How to Use ElevenLabs in 2026: Create AI Voices in Minutes

Quick Start

This guide covers every ElevenLabs feature:

• Commencer — Create account and basic setup
• How to Use Text to Speech — Turn any text into realistic AI voice audio
• How to Use Voice Cloning — Create a digital copy of any voice in minutes
• How to Use Speech to Speech — Transform your voice into any AI voice
• How to Use AI Dubbing — Dub videos into 29+ languages automatically
• How to Use Sound Effects — Generate custom audio from text prompts
• How to Use Voiceover Studio — Edit multi-speaker audio with a timeline
• How to Use Conversational AI Agents — Build voice chatbots that talk in real time

Time needed: 5 minutes per feature

Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Dépannage | Tarification | Alternatives

Why Trust This Guide

I’ve used ElevenLabs for over a year and tested every feature covered here. This how to use ElevenLabs article comes from real hands-on experience — not marketing fluff or vendor screenshots.

ElevenLabs is one of the most powerful AI voix generation tools available today.

But most users only scratch the surface of what it can do.

This guide shows you how to use every major feature.

Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.

ElevenLabs Tutorial

This complete ElevenLabs tutorial walks you through every feature step by step, from initial setup to advanced tips that will make you a power user.

ElevenLabs

Turn any texte into ultra-realistic AI speech in 32+ languages. ElevenLabs gives you voice cloning, dubbing, sound effects, and conversational AI agents — all in one platform. Start free with 10,000 characters per month.

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ELEVENLABS ALTERNATIVES →

Premiers pas avec ElevenLabs

Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.

It takes about 3 minutes.

Watch this quick overview first:

Now let’s walk through each step.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to elevenlabs.io and click “Sign Up.”

Enter your email or sign up with Google.

Create a password and verify your email.

✓ Checkpoint: Vérifiez votre boîte de réception for a confirmation email.

Step 2: Access the Dashboard

ElevenLabs works entirely in your web browser.

No downloads needed — just log in at elevenlabs.io.

Here’s what the dashboard looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see the main dashboard with Text to Speech on the left sidebar.

Step 3: Choose Your Plan

The free plan gives you 10,000 characters per month.

That’s enough to test every feature in this guide.

Upgrade to Starter ($5/month) for commercial use rights.

How to Use ElevenLabs Text to Speech

Synthèse vocale lets you turn any written text into natural AI voice audio.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Text to Speech in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Text to Speech Panel

Click “Text to Speech” in the left sidebar of your dashboard.

You’ll see a text box where you type or paste your script.

Step 2: Select a Voice and Model

Click the voice dropdown to browse pre-made voix.

Filter by gender, accent, age, and use case.

Choose a model — Eleven v3 gives the most expressive results.

Here’s what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see your chosen voice name displayed above the text box.

Step 3: Adjust Settings and Generate

Fine-tune Stability, Similarity, and Style sliders.

Higher Stability means more consistent output.

Click “Generate” and listen to your audio.

Download as MP3 or WAV when you’re happy with it.

How to Use ElevenLabs Voice Cloning

Clonage vocal lets you create a digital replica of any voice from an audio sample.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Voice Cloning in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Voices Section

Click “Voices” in the left sidebar of your dashboard.

Click “Add a new voice” and select “Instant Voice Clone.

Step 2: Upload Your Audio Sample

Upload 1-2 minutes of clear audio without background noise.

Record in a quiet room for the best results.

Name your voice and confirm you own the rights.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see your new voice listed under the “Personal” tab.

Step 3: Use Your Cloned Voice

Go back to Text to Speech and select your cloned voice.

Type any text and click “Generate.”

Your cloned voice will read the text with natural inflection.

How to Use ElevenLabs Speech to Speech

Parole à parole lets you record your voice and transform it into any AI voice.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Speech to Speech in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Speech to Speech Tool

In the Text to Speech panel, scroll down to the “Dictation” section.

You’ll see a microphone icon at the bottom.

Step 2: Record Your Audio

Click the microphone icon and speak naturally.

Record with the emotion and pacing you want in the output.

The AI will match your delivery style exactly.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see the audio waveform of your recording.

Step 3: Choose a Target Voice and Generate

Select any voice from the library or your cloned voices.

Click “Generate” to convert your speech.

The output keeps your pacing but uses the selected voice.

