How to fix a word's pronunciation in your voiceover
If the AI voice says a word wrong, you can correct just that word without rewriting your script. This is useful for names, brands, and words with more than one reading. Pick the word, choose how it should sound, and regenerate the voiceover.
Use it whenever a voice stumbles on:
- Names and brand names, such as a founder's name or a product name.
- Acronyms and abbreviations that should be spelled out, or read as one word.
- Foreign words used inside a script in another language.
- Homographs, words with one spelling and two readings ("live", "read", "bass").
- Long or technical words the voice rushes or breaks in the wrong place.
Fixing Steps
- Open your story and click Edit video.
- Select the scene or shot whose voiceover needs fixing.
- Open the Audio tab and stay on Voiceover.
- In the bottom-right corner of the script box, click the Fix a pronunciation icon.
- Your script opens word by word. Click the word that isn't being said right.
- Under Choose how "[word]" should sound, press play on any option to hear it, then select the one you want.
- If none of the options are right, type your own in or enter the word/IPA manually. Enter a simple phonetic spelling or IPA, then press the play button beside the box to hear it.
- Click Regenerate voiceover. The voiceover for that shot is rebuilt with the corrected word.
Two ways to set the sound
Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
Pick an option | Atlabs suggests several readings of the word. Play each one and select the closest. | Homographs and common words with more than one reading |
Type it manually: phonetic spelling | Write the word as it sounds, in plain letters; for example, "shih-vawn" for Siobhan. | Names, brands, acronyms and foreign words |
Type it manually: IPA | Enter the International Phonetic Alphabet form, for example /laɪv/ for "live" as in a live show. | Precise control when a phonetic spelling isn't close enough |
You don't need to know IPA. A plain phonetic spelling works for most words, and the play button lets you test it before you commit. Click Help next to the manual box for guidance on IPA.
Pronunciation examples
These are starting points for the manual box. Type the suggestion, press play, and adjust the spelling until it sounds right.
Acronyms
Some acronyms are read as one word (NASA) and others letter by letter (FBI). If the voice picks the wrong one, spell out the version you want.
Problem | What to type |
|---|---|
Read as a word, should be letters: "SEO" comes out as "see-oh" | Write each letter as it sounds, with spaces: "ess ee oh" |
Read as a word, should be letters: "API" comes out as "appy" | "ay pee eye" |
Read as letters, should be a word: "SaaS" comes out as "S-A-A-S" | Write it as one lowercase word: "sass" |
Read as letters, should be a word: "NATO" comes out as "N-A-T-O" | "nay-toh" |
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Names and brand names
Names are the most common fix, because spelling rarely tells the voice how a name is said.
Word | What to type |
|---|---|
Siobhan | "shih-vawn" |
Saoirse | "seer-sha" |
Xiaomi | "shao-mee" |
Your own brand, for example "Atlabs" | Split it where the stress falls: "at-labs" |
Foreign words
When a script in one language borrows a word from another, the voice may read it with the wrong language's rules.
Word in an English script | What to type |
|---|---|
déjà vu | "day-zhah voo" |
croissant | "kwah-sahn" |
namaste | "nuh-muh-stay" |
Homographs
A homograph is one spelling with two readings. Here, the suggested options usually include both, so pick the right one before reaching for the manual box.
Sentence | Reading you want |
|---|---|
"We go live at noon." | "lyve", or IPA /laɪv/ |
"They live in Mumbai." | "liv", or IPA /lɪv/ |
"She plays bass in the band." | "bayss", or IPA /beɪs/ |
"I read it yesterday." | "red", or IPA /rɛd/ |
Long words
Voices sometimes rush or misplace the stress in very long words. Break the word into syllables with hyphens.
Word | What to type |
|---|---|
otorhinolaryngologist | "oh-toh-rye-noh-lar-in-gol-uh-jist" |
incomprehensibility | "in-com-pree-hen-sih-bil-ih-tee" |
Numbers and symbols
For numbers, times, prices and addresses, the simplest fix is in the script itself: write them out the way they should be spoken, then regenerate.
In your script | Write it as |
|---|---|
2026 | "twenty twenty-six" |
9:30 AM | "nine thirty a m" |
$4.50 | "four dollars fifty" |
"hello at your brand dot com" |
Quick guide to phonetic spelling
Sound you want | Write it as | Example |
|---|---|---|
Long A, as in "day" | ay | "nay-toh" |
Long E, as in "see" | ee | "shao-mee" |
Long I, as in "my" | eye or y | "lyve" |
Long O, as in "go" | oh | "oh-toh" |
Long U, as in "blue" | oo | "voo" |
Soft G, as in "gem" | j | "jist" |
Hard C, as in "cat" | k | "kwah-sahn" |
The "s" in "vision" | zh | "day-zhah" |
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Tips
- Always preview before regenerating. Options that look almost identical in IPA can sound noticeably different.
- Not comfortable with IPA? Type the word the way it sounds, such as a name spelled out phonetically, and preview it.
- If a phonetic spelling is close but not right, change one syllable at a time and preview again.
- Picked the wrong word? Click the × next to it to clear your selection and choose another.
- Click Help next to the manual box for guidance on IPA.
💬 FAQs
Do I need to know IPA to fix a pronunciation?
No. Start with the suggested options, and if none fit, type the word the way it sounds in plain letters. IPA is there for cases where you need exact control.
Does fixing a pronunciation change my script or captions?
No. The fix changes how the word is spoken, not how it is written. Your script text stays as you typed it.
Will the rest of the scene's voiceover change?
Regenerate voiceover rebuilds the voiceover for that shot with the corrected word, so play the whole shot once to check the delivery.
The same word appears in several scenes. Do I fix it in each one?
Yes. The fix applies to the shot you are editing. Open each scene where the word is mispronounced and repeat the steps.
None of the suggested options sound right. What now?
Use or enter the word/IPA manually. Try a phonetic spelling first, split long words into syllables with hyphens, and preview after each change.
The voice mispronounces many words, not just one. Is this the right tool?
Probably not. Check that the voice and language match the language of your script. See AI Voiceover for changing the voice.
Can I change how a line is delivered, not just one word?
Yes, with emotion tags. See Add Emotion, Pauses, and Speed to Your Voiceover.
Still Need Help? Reach out to us at support@atlabs.ai — we're happy to assist.
Updated on: 10/14/2026
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