How to use text-to-speech on Discord

To send a text-to-speech message on Discord, type /tts followed by your message in a text channel:

/tts Welcome to the server!

Discord can read the message aloud, but who hears it depends on their settings. It is not a broadcast into a voice channel, and it does not override another person’s playback preferences.

The steps below use Discord on desktop. Discord’s own TTS guide documents the command, notification options, and Accessibility settings.¹

Enable the command

1. Open User Settings using the gear icon near your username.
2. Under App Settings, open Accessibility.
3. Enable “Allow playback and usage of /tts command.”
4. Send a short /tts message in a text channel where TTS is permitted.

If the channel does not allow TTS messages, ask a server administrator to check permissions. An administrator can open the channel’s settings, select Permissions, and review “Send TTS Messages” for the relevant role or member. A channel restriction can override a role’s server-level permission.

Use a test channel for setup. Your server probably does not need to hear “testing, testing” twelve times.

Choose which messages Discord reads

Open User Settings, then Notifications, and find Text-to-Speech Notifications. Discord documents three options:¹

• “For all channels” reads messages across channels and servers, including messages without /tts.
• “For current selected channel” limits automatic reading to the text channel you have selected.
• “Never” turns off automatic TTS notifications.

The notification setting is separate from the command setting under Accessibility. If you want TTS off, check both. Changing your settings does not change what other people hear.

Adjust speech rate and voice

Under Accessibility, use the text-to-speech rate setting to change reading speed. Start with a short message so you can hear the difference.

Discord’s built-in TTS follows the system or browser it runs on, so the voice may differ between Windows, macOS, and browsers.¹ It is not a Cartesia voice, and choosing a voice in the Cartesia playground will not change it.

If text-to-speech is not working

Check the settings that control sending and listening separately:

1. Confirm you typed /tts, a space, and the message.
2. Check that you have permission to send TTS messages in that channel.
3. Review command playback under Accessibility.
4. Review Text-to-Speech Notifications under Notifications.
5. Check your system’s output device and volume, then restart or update Discord if needed.

If you are testing with another person, have them check their own notification settings. Your successful send does not mean their client will read it aloud.

For persistent issues, consult Discord Support. Include your operating system, whether you use the desktop app or browser, and which settings you have checked.

Use a custom voice through a bot

A custom bot is a separate approach. It can generate audio with a speech API and play that audio in a voice channel. It does not change Discord’s native /tts behavior.

For developers building that experience with Cartesia:

1. Test a voice and sample text in the Cartesia playground.
2. Use the Cartesia API docs to request speech from Sonic in your bot’s backend. Keep API keys on the server, out of chat messages and client code.
3. Use Discord’s bot and voice APIs to join an authorized voice channel and play the generated audio. Match the audio format to your playback library’s requirements.
4. Add permission checks, rate limits, and a stop command so members can control playback.

Sonic supplies speech generation. You still need to implement and host the bot, handle Discord permissions, and connect the audio to voice-channel playback. Check current Cartesia pricing and Discord’s developer requirements before deploying it.