How it works
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Copy Anywhere
Grab text from a browser, PDF, email, ChatGPT answer, document, or editor. Sorrel reads the clipboard only when you ask it to.
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Press Option-Command-V
Use the global hotkey from any Mac app. Sorrel opens, cleans the text, and starts playback.
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Hear System Voice
Sorrel uses your Mac's selected System Voice. Choose the voice in System Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content.
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Skip The Noise
Cleanup presets strip links, markdown tables, code fences, citations, footnotes, and spacing noise before speech begins.
Your Mac's voice, not a private Siri API
Sorrel uses macOS system speech. If you choose a Siri voice in Spoken Content and macOS makes it available to system speech, Sorrel follows that setting. iPhone and iPad apps cannot use Siri voices through Apple's public AVSpeechSynthesizer API.
Local first. Cloud only if you choose it.
- Copy — You copy text in another app or paste text into Sorrel.
- Clean — Local rules remove enabled noise patterns.
- Speak Locally — Mac System Voice generates speech on the Mac.
- Save Locally — Optional history and audio cache stay on device.
- Advanced Cloud — Only if you choose a cloud voice, filtered text is sent over HTTPS to that provider using your key.
Compatibility
- Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
- iPhone/iPad companion is deferred and does not support Siri/System Voice.
FAQ
Does this use Siri?
Sorrel uses your Mac's selected System Voice. If that System Voice is a Siri voice and macOS exposes it to system speech, Sorrel follows that setting. It does not use a private Siri API.
Can the iPhone app do this?
No. Apple does not expose Siri voices to third-party iOS apps through AVSpeechSynthesizer. iOS can use Apple Enhanced/Premium voices, Personal Voice, or optional cloud voices.
Does Sorrel monitor my clipboard?
No. It reads the clipboard only when you paste, press the hotkey, use a command, or invoke a shortcut.
Does text leave my Mac?
Not for System Voice playback. Optional cloud voices send filtered text to the selected provider over HTTPS using your key.
Do I need an API key?
No. API keys are only for optional advanced cloud voices.