QuietCue guide

Library, import and backup

Your scripts live in a library inside this browser, on this device. They are saved as you type. Nothing is uploaded.

Import

Open .txt, .md and .docx files. Paragraphs are kept. A .json backup restores whole libraries.

Export and backup

Export your scripts as files, including a full .json backup of the library. Because scripts are stored in the browser, clearing site data, reinstalling the browser or switching to another device removes them. Export a backup before you do any of that, and keep it somewhere safe.

The prompter screen

Start a script and the prompter fills the window. The text starts at the reading guide and scrolls until the last line has passed it. Controls sit around the edge and hide themselves while the script runs; move the mouse or tap the screen to bring them back.

• Play and pause starts the countdown first, then the scroll.
• Drag, scroll the wheel, or use the keys to move the text yourself at any time.
• The settings panel holds speed, typography, guide, mirror, recording and voice.
• Press ? to see every shortcut. Press Esc to leave.

Speed and timing

Speed is measured in words per minute (wpm), from 30 to 400. Relaxed speech is about 130 to 160 wpm. QuietCue counts only the words you actually speak, so section headings and cues do not distort the pace.

Because speed is tied to words and not to pixels, you can change the text size or the column width mid-read and the pace stays the same. The remaining time is computed from the same numbers, so it is honest.

Fit the script to a time slot

Divide the number of spoken words by the minutes you have. A script of 900 words that has to take 6 minutes needs 150 wpm. Set that speed and check the remaining time against the clock on your first read-through. If it runs long, trim words rather than speeding up.

Countdown

Choose no countdown, or 3, 5 or 10 seconds. The scroll starts when the countdown ends, so you can press play and settle into position.

Typography and colours

• Typeface: Atkinson Hyperlegible, Source Serif, system sans, Plex Mono or OpenDyslexic.
• Size: 16 to 200 px. Use + and − while you read.
• Line height and letter spacing: loosen them for distance reading.
• Text width: 30 to 100 percent of the screen, left aligned or centred. A narrower column keeps your eyes close to the lens.
• Colours: white on black, black on paper, yellow on black, green on black, or your own text and background colours.

The site itself follows your system light or dark setting. That is separate from the colour scheme of the prompter text.

Reading guide

The guide marks the line you are reading. Choose a thin line, arrows at the edges, or a band behind the line. Place it anywhere from near the top to near the bottom of the screen; a position close to the lens (high on the screen) keeps your eyes steady. Turn on dimming to fade the text outside the guide so the focus stays on the current line. Toggle the guide with G.

Mirror for a teleprompter rig

A beam-splitter rig reflects a screen off angled glass in front of the camera lens. The reflection is reversed, so the text on the screen has to be reversed too. Mirror mode flips only the text. The controls always stay readable.

• Horizontal (M) is the usual choice: a screen lying flat and reflected toward the speaker reads correctly once flipped left to right.
• Vertical (Shift+M) is for rigs where the screen sits above the glass facing down, so the reflection is upside down.
• Use both for a 180 degree rotation if your arrangement needs it.

Rigs differ, so test it: turn on horizontal mirror, check the text in the glass, and try vertical if it is upside down. Try it before the shoot, not during.

Fullscreen and screen wake

Press F for fullscreen. While you read, QuietCue asks the browser to keep the screen awake so it does not dim or lock mid-take. Screen wake works in Chrome, Edge, Safari 16.4 and later, and Firefox 126 and later. If your browser refuses, change the device's display timeout in system settings.

On iPhone, Safari does not allow fullscreen for web pages. Add QuietCue to your Home Screen and open it from there to get a full-screen view. iPad does support fullscreen.

Keyboard, clickers and pedals

Everything in the prompter has a key.

Shortcuts are ignored while you type in a text field, or when Ctrl, Alt or Cmd is held.

Presentation clickers and foot pedals

Most presentation clickers and Bluetooth foot pedals pretend to be a keyboard. They usually send PageUp and PageDown, the arrow keys, Space, B or a full stop (the "black screen" button). QuietCue listens for all of them, so pair the device with your computer or phone and it works. Page down moves to the next paragraph, and B or the full stop blanks the screen.

If a pedal can be programmed, map its pedals to Space (play and pause) and the arrow keys. Some remotes only work when the prompter tab has focus.

