> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.liveavatar.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Push-to-Talk

> Explicit control over when user speech starts and ends

Push-to-Talk (PTT) gives you deterministic control over speech boundaries instead of relying on automatic voice activity detection.

## When to use PTT

* Users with non-linear or thoughtful conversational patterns
* Scenarios where short pauses shouldn't signal speech completion
* Applications requiring precise control over speech boundaries
* Custom UI/UX (press-and-hold buttons, toggles, keyboard shortcuts)

## How it works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start PTT">
    Your application sends `user.start_push_to_talk`. The system begins buffering audio.
  </Step>

  <Step title="User speaks">
    The user talks freely — pauses, corrections, and hesitations are all captured. No response is generated yet.
  </Step>

  <Step title="End PTT">
    Your application sends `user.stop_push_to_talk`. Audio capture stops.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Processing & Response">
    The avatar processes the captured audio and delivers a response.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Audio outside PTT windows is ignored.

## Setup

Set `interactivity_type` to `PUSH_TO_TALK` when creating the session token:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mode": "FULL",
  "interactivity_type": "PUSH_TO_TALK",
  "avatar_id": "<avatar_id>",
  "avatar_persona": {
    "voice_id": "<voice_id>",
    "context_id": "<context_id>"
  }
}
```

## Events

### Commands (you send)

| Event                     | Description                                 |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `user.start_push_to_talk` | Signal that the user is beginning to speak. |
| `user.stop_push_to_talk`  | Signal that the user has finished speaking. |

### Responses (you receive)

| Event                            | Description               |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| `user.push_to_talk_started`      | PTT successfully started. |
| `user.push_to_talk_start_failed` | PTT failed to start.      |
| `user.push_to_talk_stopped`      | PTT successfully stopped. |
| `user.push_to_talk_stop_failed`  | PTT failed to stop.       |

## UI recommendations

Map PTT controls to familiar patterns:

* **Press-and-hold** button (walkie-talkie style)
* **Toggle switch** (tap to start, tap to stop)
* **Keyboard shortcut** (spacebar hold)
* **Touch or controller input** for mobile/VR