Help

A simple guide to SpeakMic. Tap a question to see the answer.

Getting started

SpeakMic is a simple app for talking live, right in your browser - nothing to install, no account needed. There are two kinds of rooms: Broadcast (one person speaks, everyone else listens) and Walkie-Talkie (anyone can speak, one at a time, like a real walkie talkie). Audio travels directly between participants' devices and is never recorded or saved.

What's the difference between Broadcast and Walkie-Talkie?

Broadcast - one speaker, many listeners (up to a few hundred with relay rooms). Great for presentations, lectures, live interpretation, or announcements to a larger group.

Walkie-Talkie - up to 20 people in one conversation. Anyone can hold a button and say something to the whole group. Great for coordinating a team or short back-and-forth conversations where everyone should be able to speak up.

How do I join a room with a link, code, or QR code?

If you have a link, just open it. If you only have a room code, go to the SpeakMic home page, choose the "Join" tab, paste the link or code, and tap "Join". You can also tap "Scan" and point your camera at the room's QR code. If the room needs a PIN, the app will ask for it.

How do I install SpeakMic on my phone or computer?

You don't need to download anything from an app store. When you visit the site, you may see an "Install SpeakMic" prompt - this gives the app its own icon on your home screen and lets it keep playing audio in the background.

On iPhone/iPad you do this manually: tap the Share icon in Safari, then choose "Add to Home Screen".

Do I need to sign up or log in?

No. Just open the page. If you create a room, this browser automatically remembers that you manage it. An optional PIN (described below) lets you recover that role on a different device if you ever need to.

Broadcast rooms

In a broadcast room, one person (the speaker) talks into their microphone, and everyone else (the listeners) hears their voice live.

How do I create a broadcast room?

On the home page, choose the "Broadcast" tab, type a room name (visible to everyone who joins), and tap "Create room". The room appears right away with a link and QR code you can share.

How do I invite listeners?

The "Share" tab shows the room's link and QR code. Send the link (by message or email) or show someone the QR code so they can scan it with their phone.

What do the "Advanced options" mean when creating a room?

Expanding them lets you set up front:

  • a PIN required to join as a listener,
  • an admin PIN you can use to recover access on another device,
  • whether the room should be permanent (see below),
  • roughly how many listeners you expect - the app then picks a sensible limit and connection type (see "Connection type" below) for you.

All of these can also be changed later, in the settings of the room you already created.

How do I start broadcasting?

Open your room (the app recognizes you as the speaker) and tap "Start Broadcasting". Your browser will ask for microphone access - allow it, and your voice immediately starts reaching every connected listener.

What does the speaker's "push-to-talk" mode do?

By default the speaker's microphone stays on for the whole broadcast. You can instead turn on push-to-talk mode in the broadcasting panel - then the microphone is only active while you hold down a large button. Useful if you don't want listeners to hear everything around you between things you say.

How do I mute my microphone while broadcasting?

Tap the mute button in the broadcasting panel. Listeners will see that the microphone is muted and hear silence until you unmute it.

Will I get a notification if I leave the app while broadcasting?

Yes, if you turn on "Notify me about the ongoing broadcast in the background" in the broadcasting panel. You'll get a reminder notification that the broadcast is still running even after you switch to another app - so it's harder to forget to end it.

Can I text listeners?

Yes. The "Chat" tab lets you send a text announcement visible to every listener. You can also turn on "Allow listener replies to you" - listeners can then reply to you privately, and only you see those replies (other listeners don't).

I can't hear any listeners - is that normal?

Yes. In a broadcast room, audio only flows one way - from the speaker to listeners. Listeners can at most text you in chat (if you allow replies), but there is no two-way audio.

Broadcast room settings

You'll find the options below by tapping the gear icon (Settings) in your room - visible only to the speaker.

Changing the room name

"Change room name" lets you give the room a different name that everyone joining sees, e.g. an event name.

What's the admin PIN for?

It's a secret 6-digit code you can use to recover the speaker role if you open the same room on another device, or clear your browser data. Without a PIN set beforehand, if you lose access on your device, no one can manage this room anymore. Set or change it under "Manage PINs".