Recording

QuietCue can record your camera and microphone while you read. Press R to start and stop, and C to show or hide the camera preview. The browser asks for camera and microphone permission the first time. Recording needs a secure (HTTPS) page.

• Formats: MP4 in Safari and recent Chrome and Edge. Firefox records WebM. You can also set the container and the resolution (auto, 720p or 1080p) in the recording settings.
• Video or audio only: turn the camera or the microphone off in the settings.
• Scroll with the take: optionally start and stop the scroll together with the recording.
• Where the files go: takes are kept in this tab's memory. Download a take and it lands in your browser's normal downloads folder. Nothing is uploaded.

Voice follow

Voice follow replaces the timed scroll. QuietCue listens through your browser's speech recognition, matches what it hears to the words of your script, and eases the text to the word you just said. Press V to switch it on or off.

• It works in Chrome, Edge and Safari. Firefox does not support it.
• Choose the language you speak. If it is left on automatic, the browser language is used.
• If you ad-lib, it pauses. When you return to the script, it picks up again. Cues in square brackets are skipped.
• If you scroll by hand, matching continues from the new spot.

On-device or cloud

Chrome can run recognition on your device when the language pack is installed. You can download it from the voice panel, and then your audio stays on the machine. Where on-device recognition is not available, the browser sends audio to its vendor's cloud speech service (Google, Apple or Microsoft). QuietCue asks for your agreement first and never receives the audio itself.

Tips

• Use a close microphone in a quiet room. Noise and room echo cost accuracy.
• Strong accents and very fast speech reduce accuracy. Slow down a little.
• Pick the right language before you start, not after.

Phone remote

Use your phone as a remote control while the prompter runs on another screen. Open the remote panel in the prompter and scan the QR code with your phone. The phone opens a control page, and the two devices pair.

• The remote can play and pause, change speed, move between paragraphs and sections, nudge by a line, restart, blank the screen and start or stop recording. It shows speed, progress and time.
• Both devices need an internet connection.
• Keep the prompter tab in the foreground. Mobile browsers suspend background tabs and the remote stops working.
• On Android phones the remote gives a short vibration when you press a control.

The connection goes through a small relay. It passes only control commands and numeric status. Your script text never goes through it, and it stores nothing. The pairing code is random. See privacy for details.

Offline and installing

Open QuietCue once while you are online. Your browser then caches the app, and it opens without a connection afterwards. Scripts are already on your device, so the prompter, library, import and export, and local recording all work offline. The phone remote and cloud voice recognition need internet.

You can install QuietCue as an app. In Chrome and Edge use the install button in the address bar or the browser menu. On iPhone and iPad, use Share, then Add to Home Screen. In Safari on Mac, use File, then Add to Dock. An installed copy opens in its own window.

When a new version is available, QuietCue shows an update notice. Reload to switch to it.

Troubleshooting

The camera is blocked

The browser remembers a "Block" answer. Click the lock or camera icon in the address bar, set camera and microphone to Allow, and reload. If it still fails, check the operating system's privacy settings: the browser may not be allowed to use the camera. Recording also needs HTTPS.

The microphone is busy

Another app or browser tab is probably holding the microphone, such as a video call. Quit it, or pick a different microphone in the recording settings, then try again. Disconnected USB and Bluetooth devices may need to be plugged in again.

Voice follow stops

Browsers end speech recognition after a long silence or a network problem. PressV twice to restart it. Check that the language matches your speech, that no other app is using the microphone, and that your connection is good if the browser uses its cloud service. In Firefox voice follow is not available.

Fullscreen does not work on iPhone

Safari on iPhone does not offer fullscreen for web pages. Add QuietCue to the Home Screen from the Share menu and launch it from the icon.

A recording does not seek or shows the wrong length

Browsers write recordings as a live stream, so some editors and players cannot skip around in them or show the duration. Fix it by remuxing without re-encoding:

ffmpeg -i take.webm -c copy fixed.webm
ffmpeg -i take.mp4 -c copy -movflags +faststart fixed.mp4

Or convert the take with HandBrake or your video editor.

My scripts are gone

Scripts live in this browser profile. Clearing site data, using a private window, or opening QuietCue in another browser shows an empty library. Restore from a.json backup.