Discord supports text-to-speech in two distinct ways: a built-in /tts command that sends spoken messages to everyone in a text channel, and dedicated TTS bots that join voice channels and read continuously. They serve different purposes — the command is for quick one-off spoken messages; bots are for ongoing voice-channel participation without a microphone. This guide covers both setups, how to fix TTS when it stops working, and when each approach makes sense.
The /tts command is available in any Discord text channel where the server admin has it enabled.
To send a TTS message:
Open any text channel in a server.
Type /tts followed by your message, then press Enter.
Example: /tts Hello everyone, I'll be back in five minutes.
The message is sent to the channel and read aloud to any user who has TTS notifications enabled.
Key limitations of the /tts command:
200-character limit per message
Only heard by users with TTS notifications turned on
Can be disabled by server admins per channel or server-wide
Does not work in voice channels, only text channels
On mobile, the /tts command works the same way — type it in the message field in any text channel and send.
The /tts command will only be read aloud if TTS notifications are turned on. This is an individual setting each user controls.
To enable TTS notifications:
Open Discord and click the gear icon (User Settings) at the bottom left.
Go to Notifications.
Scroll to the Text-to-Speech section.
Set it to For all channels or For current selected channel.
On mobile: User Settings → Notifications → Text-to-Speech.
TTS bots solve the biggest limitation of the built-in command: they join a voice channel and read messages continuously, with better voice quality and no character cap. This is the go-to setup for users who want to participate in voice conversations by typing.
How to find and add a TTS bot:
Go to discord.com/application-directory (Discord's official bot directory) or top.gg.
Search for TTS or text to speech.
Select a bot — look for active user counts and recent reviews to confirm it still works.
Click Add to Server or Invite, authorize the permissions it requests, and choose your server.
How TTS bots typically work:
Use the bot's invite command (usually /join or !join) while you are in a voice channel — this pulls the bot into your voice channel.
Type messages in the designated text channel — the bot speaks them aloud in the voice channel.
Use /leave or !leave to disconnect the bot when done.
Most bots also let you choose from multiple voices and languages. Check the bot's /help menu after adding it for the full command list.
"/tts command not found" or no response:
The server admin may have disabled TTS. Check Server Settings → Overview → Allow TTS Messages. If it's off, only a server admin can re-enable it.
TTS messages appear in chat but no one hears them:
Each listener controls their own TTS setting. Others need TTS notifications set to "For all channels" — if they have it on "Never," they see the text but hear nothing.
Bot isn't speaking:
The bot is not in your voice channel — use the bot's join command while you're in a voice channel.
The bot lacks permissions — check that it has "Connect" and "Speak" permissions for that voice channel under Server Settings → Roles or the channel's permission settings.
The bot is offline or broken — check the bot's status page or the server where you found it.
TTS voice cuts off mid-sentence:
This usually happens with the built-in /tts command when the message is close to the 200-character limit, or when the listener switches channels. Using a TTS bot generally produces more stable playback.
Discord's TTS is purpose-built for live chat: quick spoken messages, voice-channel participation without a microphone, in-game callouts. It reads 200 characters at a time and requires everyone in the channel to have the right notification settings.
If you regularly want to listen to longer written content — articles, newsletters, research notes, documents — that's a different use case. AI Listen converts any long-form text to natural-sounding audio you can listen to at your own pace, independently of any server or channel setup.
The two tools don't overlap much: Discord TTS keeps chat moving in a voice channel; AI Listen handles reading outside of it.
