Bring boards from another app

Already have boards in another AAC app — Snap Core First, Boardmaker, TouchChat, LAMP — or on paper? You don't have to rebuild them from scratch. SpeakAnyWay can bring them in two ways: from an OBF / OBZ export file, or from a screenshot or photo. Both land you on an editable board you own.

What you'll need

• A SpeakAnyWay account (free works)
• Either an OBF / OBZ file exported from your other app, or a clear screenshot/photo of the board you want to bring in

Where to start

1. Go to Make a board (app.speakanyway.com/boards/new).
2. Under Choose how to start, you'll see four tiles. Two of them are for bringing boards in:
   • Import OBF / OBZ — for boards you exported from another app as an OBF or OBZ file.
   • Import a screenshot — for a photo or screenshot of a board (paper or on-screen).

Pick whichever matches what you have.

Option A — Import an OBF / OBZ file

OBF (.obf) and OBZ (.obz) are the open file formats most AAC apps use to export boards. If your other app can "export board" or "share board file," this is the cleaner path — it brings the layout and words across, not just an image.

1. On /boards/new, click the Import OBF / OBZ tile.
2. Step 1 — Pick a file. Drop your .obf or .obz file on the dropzone, or click Choose file to browse. Files up to 25 MB are accepted. SpeakAnyWay analyzes the file first so you can confirm what's coming in before anything is created.
3. When it finishes, you'll see Analyzed — ready to import and "Looks good — we found everything we need," along with how many boards and buttons SpeakAnyWay found. (There's a Show technical details link if you want to inspect the raw data — and, for .obz files, the manifest.) If the file can't be read as a board, you'll get a message saying so instead, and the import step won't open — re-export it from the other app and try again.
4. Step 2 — What about the symbols? Many OBZ files bundle proprietary symbol sets (SymbolStix, PCS, etc.). Pick how to handle the images:
   • Import structure only (Recommended) — brings in the boards, layout, and words, but skips the bundled images. You re-add images from SpeakAnyWay's library (or real photos) afterward.
   • Import structure and bundled images — brings in everything, including the file's images. Only choose this if you have a license that allows redistributing those symbols to your account. Imported images stay private to your account.
5. Click Import board. When it's done you'll see board ready with a preview, plus Open board and, for an .obz with several boards, View imported set. The boards are new boards in your account — edit, rename, or delete them any time. Buttons that opened other pages in the file still open them.

Option B — Import from a screenshot or photo

No export file? Snap a photo. This works for a printed paper board, a laminated binder page, or a screenshot from any app.

1. On /boards/new, click the Import a screenshot tile.
2. (Optional) Give the board a name and, if you know it, the number of columns. Clear the number to let SpeakAnyWay try to detect the grid from the image.
3. Paste an image, or click Choose File and pick a screenshot or photo of the board.
4. Click Upload. You'll land on a review page while AI finds the grid and reads each word. It usually takes under a minute, and you can leave the page and find the import under Screenshots later.
5. When it says Ready to review, check what it found: the number of tiles, the grid, and each word. Fix any word it read wrong, or drag a tile to move it.
6. Click Create board. SpeakAnyWay builds the board and finds images for the words; any word without an image yet, you can add one to in the editor.

Screenshot import uses AI, so it draws on your AI credits — see AI credits and costs. A clear, straight-on photo with readable labels gives the best result.

After importing

• The imported board lands in your account like any other board. Open it in the editor to fix labels, swap images, adjust colors, or rearrange tiles — see Edit a board.
• Nothing is assigned to a communicator automatically. Use Assign to communicator from the board's ⋯ menu when it's ready.
• Imports aren't always perfect — an odd label or a missing image is normal. Treat the imported board as a strong starting point, then tidy it up.

Common questions

• Which apps export OBF/OBZ? Many AAC apps can export boards as .obf or .obz files — CoughDrop is one. Look for "export" or "share" in your app's menu. If your app doesn't offer it, try Import a screenshot instead.
• My import is missing images. That's expected if you chose Import structure only (the recommended option). Add images per tile from SpeakAnyWay's library, or upload real photos — see Edit a board.
• Can I import several boards at once? An OBZ file can contain a whole linked board set, and SpeakAnyWay brings the set in together — each board uses one of your plan's board slots. A single .obf file or a screenshot makes one board.
• The screenshot import got the grid wrong. Try again with the number of columns filled in, or use a cleaner, straight-on photo. You can also just fix the layout in the editor afterward.
• Is my imported board private? Yes — imported boards (and any images you brought with them) are private to your account by default.

Still stuck?

Email hello@speakanyway.com with the file or screenshot you're trying to import and a note on what went wrong. Real person, usually within a day.