How to Use ElevenLabs AI Dubbing

Doublage par IA lets you translate and dub videos into 29+ languages automatically.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch AI Dubbing in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Dubbing Studio

Click “Dubbing” in the left sidebar of your dashboard.

Click “Create Dub” to start a new project.

Step 2: Upload Your Video and Choose Languages

Upload your video file or paste a YouTube URL.

Select the source language and target language.

ElevenLabs supports 29 languages including Spanish, French, and Japanese.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see speaker cards with the transcribed and translated text.

Step 3: Review and Export

Edit the translation directly in the speaker cards if needed.

Click clips on the timeline to adjust timing and regenerate audio.

Click “Export” to download your dubbed video.

How to Use ElevenLabs Sound Effects

Bruitage lets you generate custom audio from text descriptions.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Sound Effects in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Sound Effects Tool

Click “Sound Effects” in the left sidebar.

You’ll see a text input field at the top.

Step 2: Describe the Sound You Want

Type a detailed description of the sound effect.

Be specific — “rain on a metal roof at night” works better than “rain.”

Click “Generate” and ElevenLabs creates four samples.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see four playable audio clips below your prompt.

Step 3: Preview and Download

Listen to each sample and pick your favorite.

Click the download icon to save the file.

All generated sound effects are royalty-free for commercial use.

How to Use ElevenLabs Voiceover Studio

Voiceover Studio lets you edit multi-speaker audio projects with a timeline.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Create a New Voiceover Project

Click “Voiceover Studio” under Audio Tools in the sidebar.

Click “Create a new voiceover” to start.

Step 2: Add Speakers and Write Dialogue

Click “Add Voiceover Track” to add a speaker.

Click on the timeline to create a clip for that speaker.

Write your text in the speaker card above and click “Generate.”

✓ Checkpoint: You should see audio clips on the timeline for each speaker.

Step 3: Add Sound Effects and Export

Add a SFX track and create sound effect clips between dialogue.

Drag clips to adjust timing on the timeline.

Click “Export” to download your finished audio.

How to Use ElevenLabs Conversational AI Agents

Conversational AI Agents lets you build voice chatbots that talk in real time.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open the Agents Platform

Click “Conversational AI” in the left sidebar.

Click “Create Agent” to start building.

Step 2: Configure Your Agent

Choose a voice for your agent from the voice library.

Set up the system prompt to define your agent’s personality.

Add a knowledge base so the agent can answer specific questions.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see the agent configuration panel with voice and prompt settings.

Step 3: Test and Deploy

Click “Test” to have a live voice conversation with your agent.

Deploy to phone, web widget, or WhatsApp when ready.

Monitor conversations in real time from the dashboard.

How to Use ElevenLabs Voice Design

Conception vocale lets you create brand-new voices from a text description.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open Voice Design

Go to “Voices” and click “Add a new voice.”

Select “Voice Design” from the options.

Step 2: Describe Your Ideal Voice

Type a description like “warm British male narrator, age 40, calm.”

Select the gender, age range, and accent.

Click “Generate” to create the voice.

✓ Checkpoint: You should hear a preview of your designed voice.

Step 3: Save and Use

If you like the result, save it to your voice library.

Generate new variations if the first result isn’t perfect.

Use your designed voice in any ElevenLabs tool.

ElevenLabs Pro Tips and Shortcuts

After testing ElevenLabs for over a year, here are my best tips.

Audio Tags for Expressive Control

Hidden Features Most People Miss

• Voice Remixing: Change a voice’s accent, gender, or tone using text prompts without re-cloning it.
• SSML Break Tags: Add <break time=”1.5s” /> in your text for precise pause control between sentences.
• Regeneration Trick: You can regenerate speech twice in the web app, giving you three versions to choose from for each generation.

ElevenLabs Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Using Noisy Audio for Voice Cloning

Mistake #2: Maxing Out Style Exaggeration

Mistake #3: Generating Short Text Snippets

ElevenLabs Troubleshooting

Problem: Generated Audio Has Strange Artifacts

Cause: Audio artifacts at the beginning or end are common with AI-generated speech.

Réparer: Add a period before your text to stabilize the output. Use Audacity to trim any unwanted sounds after downloading.

Problem: Voice Clone Doesn’t Sound Like Me

Cause: Inconsistent recording quality or mixed audio styles in your samples.

Réparer: Record all samples in the same location, with the same microphone. Keep your tone and energy consistent throughout.

