VoicePicker simplifies the use of the speech synthesizer, in particular when reading texts in different languages that require frequent changes of voice.
It is no longer necessary to modify the System Settings:
- To start reading, just drop a text — or a text file — on the voice you want in the window of VoicePicker.
- To read the contents of the clipboard, just click on the voice you want (in the application window or in its icon menu in the menu bar).

I. All in two pictures
The Standard Window
The Editing Window

I. All in two pictures

The Standard Window
This window is global floating, ie it appears above the windows of other open applications.

The Editing Window
To show the Editing Window (or return to the Standard Window), click on the chevron at the bottom of the window.

II. Choices and options

Several ways to read a text Recommended reading!

• To read the text, you just have to select it in its own application, then drag and drop it on the voice you want in the application window.
• However, in some applications, dragging a selected text may sometimes be difficult.
  It is then easier to copy the selection (⌘C) and then either to
  - simply click on the voice you want in the application window.
  - simply click on the voice you want in the menu of VoicePicker icon in the menu bar.
  
• It is also possible to drop a text file on a voice in the window. (Supported formats: .txt, .rtf, .rtfd, .doc, .docx, .odt, .html and .webarchive)

Reading mode
The current mode is indicated at the bottom of the window by the icon
Listen now
Save as AIFF audio file
Save as M4A audio file
To switch from one mode to another, click this icon or use the Settings .

VoicePicker icon in menu bar

Use the Settings to show or hide the icon of VoicePicker in the menu bar.
Its menu allows you to

• read the contents of the clipboard with the voice you want.
• choose the reading mode.
• stop the current speech or stop creating audio file.
• show or hide VoicePicker window.

Visibility Recommended reading!
Hide or show the application window by clicking on the icon in the menu bar (last line of the menu) or on in the bottom left corner of the application window.

➞ ⌥ and ⌘ are defaults values, they can be changed in the Settings . You can also disable that function.

For a comfortable use of VoicePicker Recommended reading!
Suggestion:

- Open the Settings .
- Make sure that options in Menu bar and Visibility are both checked, then close the Settings (click on OK) and hide VoicePicker window.
- Hold down the mouse button on the icon of the application in the dock and select Options/Open at Login.

If you wish to keep this window visible, click .

Keyboard shortcuts

III. Questions and answers

About the voices of macOS
macOS includes a synthesizer of voice which is able to read texts. For that, it proposes a number of voices for many languages.
Some of these voices are installed by default, others can be downloaded for free.
The download procedure depends on the version of macOS.
To display the procedure for the version installed on this computer, open the Settings of VoicePicker, then click at the top of the window on download more voices.
(Note that Siri voices cannot be used with VoicePicker.)

Is it possible to use voices of third party with VoicePicker?
Yes, it is possible to use any voice of third party, provided that this voice is installed on your computer and is recognized by macOS Speech Synthesizer.
Third party voices appear with system voices in the pop-up menus of VoicePicker.

In what order are the voices arranged in the pop-up menus of the application?
Languages are arranged alphabetically.
Within each language, voices are arranged alphabetically.

Why do the menus and the help-tags of VoicePicker often seem to be unavailable?
Since the VoicePicker window is a global floating window, it can be used while another application is the active application.

• The Application menus (on the left of the menu bar) appear only if the VoicePicker application is the active application. To activate VoicePicker, click on its icon in the dock.
• The helptags appear only if the window is active. To make the VoicePicker window active, click on its title.