech.
- Which computers does it work on?
- Web navigation works in Google Chrome on a laptop or desktop. Computer control is for Windows 10 and 11. A headset microphone works best.
- What does it cost?
- Web navigation is free. Computer control is in beta: talk to us about a pilot.
- How is it set up?
- Web navigation installs from the Chrome Web Store in a few minutes, with no account. For Computer control, our team helps with the first setup.
See it for yourself
We show you what works today and what is still in beta.