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Using Voice

Reading time: ~3 min

Press-to-talk

The primary way to talk to ArchAI:

  1. Press and hold the button on the side of the device.
  2. Speak your request while holding.
  3. Release when you're done talking.
  4. The device transcribes, thinks, and responds out loud.

You don't need to speak a wake word. The button is intentional — ArchAI won't accidentally record you because it's not always listening.

Interrupting a response

Tap the press-to-talk button while ArchAI is speaking to stop it. This is useful when the answer is going the wrong direction or too long.

Hold the button (instead of tapping) to stop the current response and immediately start a follow-up.

Getting better responses

  • Be specific. "What's Apple's P/E ratio?" beats "How's Apple stock doing?"
  • Give context in one shot. ArchAI remembers the last few exchanges, but a single well-framed question is faster than a back-and-forth clarification.
  • Speak at a normal pace. Transcription works best with conversational speech, not shouting or whispering.
  • Hold the device within arm's reach. The microphone is optimized for ~1-3 feet of distance.
  • Quiet matters. A TV or music in the background will reduce transcription accuracy.

Switching modes by voice

Ask ArchAI directly:

  • "Switch to Financial mode"
  • "Put me in Arch mode"
  • "Go back to Assistant mode"

You can also switch modes in the companion app's settings.

Voice selection

Change the voice ArchAI speaks with in the companion app (Settings → Assistant Voice). You can also ask by voice: "Change your voice to Matthew" or "Sound more like Joanna."

Voice changes take effect on the next response.

What ArchAI isn't good at

  • Long-form content. If you ask for a 5-minute story, the response may get cut off — the device is tuned for short exchanges.
  • Reading back large documents. Use the companion app's chat for that.
  • Live sports scores. Financial mode has markets; other real-time feeds aren't wired in yet.

Still stuck?

If transcription is consistently wrong or responses feel off, email support@archaidevice.com with an example of what you said and what ArchAI heard. We tune from real feedback.