If you can't hear pronunciations in VocaTrace, your device might be missing the necessary voice data. Don't worry - this is a common issue and easy to fix!
Follow the steps below for your device.
Android
For Android users, VocaTrace relies on Google Speech Services.
Step 1: Update the Speech Engine
First, ensure that the Google Recognition & Synthesis app is installed and up-to-date.
Quick Fix
If you just updated or installed it, close and reopen VocaTrace to see if that solved it!
Step 2: Check Language Packs
If it's still silent, follow these steps to download the language manually.
Note: Menus may vary slightly by phone model (e.g., Samsung vs. Pixel).
- Open Settings.
- Search for "Text-to-speech" in the settings search bar (this is the fastest way).
- Or go to: Accessibility > Text-to-speech output
- On Samsung: Accessibility > Talkback > Settings > Text-to-speech
- Tap the Gear Icon ⚙️ next to "Preferred engine" (ensure "Speech Services by Google" is selected).
- Tap Install voice data.
- Find your target language and tap the Download icon ⬇️ next to it.
- (Optional) If asked, initiate the download.
iOS (iPhone / iPad)
iPhones use system-level voices. If a voice sounds robotic or is missing, you can download a high-quality version in Settings.
- Open Settings > Accessibility.
- Tap Read & Speak > Voices.
- Choose the language you are learning (e.g., Japanese).
- Select a voice (like Kyoko or Siri) and tap the Cloud Icon ☁️ to download.
Pro Tip
Look for Enhanced or Premium voices in the list. They sound much more natural than the standard ones!
Still No Sound?
- Check Media Volume: Make sure your "Media" volume slider is up.
- Silent Mode: On older iPhones, the side switch might mute some app sounds.
- Restart VocaTrace: After downloading new voices, force-close the app and open it again to refresh the connection.