Build a board from scratch

The free generator is great for a fast first board. But once you're signed in and ready to build something for a specific communicator, the New board page gives you the controls the generator skips — name, age range, grid size, voice, and your own seed words. You can let AI fill it in, type the words yourself, or start blank. Here's the whole flow.

What you'll need

• A SpeakAnyWay account, signed in (free works, though free accounts have a board limit — see Plans and slot limits)
• A topic or a list of words you want on the board — or neither, if you'd rather start blank
• A couple of minutes

Open the New board page

1. From your dashboard, go to New board (the page lives at app.speakanyway.com/boards/new).
2. You'll see four starting points: Build a board, Import OBF / OBZ, Import a screenshot, and Build from a menu.
3. Build a board is selected by default. That's the one this article covers — naming a board and filling it yourself or with AI, no import or generator needed.

The other three tiles are for bringing in a board you already have (OBF/OBZ file), turning a photo of a board into a real one, or turning a restaurant menu into a board. This article stays on Build a board.

Fill in the basics

The basics card is the only required part.

1. Board name — the one thing you have to fill in. Name it for what it's for: Morning routine, Snack choices, Feelings check-in.
2. Age range (optional) — choose 2–3, 4–6, 7–10, 11–14, 15+, or leave it on Any age. This tunes the words AI suggests. Skip it and AI picks based on the situation you describe.
3. Tags (optional) — add a few to make the board easier to find later.

That's enough to create a board. Everything below is about what goes on it.

Choose what goes on the board

The What goes on the board card — labeled Help me fill it in — is where you decide how the cells get filled. Pick one of three tabs along the top, and switch between them anytime before you create the board.

Tell a situation. Describe what's happening in a sentence or two — "choosing what to do at the park" or "a snack break after school." AI reads it and suggests AAC words that fit. Set how many words you want (1 to 50 — the chips cover common grid sizes like 9, 12, 16, 20), then tap Generate words. The words appear as chips you can edit before creating. Not sure what to write? Tap Need an idea? for topic suggestions you can drop straight in.

List specific words. Type the exact words you want, separated by commas or new lines — swing, slide, snack, home, more. They go on the board as-is. Want a few more to round it out? Tap Generate words and AI adds complementary ones, skipping anything you already typed.

Start blank. Create the board with just the name, grid, and voice you picked, and add words by hand later. No AI, no typing — handy when you'd rather build it cell by cell yourself.

Set the grid and voice (optional)

On the right side (or below, on a phone) you'll find two small cards:

• Grid — how many columns show on small, medium, and large screens. More columns means smaller cells and more words per screen; fewer columns means bigger, easier targets. You can change this any time later.
• Voice — the language and the speaking voice for this board. Leave it and the board uses your account default. See Pick a voice for the full list.

Create the board

When the basics are filled in, tap Create board in the bar at the bottom of the screen. (The Clear button next to it resets the form if you want to start over.)

SpeakAnyWay builds the board and takes you to a generating screen while it works. When it's ready, you'll land on the board itself — every cell editable. From here you can fix labels, swap pictures, and rearrange cells: see Edit a board.

What to expect

• The board name is the only hard requirement. If you tap Create without one, the page scrolls back up and asks for it. Everything else is optional.
• Generated boards are a starting point. AI gets you most of the way; expect to swap a few pictures and tweak a few words once you see how your communicator reacts.
• "Generate words" needs something to work from. It uses your situation text, or the board name if the situation is empty. If both are blank, it'll ask you for a topic first.
• Nothing here is permanent. Grid size, voice, words, pictures — all editable after the board exists. Don't agonize over getting it perfect up front.

Common questions

• How is this different from the free board generator? The free generator is the no-signup, one-box-and-go tool for your very first board. Build a board lives inside your account and gives you the extra controls — name, age range, grid, voice, your own seed words — plus the choice to start blank. Same AI underneath; more dials.
• Do I have to use AI at all? No. On the List specific words tab, type your words and create the board without tapping Generate. Or use the Start blank tab and add cells by hand.
• What's the difference between "Tell a situation" and "List specific words"? A situation is a sentence about what the board is for — AI reads it and picks fitting words. The words on List specific words are the exact words you want placed, no interpretation. Pick whichever fits.
• Can I change the grid size after creating? Yes. It's editable on the board later, so the choice here isn't final.
• What about importing a board I already have? That's a different tile — Import OBF / OBZ for a file, or Import a screenshot to turn a photo of a board into a real one. Both sit next to Build a board on the same page.