Practical overview
When it fits
Use it when an iOS app needs an integrated voice-input interface that returns speech as text for a search, conversation, or other app workflow.
Who it is for
- iOS developers adding voice input to an app.
- Teams building spoken-query search or conversational interfaces.
Documented uses
- Present a customizable microphone and listening interface.
- Collect permission descriptions and guide users toward Settings when access is missing.
- Receive recognized speech as text, with final-result and error information.
- Adjust overlay screens, suggested prompts, automatic recording, silence timeout, or speech locale.
Requirements & limits
The repository is public and lists an MIT license. The README documents dependency installation through Swift Package Manager, CocoaPods, and Carthage.
- Speech-to-text conversion uses Apple’s native SFSpeechRecognizer.
- The app must include microphone and speech-recognition usage descriptions in Info.plist.
- The overlay can guide users to the relevant Settings section when permissions are missing.
- The README documents Swift Package Manager use with Xcode 11 or later.
- Locale can be supplied to the speech controller, and a custom controller can implement Recordable.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Add Voice Overlay and receive recognized text
Configure an iOS app to present the overlay and receive speech text and errors.
Before you start
- An iOS project using Swift.
- Xcode 11 or later when adding the dependency through Swift Package Manager.
- Microphone and speech-recognition usage descriptions in the app’s Info.plist.
Steps
Add the repository as a Swift Package Manager dependency, or install InstantSearchVoiceOverlay through CocoaPods or Carthage using the documented instructions.
Add the microphone and speech-recognition privacy usage-description strings to Info.plist.
Import InstantSearchVoiceOverlay and create a VoiceOverlayController in a view controller.
Call start(on:textHandler:errorHandler:) and handle the returned text, final-result flag, and errors.
Expected outcome
The app can display the voice overlay and receive recognized text and error events through the supplied handlers.
Guide limitations
- This guide covers the documented integration stages; it does not establish recognition accuracy or device and locale compatibility.
- The app must request the relevant permissions through the required usage descriptions.
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 14 October 2026
- Original website title
- algolia/voice-overlay-ios · Official homepage title · retained in its source language