What's the listener PIN for?

This is a separate 6-digit code that (if you set one) listeners must enter just to join the room. Worth setting when you don't want the plain link alone to be enough for anyone who sees it. Leave the new PIN field blank to remove it - the room becomes open to anyone with the link again.

How do I recover speaker access on another device?

Open the room's link on the new device, choose "Recover access", and enter the admin PIN. Note: this won't work while a broadcast is actively running from the previous device - stop it there first.

Listener limit

Sets how many people can listen to your broadcast at the same time. You can raise or lower it anytime under "Listener limit".

Audio quality - which one should I pick?
  • Automatic (recommended) - quality adjusts itself to the number of listeners, only dropping for a large audience so the broadcast keeps running smoothly.
  • High quality - always the best possible sound, but needs a stable, fast internet connection - with many listeners the broadcast may stutter.
  • Balanced - a good middle ground between sound quality and connection stability. A safe choice in most situations.
  • Data saver - the lowest data and battery use, at the cost of noticeably lower sound quality. A good option on weak internet or an older phone.
Connection type: direct connections or relay tree?

Direct connections - every listener connects straight to your device. The simplest mode, but with many listeners it puts a heavy load on your phone or computer and your internet connection. Recommended only for a small audience.

Relay tree - some listeners (chosen automatically by the app) forward the audio on to a few other listeners. This takes load off your device and lets you reach a larger audience. It happens automatically in the background, without a separate consent prompt for those people, and uses a small amount of their data and battery, only while they're listening.

You usually don't need to choose anything manually - if you set an expected listener count when creating the room, the app turns on the relay tree by itself for a larger audience. You can still change this setting anytime, right here.

What does "change to permanent room" mean?

A regular room disappears automatically after 1 day with no activity. "Change to permanent room" (requires an admin PIN to be set first) means the room only disappears after 3 months without a speaker connecting. Useful for a room you use regularly and don't want to recreate every time.

How do I delete a room?

In the "Danger zone" you can permanently delete the room and all its settings. This cannot be undone, and everyone connected is disconnected immediately.

Relay rooms - reaching a bigger audience

This is an advanced option for a really large audience (over 100 people). A relay room is a separate, extra room that automatically pulls audio from your main room and rebroadcasts it to its own listeners - but it needs a dedicated device to run it. This is different from the "relay tree" described above: that happens by itself, between listeners' own devices, with no extra hardware needed - here, you personally set up an extra "node" on another phone or computer.

When do I need a relay room?

When you expect more than about 100 listeners at once. You can add up to 5 relay rooms, each adding its own listener limit, so the broadcast's total reach can grow to roughly 500 people.

How do I add a relay room?

In your main room's settings, choose "Add relay room". Give it a name and a listener limit, set its admin PIN (required when creating it), and optionally a PIN for its own listeners. Once created, you'll see its link, QR code, and admin PIN - save these, you'll need them in the next step.

How do I start the relay on a second device?

Open the newly created relay room's link on the device that will run it (e.g. a spare phone, or a laptop plugged into power). Go into its settings and choose "Recover access", entering the relay's admin PIN from when you created it. From then on, that device automatically receives audio from the main room and rebroadcasts it to its own listeners - you don't need to broadcast anything manually there.

How do I manage relay rooms I've already created?

"Manage relay rooms" shows a list of all your relay rooms along with how many listeners are currently connected to each. Pick one to change its name, listener limit, listener PIN, or admin PIN, see its link and QR code, or delete it permanently.

What happens if a relay device loses its connection?

Its listeners will see a message that there's currently no audio in that room. Simply start the relay again on that device (e.g. reopen its link) - the broadcast in the main room is not interrupted in any way.

Walkie-Talkie

A Walkie-Talkie room is a group conversation like a real walkie-talkie - anyone can speak, but only one person at a time.

How do I create a Walkie-Talkie room?

On the home page, choose the "Walkie-Talkie" tab, type a room name, and tap "Create room". In the advanced options you can set a participant limit and a room PIN or admin PIN right away - or change them later.

How do I join a conversation?