Problem: Credits Running Out Too Fast

Cause: Different models consume credits at different rates. The Multilingual v2 model uses 1 credit per character.

Réparer: Switch to Flash/Turbo models for drafts at 0.5 credits per character. Save the high-quality model for final renders only.

📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact ElevenLabs support.

Qu'est-ce qu'ElevenLabs ?

ElevenLabs is an AI voice generation platform that turns text into ultra-realistic speech.

Think of it like having a professional voice actor on demand — available 24/7 in 32+ languages.

Watch this quick overview:

It includes these key features:

• Synthèse vocale : Convert any text into natural-sounding voice audio in 32+ languages.
• Clonage vocal : Create a digital replica of any voice from a short audio sample.
• Speech to Speech: Transform your voice recording into any AI voice while keeping emotion and pacing.
• AI Dubbing: Automatically translate and dub videos into 29+ languages.
• Bruitage: Generate custom audio effects from text descriptions.
• Voiceover Studio: Build multi-speaker audio projects with a timeline editor.
• Conversational AI Agents: Deploy voice chatbots for customer support and sales.
• Conception vocale : Create brand-new voices from text descriptions.

For a full review, see our ElevenLabs review.

ElevenLabs Pricing

Here’s what ElevenLabs costs in 2026:

Essai gratuit : Yes — the Free plan gives you 10,000 characters per month forever.

Garantie de remboursement : No refunds, but you can cancel anytime before the next billing cycle.

💰 Best Value: Creator plan at $18.33/month — it unlocks Professional Voice Cloning and 100,000 characters, which covers most content creators.

ElevenLabs vs Alternatives

How does ElevenLabs compare? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: ElevenLabs — most realistic voices with the widest feature set
• Best budget: Speechify — solid free plan for basic text-to-speech reading
• Best for beginners: Murf AI — simple interface with drag-and-drop editing
• Best for video editors: Descript — all-in-one video and audio editing with AI voice

🎯 ElevenLabs Alternatives

Looking for ElevenLabs alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🚀 Murf IA : Enterprise-grade voiceovers with 120+ voices and a built-in monteur vidéo for marketing teams.
• 💰 Discourir: Free text-to-speech reader that works on web, mobile, and Chrome extension for daily reading.
• 🎨 Description : Full video and podcast editor with AI voice, transcription, and screen recording in one app.
• ⚡ Jouer.ht : Ultra-realistic AI voices with an API built for developers and podcast creators.
• 🧠 Lovo AI: AI voiceover platform with 500+ voices and a built-in video creator for marketing content.
• 🔒 Listnr: Text-to-speech with podcast hosting built in, ideal for creators who want one tool for everything.
• 👶 Podcastle: Beginner-friendly podcast editor with AI voice, recording, and publishing tools included.
• 🏢 Doublage: Multilingual voiceover platform with avatar video creation for global marketing campaigns.
• 🌟 Laboratoires WellSaid : Enterprise voice production with custom branded voices and team collaboration features.
• 🔧 Revoice : abordable générateur de voix IA with 80+ voices and one-click audio generation.
• 📊 Haut-parleur de lecture: Custom enterprise TTS with on-premise deployment for businesses needing full data control.
• ⭐ Lecteur naturel: Simple text-to-speech tool that reads documents, PDFs, and web pages aloud.
• 🎯 Modifié: Voice changing and performance-driven AI audio for game developers and content studios.
• 💼 Speechelo: One-time payment voice generator with 30+ voices — no monthly subscription needed.
• 🔥 TTS OpenAI : OpenAI’s text-to-speech API with six high-quality voices and simple developer integration.
• 🧠 Hume IA : Emotionally intelligent voice AI that detects and responds to user emotions in real time.

For the full list, see our Alternatives à ElevenLabs guide.

