Make Your Phone Talk When Plugged In: The Real How-To

Q: Are there potential limitations or drawbacks to using apps that make my phone talk when plugged in?

Battery consumption, compatibility, intrusiveness. -->

To make your phone talk when plugged in, the only documented solution for iPhone users is to create a personal automation in the Shortcuts app.

How to make your phone talk when plugged in: A brief introduction

There is no single "talk when charging" setting built into any major smartphone operating system. However, iPhone users can achieve this reliably using Apple's Shortcuts app to create a personal automation. The automation triggers when the phone connects to a charger and uses the Speak Text action to say a custom phrase out loud.

The iPhone solution: Create a Shortcuts automation

Apple documents Shortcuts automations as the supported way to make an iPhone speak a custom announcement when it is plugged in. The automation uses the Charger trigger and the Speak Text action. Follow these steps to set it up:

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
Tap the Automation tab at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the plus sign (+) to create a new personal automation.
Select "Charger" as the trigger. Choose whether the automation runs when the charger is connected, disconnected, or both.
Tap "Add Action" and search for "Speak Text." Select the Speak Text action.
In the text field, type the phrase you want your phone to say when it is plugged in (for example, "Charging now" or your own custom message).
Tap "Next" and then toggle off "Ask Before Running" so the automation runs automatically.
Tap "Done" to save the automation.

Once saved, your iPhone will speak the custom phrase every time you plug it into a charger. This is the only documented method on iOS for achieving this specific behavior. If you encounter any issues with the automation not speaking, check your device's sound settings and ensure the volume is turned up. You may also want to review your voice assistant and microphone fixes in the Settings app to confirm the microphone and speech functions are working correctly.

Understanding VoiceOver and TalkBack screen readers

VoiceOver (on iOS) and TalkBack (on Android) are full-time screen readers designed for users with visual impairments. They make the phone talk constantly as you interact with the screen, reading aloud every element you touch, select, or navigate to. Apple documents VoiceOver under Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver, and Samsung documents TalkBack (also called Voice Assistant on Galaxy devices) under Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack or Voice Assistant. Neither Apple nor Samsung documents a specific "speak when plugged in" feature within these screen readers. While VoiceOver may announce the battery state when you navigate to that area of the screen, it does not automatically speak a custom announcement when the charging cable is connected. VoiceOver can announce battery state, Wi‑Fi signal strength, and more when swiping left or right. The charger-voice behavior on iPhone is best handled with Shortcuts automation, not VoiceOver itself.

What about Samsung and Google Pixel phones?

For Samsung Galaxy devices, the relevant accessibility features, TalkBack/Voice Assistant and other voice-control tools under Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity, do not include a charger-triggered spoken alert. Samsung's TalkBack/Voice Assistant path is Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack or Voice Assistant on Galaxy devices. Samsung's voice-control tools path is Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity. For Google Pixel phones, no official help page documents a built-in "speak when plugged in" option. As a result, the Shortcuts automation method on iPhone is the only documented, native way to achieve this on a mobile device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can VoiceOver make my iPhone speak when I plug it in?

VoiceOver will read battery information if you navigate to that area, but it will not automatically announce when you connect the charger.

Can TalkBack make my Android phone talk when I plug it in?

The retrieved Samsung Android help pages document TalkBack/Voice Assistant access paths, but not charger-triggered speech. Like VoiceOver, TalkBack is a continuous screen reader and does not include a specific announcement for when the phone is plugged in.

Is there an official iPhone setting for charger announcements?

No. The charger announcement behavior is not a native accessibility feature; the Shortcuts automation method is the documented workaround.

Is there an official Samsung or Pixel charger-speech setting?

No.

Can I use a third-party app to make my phone talk when charging?

Third-party apps exist for both iOS and Android that claim to offer this functionality. The only manufacturer-documented method is the Shortcuts automation on iPhone.