Getting Started
Phonetic Formatter converts English text into rule-based IPA transcription. Phonetic conversion runs locally on your device.
Basic Workflow
- Enter or paste English text into the input field, or tap the camera button to scan a document or choose a photo for on-device OCR import (English only, Pro).
- Select the display format:
- Sentence-level transcription
- Word-aligned transcription (Pro)
- (Optional) Configure left and right IPA wrapping symbols.
- Tap Generate to produce phonetic output.
- Copy results directly, or export (Pro) in supported formats.
Usage Limits
Free Version
- Sentence-level and IPA-only formats
- Up to 400 words per conversion
- One conversion per day (includes manual input and OCR); copying results does not use this quota
- After the daily limit, you may watch one rewarded ad for one extra conversion that day (once per day)
- In-app ads may appear; loading ads usually requires an internet connection
- No export
Pro (Monthly Subscription or Lifetime Purchase)
- Ad-free experience; works completely offline
- Sentence-level, word-aligned, and IPA-only formats
- Document scanning and text extraction (OCR)
- Up to 6,000 words per conversion
- Unlimited conversions
- Export support (TXT, DOCX, PDF)
Technical Overview
Phonetic Formatter is a deterministic, rule-based IPA formatting engine designed for accurate processing of real-world English text.
Core characteristics:
- Rule-based sentence boundary detection
- Context-aware tokenization (punctuation, quotation marks, hyphen variants, numeric formats)
- Support for signed numbers and percentage forms
- Unicode-aware text normalization
- Phonetic conversion runs fully offline on your device
- On-device document scanning and OCR text extraction (Apple Vision framework, English only, Pro)
- Powered by the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (Carnegie Mellon University)
- Output rendered using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
Your input text and phonetic results are not uploaded to our servers. The free tier may use an internet connection for third-party in-app ads (such as rewarded videos); Pro has no in-app ads.
Exporting Results
Pro users may export generated transcription results in the following formats:
- TXT — Plain text format
- DOCX — Microsoft Word document format
- PDF — Portable Document Format
To export:
- Generate transcription output.
- Tap Export.
- Select the desired format from the system share sheet.
Note: Available export destinations depend on device configuration and installed applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Free and Pro?
Free:
• 1 conversion per day (copying results does not use this quota); watch a rewarded ad for 1 extra conversion after you hit the limit (once per day)
• Up to 400 words per conversion
• By-sentence and IPA-only formats
• No export
Pro:
• Unlimited conversions
• Ad-free experience
• Up to 6,000 words per conversion
• Word-aligned, by-sentence, and IPA-only formats
• Scan & import text (OCR)
• Choose which pronunciation to use
• Export TXT / DOCX / PDF
• 1 conversion per day (copying results does not use this quota); watch a rewarded ad for 1 extra conversion after you hit the limit (once per day)
• Up to 400 words per conversion
• By-sentence and IPA-only formats
• No export
Pro:
• Unlimited conversions
• Ad-free experience
• Up to 6,000 words per conversion
• Word-aligned, by-sentence, and IPA-only formats
• Scan & import text (OCR)
• Choose which pronunciation to use
• Export TXT / DOCX / PDF
How do I unlock Pro?
Open Settings → Unlock Pro. Choose a monthly subscription (auto-renews, cancel anytime in Apple subscription settings) or a one-time lifetime purchase. Pro stays active until a subscription expires or is refunded.
How can I remove in-app ads?
Upgrade to Pro to completely remove all in-app ads and enjoy an uninterrupted phonetic transcription experience.
You can upgrade by going to Settings and selecting "Unlock Pro," with options for a monthly subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.
You can upgrade by going to Settings and selecting "Unlock Pro," with options for a monthly subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.
Can I restore my Pro purchase on another device?
Yes. Use Restore Purchase where available after a purchase flow, or manage through your Apple ID. Ensure you are signed in with the same Apple ID used for the original purchase.
What dictionary does the app use?
The app uses the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, a standard reference for North American English. We add custom logic for sentence flow and stress marking.
