Question 1

There is no sound.

Accepted Answer

Check these in order: Turn the device volume up with the side buttons. iPad: open Control Center and make sure the bell (silent mode) is not on, and that sound is not going to Bluetooth headphones or a speaker in another room. Open Settings in the app and use the test voice button. If the test is silent, choose a different voice in the Voice list. Web: click or tap anywhere on the page once. Browsers block sound until the page has been touched. Also check that the browser tab is not muted. Close the app completely and open it again.

Question 2

The voice sounds robotic.

Accepted Answer

The voices that come with a new device are the small, low quality ones. Two fixes: switch to MoCo Child , or download an Enhanced or Premium system voice for free. Steps for iPad and the web app .

Question 3

The voice mispronounces a name.

Accepted Answer

Edit the tile. Keep the correct spelling as the label, and in the Speaks field (iPad) or Speak Text field (Studio) type a sound-alike spelling, for example Siobhan → shiv-awn . On iPad you can also record the name for that tile.

Question 4

The MoCo Child voice is slow on the first word.

Accepted Answer

The voice loads into memory the first time it speaks after the app opens. That takes about a second. After that it responds right away.

Question 5

The MoCo Child download failed or will not load on the web.

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings → Communication → Voice and tap Try again while on a good connection. Some older browsers cannot run the on-device voice. The app falls back to the system voice automatically, so speech always works.

Question 6

I forgot the settings passcode.

Accepted Answer

Web: the passcode is stored in the browser. Clearing the site's data for modelcommunicator.com removes it. That also resets your other settings and offline files. iPad: a forgotten passcode cannot be looked up. Deleting and reinstalling the app clears it, but that also erases edited boards that were never backed up, so contact us first and we will help you through it. This is why we suggest writing the passcode down and backing up your boards regularly.

Question 7

I tap the pencil and nothing happens (iPad).

Accepted Answer

This is on purpose. Press and hold the pencil for two full seconds to start editing. An amber glow around the screen shows that edit mode is on. See Editing boards on iPad .

Question 8

Some tiles will not open in the editor.

Accepted Answer

System tiles, such as keyboard keys and the word-ending slots, are locked because the app depends on them. They look faded while you are editing. Word tiles, folder tiles and empty spaces can all be edited.

Question 9

Can I edit the main board in the web app?

Accepted Answer

The built-in MoCo-60 board is the same for everyone in the web app. To customize on the web, sign in and use Custom Folders in Settings, or build your own board in Studio . On the iPad app you can edit any page directly.

Question 10

A word has gone missing.

Accepted Answer

It was probably hidden. On iPad, enter edit mode: hidden tiles appear faintly with a crossed-out eye. Tap the tile and turn off Hide from board or Hide for this profile only . Also check that you are in the right profile . If you are unsure where a word lives, use Find Word.

Question 11

A tile says "Coming Soon" and does nothing.

Accepted Answer

A few folders are placeholders for features still being built. They will start working in a future update.

Question 12

Words repeat, or tiles go off by accident.

Accepted Answer

On iPad, open Settings → Access and try Ignore repeat taps (for double hits) or Hold to activate (for brushing and dragging). On the web, use Settings → Accessibility → Minimum touch duration . Start with the shortest time that solves the problem. Details .

Question 13

The communicator keeps leaving the app.

Accepted Answer

Use Guided Access on iPad to lock the device into Model Communicator. Steps here . On a Chromebook, the Chrome extension opens the app full screen with no tabs or address bar.

Question 14

The tiles are too small to hit.

Accepted Answer

On iPad, choose a smaller grid (bigger tiles) under Grid size , and turn on High contrast for larger labels. On the web, turn on Large touch targets and Large text under Accessibility. A keyguard or a stylus can help as well. Ask your SLP or OT.

Question 15

Does it work with switches or eye gaze?

Accepted Answer

The iPad app is built for Apple's Switch Control and VoiceOver : every tile and button is labeled, hidden and empty tiles are kept out of the scan order, and the press-and-hold shortcuts all have named actions. Turn these on in the iPad's Settings app under Accessibility. iPadOS Eye Tracking is a system feature set up in the same place. We are still gathering real-world feedback from switch and eye gaze users, so if you use them, please tell us how it goes. The web app does not have built-in switch scanning yet.

Question 16

How do I move our boards to a new iPad?

Accepted Answer

On the old iPad: Settings → Boards → Back up boards… and save or AirDrop the file. On the new iPad: Settings → Boards → Restore boards… and choose the file. Photos and recorded sounds travel with it. Full steps .

Question 17

Do iPad edits sync to the web app, or to another iPad?

Accepted Answer

Not automatically. The iPad app has no account and no cloud connection, by design. Use Back up and Restore to copy boards between iPads. The web app has the same editor (press and hold the ✏️ pencil) and the same Back up / Restore under Settings → Boards, and both read the same .moco file, so a set of custom tiles can move between an iPad and a browser too.

Question 18

Does it work without internet?

Accepted Answer

iPad: yes, completely. Everything is inside the app. Web: yes, after the app has been opened once with a connection in that browser. How to prepare for offline use .

Question 19

The web app looks broken or out of date.

Accepted Answer

Reload the page while online. If it still looks wrong, open Settings → System → Clear Download Cache , then reload. This downloads a fresh copy of everything. You will need to download the MoCo Child voice again if you were using it.

Question 20

Picture symbols are not showing on the web.

Accepted Answer

If you see Picture symbols couldn't load, showing words only , the device was offline before those symbols were saved, or a network filter is blocking them. Tap Retry once you are online. On school networks, ask IT to allow modelcommunicator.com and tapspeaksymbols.blob.core.windows.net .

Question 21

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Accepted Answer

The native app is for iPad. On phones and Android tablets, use the web app and add it to the home screen. Native Android and Fire tablet versions are in the works.

Question 22

Is it really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. There are no subscriptions, no in-app purchases, no premium tier and no ads. Communication is a right.

Question 23

What do you know about what my child says?

Accepted Answer

Nothing. Messages are never recorded or sent anywhere. The iPad app collects no data at all and has no account. The web app stores tile tap counts for the Activity Map only if you sign in. Details are in the Privacy Policy .

Question 24

Can we use it alongside another AAC app or device?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many families use Model Communicator as a backup, as a trial while waiting for a funded device, or on a second device. Boards can move between apps in Open Board Format. If the communicator already has a system they know well, talk to their SLP before switching. Consistency matters.

Question 25

My child just presses the same tile over and over.

Accepted Answer

That is normal and healthy. It is exploration, like a baby babbling. Respond to it as if it means something, model something related, and do not take the device away. The modeling guide has more.

Question 26

How do I report a bug or ask for a feature?

Accepted Answer

Use Report a problem in the app's Settings, or the issue form . Include the device, the app version (shown at the bottom of Settings) and what you expected to happen. For anything else, contact us .

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Sound and voice

Settings, editing and locked things

Touch and access

Devices, backup and offline

Cost, privacy and everything else

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