Open the room's link or scan its QR code, pick a nickname (visible to other participants), and, if the room requires one, enter the room PIN.

How do I talk to the group?

Hold down the large "Hold to talk" button - everyone else in the room hears your voice. Releasing the button immediately ends your turn and hands the floor back to everyone else.

Why do I see "Someone else is already speaking"?

Only one person can speak at a time. If someone else is already holding the button, your press is rejected - wait a moment and try again, or join the queue (see below).

Is there a time limit per turn?

Yes, 15 seconds maximum - after that the microphone is released automatically so no one can hold the floor forever. If you want to keep talking, just press the button again.

What is the queue?

If someone is currently speaking, you can tap "Join queue". As soon as the floor is free, the app automatically hands it to the first person in the queue and starts transmitting their microphone - nothing extra needs to be pressed at that moment.

Can I text instead of talking?

Yes, the "Chat" tab is a shared chat visible to everyone in the room. Messages disappear once everyone leaves the room.

Walkie-Talkie room settings

The options below are available in the room's settings for its admin - the person who created it, or who recovered admin access with a PIN.

Changing the room name

Same as in a broadcast room, under "Change room name".

What's the difference between the room PIN and the admin PIN?

The room PIN (if set) must be entered by everyone who wants to join the conversation. The admin PIN is only used to recover admin rights on another device and isn't needed just to join.

Participant limit

Sets how many people can be in the conversation at the same time (up to 20). Change it under "Participant limit".

Connection type: full mesh or star?

Full mesh - every participant keeps a separate connection to every other participant. Works great in smaller groups.

Star - connections are created dynamically, as needed. Worth switching to this mode if full mesh starts causing connection problems in a larger group (the app usually already picks this for larger groups when the room is created). This can only be changed while you're alone in the room.

How do I mute or remove a participant?

Next to the participant list you'll find a microphone icon (mutes that person - they can't be heard until you unmute them) and a trash icon (removes them from the room permanently - they won't be able to rejoin).

How do I recover admin access on another device?

In the room settings, choose "Recover access" and enter the admin PIN set when the room was created (or changed later).

How do I delete a room?

In the danger zone you can permanently delete the room - everyone is disconnected immediately, and this cannot be undone.

App settings

These settings apply to the app itself, not to a specific room - you'll find them in the same Settings menu as everything above.

How do I change the app language?

In Settings, choose English or Polski - your choice is remembered for next time.

How do I change the theme (light/dark)?

In Settings, choose Light, Dark, or Auto - Auto matches whatever your phone or computer is set to.

Privacy and security

Are conversations recorded?

No. Audio travels directly between participants' devices and is never saved or stored anywhere.

What happens to chat messages?

They only exist temporarily while the conversation is happening - they disappear once everyone leaves the room, and are never stored permanently.

How long does an unused room stay around?

A regular room deletes itself automatically after 1 day with no activity. A broadcast room changed to permanent deletes itself only after 3 months without a speaker connecting.

What can someone do if they only know the PIN?

PINs are never stored as plain text, only as an encrypted hash - even the app's operator can't see them. Still, treat a room's PIN and link like a key: anyone who knows them can join the room, and with an admin PIN, take over managing it.

Common problems

A listener or participant can't hear any audio

First check that the broadcast is actually running (on the speaker's side) and that their microphone isn't muted. Ask the person who can't hear anything to refresh the page and check the volume both in the app and on their phone.

The browser won't turn on the microphone

Check that you allowed the site to access your microphone. On iPhone/iPad: tap the "aA" icon in Safari's address bar → Website Settings → Microphone → Allow, then refresh the page.

Audio stutters or cuts out with many listeners

Try switching "Audio quality" to Balanced or Data saver, and for a large audience also check "Connection type" - "Relay tree" takes load off the speaker's device and usually makes the broadcast more stable.

I lost access to manage my room

If you set an admin PIN earlier, use "Recover access" on any device with the room's link. If you never set a PIN, access can't be recovered anymore - you'll need to create a new room.

I want to report abuse in a room

Every room page has a "Report abuse" link at the bottom, which prepares an email to the app's operator.


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