Grok Text-to-Speech Guide: Generate Natural AI Voice in Seconds
What is Grok Text-to-Speech
Grok Text-to-Speech is xAI's voice synthesis model, available on Replicate. You send it text and get back natural, expressive speech audio. It is one of the most capable zero-shot TTS models released in 2026.
On imagine-video, we wrapped it into a one-click tool at /text-to-speech. No API key, no coding, no setup — just type, pick a voice, and generate.
This guide covers everything the model can do and how to get the best results.
Why Grok TTS Stands Out
- 5 distinct voices — each with its own personality and tone
- 20+ languages with automatic language detection
- Inline speech tags — control pacing, emotion, and delivery without leaving the text box
- Multiple output formats — from high-fidelity MP3 to telephony-grade μ-law
- Up to 15,000 characters per request — enough for long-form narration
- Text normalization — speaks numbers, currencies, and abbreviations the way you would say them out loud
Getting Started in 4 Steps
Step 1 — Open the Tool
Go to https://imagine-video.io/text-to-speech. Sign in to your account (Google OAuth takes 5 seconds).
Step 2 — Enter Your Text
Type or paste any text up to 15,000 characters into the text box. The counter in the top-right shows your current length.
Tip: For best results, write the text the way you want it spoken — punctuation marks (commas, periods, dashes) naturally create pauses.
Step 3 — Choose a Voice
Pick from the 5 available voices:
| Voice | Tone | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| eve | Energetic, upbeat | Marketing clips, social media, enthusiastic narration |
| ara | Warm, friendly | Conversational content, audiobooks, friendly explainers |
| rex | Confident, clear | Professional presentations, corporate videos |
| sal | Smooth, balanced | Versatile — works across most content types |
| leo | Authoritative, strong | Instructional content, documentaries, voiceovers |
Step 4 — Generate and Download
Click Generate Speech. Wait a few seconds for the audio to render, then use the built-in player to preview. Hit Download to save the file to your device.
Fine-Tuning with Parameters
Language
The model auto-detects the language by default. Set it explicitly to force a specific accent or improve consistency on noisy inputs. Supported languages include:
English, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Spain / Mexico), Portuguese (Portugal / Brazil), French, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic (Egypt / Saudi / UAE), Hindi, Bengali, Indonesian, Turkish, Vietnamese.
Output Format
| Format | Best For |
|---|---|
| MP3 (default) | General use — wide compatibility, good compression |
| WAV | Lossless audio — editing, post-production |
| Raw PCM | Real-time processing pipelines |
| μ-law (mulaw) | Telephony (G.711 μ-law) |
| A-law (alaw) | Telephony (G.711 A-law) |
Sample Rate
Choose from 8 kHz (telephony) up to 48 kHz (studio grade). Default is 24 kHz.
- 8 kHz — telephony-grade, smallest file
- 24 kHz — default, balanced quality and size
- 44.1 kHz / 48 kHz — studio-grade, recommended for production
MP3 Bitrate
Only applies to MP3 output. Range: 32 kbps to 192 kbps. Default is 128 kbps. Use 192 kbps for the highest quality.
Mastering Speech Tags
Speech tags let you control delivery without leaving the text input. There are two types:
Inline Tags — drop in at a specific point
[pause]— short pause[long-pause]— longer pause[laugh]— natural laughter[sigh]— a sigh[breath]— an audible breath
Wrapping Tags — change how a span of text is delivered
<whisper>...</whisper>— whispered delivery<slow>...</slow>— slower pacing<soft>...</soft>— softer, quieter tone
Examples
So I walked in and [pause] there it was. [laugh] I could not believe it.
I need to tell you something. <whisper>It is a secret.</whisper> Pretty cool, right?
Ideal Use Cases
- YouTube / social media voiceovers — no microphone needed
- Audiobooks and long-form narration — up to 15K chars per generation
- Podcast intros and outros — consistent, polished delivery
- AI assistant and chatbot voices — pick a voice that matches your brand
- Language learning content — generate native-pronunciation samples
- Telephony IVR systems — use μ-law / A-law at 8 kHz
- Accessibility — convert articles and docs to spoken audio
Credits and Pricing
Each generation consumes 3 credits. Failed generations are fully refunded automatically.
If you are a free user, you will be prompted to purchase a plan before generating. Visit the pricing page to see available plans.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Use punctuation — commas and periods create natural pauses.
- Try multiple voices — the same text can sound very different across eve, ara, rex, sal, and leo.
- Use
<slow>for technical content — slower delivery improves clarity for complex terms. - Use
[laugh]and[sigh]sparingly — they add personality but can feel overdone if used too often. - For telephony, set format to mulaw/alaw and sample rate to 8 kHz.
- For production, use MP3 or WAV at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz with 192 kbps.
Troubleshooting
- No audio generated? Check your credits balance. Free users need an active plan.
- Voice sounds off? Try a different voice or add punctuation to guide pacing.
- File is too large? Lower the sample rate or switch to a lower bitrate.
- Long text fails? Split into chunks under 15,000 characters and stitch the audio files together.
Ready to Try?
Head over to Grok Text-to-Speech on imagine-video and start generating natural, expressive speech in seconds.