⚔️ ElevenLabs Compared

Here’s how ElevenLabs stacks up against each competitor:

• ElevenLabs contre Murf IA : ElevenLabs wins on voice realism and cloning. Murf AI wins on built-in video editing for marketing teams.
• ElevenLabs contre Speechify: ElevenLabs is better for creating voiceovers. Speechify is better for reading text aloud on the go.
• ElevenLabs contre Descript: ElevenLabs has more realistic voices. Descript offers a full video editor with AI voice included.
• ElevenLabs vs Play.ht: ElevenLabs has more features overall. Play.ht offers a solid API and competitive podcast voices.
• ElevenLabs contre Lovo IA : ElevenLabs sounds more natural. Lovo AI includes a built-in video creator for social content.
• ElevenLabs contre Listnr: ElevenLabs has better voice quality. Listnr bundles podcast hosting with TTS in one platform.
• ElevenLabs contre Podcastle: ElevenLabs is more powerful for voice generation. Podcastle is easier for podcast beginners.
• ElevenLabs vs DupDub: ElevenLabs leads in voice realism. DupDub adds avatar video creation for multilingual marketing.
• ElevenLabs contre WellSaid Labs: ElevenLabs offers more features at lower cost. WellSaid Labs targets enterprise teams needing branded voices.
• ElevenLabs contre Revoicer: ElevenLabs has far more realistic output. Revoice is cheaper for basic voiceover needs.
• ElevenLabs contre ReadSpeaker: ElevenLabs is better for creators. ReadSpeaker targets enterprises needing on-premise deployment.
• ElevenLabs contre NaturalReader: ElevenLabs is better for content creation. NaturalReader is better for reading documents aloud.
• ElevenLabs contre Altered: ElevenLabs has more features. Altered focuses on voice changing for game and film studios.
• ElevenLabs contre Speechelo: ElevenLabs sounds more natural. Speechelo costs a one-time $47 with no monthly fees.
• ElevenLabs vs TTS OpenAI: ElevenLabs has more voices and features. OpenAI TTS offers simple API access for developers.
• ElevenLabs contre Hume AI: ElevenLabs has better voice generation. Hume AI leads in emotion detection and empathic AI agents.

Start Using ElevenLabs Now

You learned how to use every major ElevenLabs feature:

• ✅ Text to Speech
• ✅ Voice Cloning
• ✅ Speech to Speech
• ✅ AI Dubbing
• ✅ Sound Effects
• ✅ Voiceover Studio
• ✅ Conversational AI Agents
• ✅ Voice Design

Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.

Most people start with Text to Speech.

It takes less than 5 minutes.

Foire aux questions

How does ElevenLabs work?

ElevenLabs uses deep learning models to convert text into natural-sounding speech. You type or paste your script, choose a voice, adjust settings like stability and speed, and click Generate. The AI processes your text and produces audio that mimics human speech patterns, emotions, and pacing. It supports 32+ languages and works entirely in your browser.

Can I use ElevenLabs for free?

Yes. ElevenLabs offers a free plan with 10,000 characters per month. You get access to Text to Speech, Instant Voice Cloning, and Sound Effects. The free plan is for non-commercial use only. For commercial projects, you’ll need the Starter plan at $5/month or higher.

Is ElevenLabs safe to use?

Yes. ElevenLabs encrypts your données in transit and at rest. They support SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. Voice cloning requires consent verification — you must confirm you have the right to clone any voice. ElevenLabs also monitors content for misuse and flags AI-generated audio.

Can ElevenLabs clone my voice?

Yes. Instant Voice Cloning needs just 1-2 minutes of clear audio. Professional Voice Cloning (available on Creator plan and above) needs 30+ minutes of recordings for a hyper-realistic clone. Both options let you use the cloned voice across all ElevenLabs tools including TTS, dubbing, and voiceover studio.

À quoi puis-je utiliser ElevenLabs ?

ElevenLabs works for YouTube voiceovers, podcast narration, audiobook production, video dubbing, e-learning content, marketing videos, customer support agents, and game dialogue. Creators, educators, developers, and businesses all use the platform. The API also lets developers build voice features into their own apps.

What happens if you run out of credits in ElevenLabs?

On the free plan, you’ll need to wait until credits reset at the start of your next billing cycle. On Creator plan and above, you can enable usage-based billing to keep generating at an extra per-character cost. Unused credits can roll over for up to two months on active paid subscriptions.

How to get the best out of ElevenLabs?

Use full paragraphs instead of single sentences for more natural output. Match voice selection to your content — choose voices trained in the language you need. Keep Style Exaggeration low (3-5%) for stability. Use audio tags like [whispers] with Eleven v3 for expressive control. Record clean audio for voice cloning in a quiet room.

Is ElevenLabs easy to use?

Yes. ElevenLabs runs entirely in your web browser with no software to download. The interface is clean and the basic workflow — type text, pick a voice, click Generate — takes under a minute. Advanced features like dubbing and voice agents have more steps but include guided setup wizards.