Does the app support British pronunciation?
The current version supports American English only. British variants are not supported yet.
What happens if a word is not found in the dictionary?
In sentence mode (available to all users), words not found in the CMU dictionary are displayed as-is.
In word-aligned mode (Pro only), missing words appear as placeholder symbols.
In word-aligned mode (Pro only), missing words appear as placeholder symbols.
How does scan / OCR import work?
Pro users can tap the camera button to scan a document or choose a photo. Text is recognized on your device (English only) and inserted into the input field. You can edit it before transcribing. No text is sent to our servers.
What is Word-Aligned Transcription?
Word-aligned mode lists each word with its IPA under sentence groupings—useful for teaching, annotation, and study materials. Pro only.
What is the reading view?
The reading view is a full-screen mode for your IPA results, with a clearer layout, better word–IPA pairing, and adjustable font size, line spacing, and token spacing. Tap the eyeglasses icon in the output footer to open it.
What are the L and R fields for?
L (left) and R (right) optionally delimit the IPA output (e.g., using / / or [ ]). Each field accepts up to two characters. Leave both empty for plain IPA without delimiters.
What does a blue word mean?
Words shown in blue have multiple pronunciations. Tap a blue word to view them. Pro lets you choose which pronunciation to use for display, copying, and exporting.
Can I choose which pronunciation to use?
Yes, with Pro. Tap a blue word and select a pronunciation. Your choice applies to that occurrence for display, copying, and exporting.
Does the app require an internet connection?
Phonetic conversion runs entirely on your device. Your input text is never uploaded to our servers.
The free tier requires an internet connection only for ad-related features (such as rewarded videos) provided by third-party services. Pro has no in-app ads and works completely offline.
The free tier requires an internet connection only for ad-related features (such as rewarded videos) provided by third-party services. Pro has no in-app ads and works completely offline.
Is any user data collected?
We do not collect or upload your input text. Phonetic processing runs entirely offline on your device.
To support the free tier, the app may display third-party ads. If you prefer to limit ad tracking, you can manage your preferences anytime in iOS Settings (via App Tracking Transparency). Pro has an ad-free experience.
See the Privacy Policy for more details.
To support the free tier, the app may display third-party ads. If you prefer to limit ad tracking, you can manage your preferences anytime in iOS Settings (via App Tracking Transparency). Pro has an ad-free experience.
See the Privacy Policy for more details.
Troubleshooting
Transcription is not generated
- Confirm text is entered in the input field.
- Verify that usage limits have not been exceeded (Free version).
- Ensure the text is in English.
- Restart the application if necessary.
Scan / OCR does not insert text
- Document scanning and OCR require Pro.
- Grant camera or photo library permissions when prompted.
- OCR supports English text only; try a clearer photo or rescan.
- Edit recognized text in the input field before generating transcription.
Export is unavailable
- Export functionality requires Pro.
- Confirm transcription output has been generated.
- Ensure sufficient device storage is available.
Rewarded ad or extra conversion
- The extra daily conversion requires a completed rewarded ad and usually an internet connection.
- Closing the ad early may not grant the reward.
- Upgrade to Pro for unlimited conversions and no in-app ads.
Purchase or subscription issues
- Open Settings → Unlock Pro to choose a monthly subscription or lifetime purchase.
- Monthly subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the billing period ends (manage in Apple ID subscription settings).
- Use Restore Purchase if Pro is not recognized.
- Confirm you are signed in with the correct Apple ID.
- Refunds and subscription changes are handled by Apple Support.
App crashes or performance issues
- Restart the device.
- Ensure your iOS version meets App Store requirements.
- Close background applications to free memory.
- Reinstall the app if necessary.
- Contact support if the issue persists.
Contact
For technical questions, bug reports, or feedback:
Email: [email protected]
Please include:
- iOS version
- App version
- A brief description of the issue
- (Optional) Example text if related to transcription behavior
Typical response time: 24–48 hours.
Open Email Client