The Enable additional languages switch is the master control that lets your AI agent speak more than just its primary language on a call. Until you flip it on, the agent only speaks the primary language — even if you've already added other languages to the list.

Where to find it

Go to Sidebar → AI Frontdesk → Voice & Languages. The switch sits in the Additional Languages card, labelled Enable additional languages.

What it actually does

When the switch is on, your AI agent can:

  • Listen for and recognise callers speaking any of the additional languages you've enabled
  • Switch its own spoken language to match the caller mid-call
  • Use the dedicated voice and greeting you've set for each additional language

When the switch is off, the agent stays in the primary language for the entire call. Any additional languages you've configured are kept as a draft but not used on live calls.

Note: The switch is greyed out until you've added at least one additional language. Add languages first under Additional Languages → Add language, then come back to flip the switch.

When the switch is off

With Enable additional languages off, your setup behaves as if only the primary language exists:

  • The additional-language list is preserved but inactive
  • The agent does not attempt to recognise other languages
  • The agent will not switch its spoken language during a call
  • Per-language voices and greetings you've configured are kept but not used

This is the right setup when your business only speaks one language to callers, or when you're still preparing translations and don't want partial coverage going live yet.

When the switch is on

With the switch on, the agent becomes multilingual on calls:

  • The languages in your Additional Languages list are active
  • The agent uses each language's dedicated voice and greeting when it switches in
  • The summary area on the card shows how many languages are enabled and how many have voice overrides

If a caller speaks a language that isn't on your list, the agent will continue in its current language and politely indicate which languages are available.

Important: Turning the switch on does not magically extend coverage to every language. The agent only handles the languages you've explicitly added — make sure the list reflects the languages your customers actually use.

When to turn it on

Turn it on when:

  • Your customers regularly call in more than one language
  • You've added each of those languages to the Additional Languages list
  • You've configured a voice and greeting for each (recommended for the most natural experience)

Leave it off when:

  • Your business only serves callers in one language over the phone
  • You haven't yet prepared business information (services, hours, policies) in the other languages
  • You want to pause multilingual support temporarily without losing your configuration

Save before testing

Toggling Enable additional languages is an unsaved change. Click Save Changes in the bottom banner before placing a test call — the change takes effect on live calls only after saving.

The languages your agent can auto-detect (versus those that require a single-language session) depend on the locale set Speako's real-time speech model supports. For the full picture — including which languages allow seamless mid-call detection — see Language Capabilities and Limitations.