How To Use Play.ht

Getting Started (3 minutes)

Go to play.ht and sign up for an account. You can start with a free trial to test the voices before committing.
Once you're in, you'll see a text box and a library of AI voices. Type or paste the text you want to turn into speech.
Click through the voice library and preview different options. Filter by language, accent, gender, and tone (professional, conversational, warm, etc.). Each voice has a sample so you can hear before choosing.
Select a voice, then hit Generate. In a few seconds, you'll have an audio file you can download as MP3 or WAV.
For longer projects like audiobooks or training videos, use the Projects feature to organize multiple audio files and keep track of what you've generated.

Play.ht is built for people who need voice overs at scale without hiring voice actors:

YouTube videos or podcasts - Generate intros, outros, or full narration in a consistent voice.
E-learning courses - Turn written course material into audio lessons. Way faster and cheaper than recording yourself or hiring someone.
Audiobooks or blog narration - Convert written content into audio for people who prefer listening. Some creators publish AI-narrated audiobooks on platforms that allow it.
Product demos or explainer videos - Add professional narration to your demo videos without spending hours in a recording booth.

Use SSML tags for better control. Play.ht supports Speech Synthesis Markup Language, which lets you add pauses, emphasize words, or adjust speed. Example: <break time="500ms"/> adds a half-second pause.
Clone your own voice if you need consistency. Play.ht offers voice cloning - record yourself for 30 seconds and the AI will mimic your voice. Great if you want your videos to sound like you without recording every single script.
Batch generate for large projects. If you're creating a course with 20 lessons, upload all scripts at once and generate them in bulk instead of one at a time.

Casual podcast hosting or live recording. Play.ht generates pre-written scripts. If you want spontaneous conversations or interviews, you still need to record those the old-fashioned way.
Perfect emotional delivery every time. AI voices are good, but they don't nail complex emotions like sarcasm, grief, or subtle humor. If the tone is critical, a human voice actor will always be better.