TTS broke on me in the latest update - 25.02.6

Anki Help
1

Version ⁨25.02.6 (6381f184)⁩
Python 3.9.18 Qt 6.6.2 PyQt 6.6.1

Windows 11 Pro.

I upgraded with winget yesterday

Anki Anki.Anki 25.02.6

Background, I have been using my own custom made card templates for years to take advantage of Windows built-in TTS. I have changed absolutely nothing in my card templates for years.

Example:

image
image1544×1008 46.7 KB

Unfortunately, with 25.02.6 TTS stopped working.

The last time it worked was yesterday before this update.

Will rolling back to a previous version fix this? I could pin that version in winget to prevent it upgrading.

1 Like
2

OK, my apologies. I should have tested this before posting.

Rolling back fixed the problem:

winget uninstall Anki.Anki
winget install Anki.Anki --version 25.02.5

I’ve also pinned it to stop it upgrading accidentally:

winget pin add Anki.Anki --version 25.02.5

I’ll keep an eye on this thread in case any explanations are forthcoming allowing me to return to upgrading as normal.

3

There were very few changes between 25.02.5 and 25.02.6.

  1. Would you add your template as text in a code-block, please? (No one can test it in a screenshot.) You’ve shown your back template, but include front and styling in their own code-blocks as well.

  2. Is there anything unique in the relevant field of your note? If so, add that (from the HTML view of the field) in a code-block as well.

  3. When you say “TTS broke” – what does that mean? Was it reading the wrong thing? Not reading anything? Using the wrong voice? At the wrong speed?

  4. Did you to try anything to narrow down what piece of your template stopped working?

2 Likes
5

OK, I upgraded to 25.02.6 again and it broke the TTS again. So there’s no doubt that version is breaking it (for me at least) for some reason. It was no longer reading out French text. I restarted the PC to see if that would fix it, but nope.

I rolled back to 25.02.5 again and it began reading out the French text, like normal.

I don’t even need to give you my elaborate card template code. That would overly complicate things, when this is enough:

I created a test-profile, and clicked Add Card.

Front: Ce bug joue à cache-cache, mais on va gagner.
Back: This bug’s playing hide and seek, but we’re going to win.

Then I clicked the ‘Cards’ button to change the Front template:

{{Front}}

{{tts fr_FR:Front}}

That’s it. Click ‘Study Now’.

Anki 25.02.5: The card appears and the TTS (female French voice) reads out the phrase “Ce bug joue à cache-cache, mais on va gagner.”

Anki 25.02.6: No TTS audio at all. I just see the card. No audio whatsoever.

Roll back to Anki 25.02.5, and it starts working again.

Note, the TTS tag causes a speaker icon to appear next to the French phrase. That IS visible in both Anki 25.02.5 AND Anki 25.02.6. It’s only the audio that stops working in Anki 25.02.6.

Is this unique to my system maybe? I can’t help noticing that there’s not a single other report about this. But then I’ve noticed not many seem to use the built in TTS tags, tending to use popular TTS Add-ons instead.

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro. Version 24H2. OS Build 26100.4351.

1 Like
6

just in case this helps, have you tried disabling add-ons?

7

Thanks, that minimum reproducible case helps a lot!

Since there were a lot of security updates in those patch builds, definitely check what happens in safe mode – Troubleshooting Checklist #2 Troubleshooting - Anki Manual .

The final thing that I think would help is for you to go to Help > About – click “Copy Debug Info” and paste that here.

8

I don’t have any add-ons installed at all.

9

No worries, @Danika_Dakika. Unfortunately, Safe mode didn’t change a thing.

This is the debug info:

Anki 25.02.6 (6381f184)
Python 3.9.18 Qt 6.6.2 PyQt 6.6.1
Platform: Windows-10-10.0.26100

10

To see a list of all available languages/voices, place the following on your card template:

{{tts-voices:}}
1 Like
11

That’s an interesting idea @Keks ! Maybe the template just isn’t connecting to the TTS voice anymore. @ljredux , that’s not to say you can’t use this voice again, but perhaps Windows is labelling the voice differently now, so it’s worth checking what voices are listed. You can also try any other voices from that list (even non-French ones).

12

There’s no difference I’m afraid.

Anki 25.02.5 (29192d15):

TTS voices available:
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_George}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Hazel}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Hazel}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Susan}}
{{tts en_US voices=Microsoft_Zira}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Hortense}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Hortense}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Julie}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Paul}}

Anki 25.02.6 (6381f184) :

TTS voices available:
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_George}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Hazel}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Hazel}}
{{tts en_GB voices=Microsoft_Susan}}
{{tts en_US voices=Microsoft_Zira}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Hortense}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Hortense}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Julie}}
{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Paul}}

I’m not sure why Hazel and Hortense are listed twice!

I changed the card template to a specific voice:

{{Front}}

{{tts fr_FR voices=Microsoft_Paul:Front}}

Anki 25.02.6: Still no TTS audio.
Anki 25.02.5: The TTS audio played.

* I just tried it with the English/George voice too. Same deal.

2 Likes
13

Thanks, checking those extra things helps!

14

No worries! I’m happy to stick with 25.02.5, but if you need anything else, let me know.

15

Just adding this in case it helps.

  • Anki 25.02.5:
    Generates the file
    C:\Users\ljredux\AppData\Local\Temp\anki_temp\tts.wav
    when the card is shown. The file is deleted when Anki closes.
  • Anki 25.02.6:
    Does not generate tts.wav in that folder; the folder remains empty.
2 Likes
16

Just reporting: I’m also having the same issue. TTS sounds are not playing whether using built-in TTS or AwesomeTTS/HyperTTS add-ons.

17

Will you scroll through this thread and confirm your details are the same as those reported by OP – e.g., same OS, same TTS service, upgrading and to same versions, etc.? Any place they are different we’d want to know.

18

Same Anki version 25.02.6 but I’m on Windows 10. I downloaded the beta version in this thread, and it works with no problem. Yea, the situation is almost same as OP, except I’m on Windows 10.

19

Is that 25.06 beta 1 ? That’s great news if it’s already fixed!

@ljredux The beta release might be an option for you too. There was also one final patch 25.02.7 build that you could try. There’s been no other reports that mention TTS issues in the patch builds – so I wonder if the issue is 25.02.6-only?

1 Like
20

Yes, this one.

I saw someone mention trying this beta version in another TTS issue post (I can’t include links, that post’s title is “TTS Issues in Anki 25.02”).

1 Like
21