Use a clicker or pedal
Keep your phone in your pocket and your eyes on the room. A presentation clicker or a page-turner foot pedal can speed up, slow down and pause the words.
What works
Most clickers that work with PowerPoint will work here. So do most Bluetooth page-turner pedals and any keyboard. They all act like a keyboard, and SayImpromptu listens for those keys.
We're testing specific models now and will list the ones we've tried here.
Two ways to connect it
A. Pair it to your phone
- Pair the clicker with your phone (Bluetooth settings), or plug in its little USB receiver if your phone takes one.
- Open the remote on your phone. Keep the phone unlocked, with the remote on screen. Phones only pass the clicker's buttons to the page you're looking at.
B. Pair it to the TV or laptop (most reliable)
- Plug the clicker's USB receiver into the laptop driving the TV (or pair it over Bluetooth).
- That's it. The TV screen listens for the buttons directly, even if your phone is locked.
What the buttons do
| Button | What happens |
|---|---|
| Next (or right / down pedal) | Faster |
| Back (or left / up pedal) | Slower |
| Start slideshow (F5) | 3-2-1, then the words start moving |
| Stop slideshow (Esc) | Pause |
| Black screen (B or .), Space, Enter | Play / pause |
Holding Next or Back keeps changing the speed. Holding play/pause won't flicker on and off.
Change what a button does
- On your phone, open the Clicker tab.
- Tap Learn next to the action, then press the clicker button.
- Your choice is saved on that phone.
- Custom buttons only work when the clicker is paired to your phone. If the clicker is plugged into the TV or laptop, it uses the standard buttons in the table above.
What won't work
- Selfie camera remotes. They press the phone's volume button, which web pages can't see.
- Pedals set to "mouse" mode. Switch the pedal to an arrow-key or page-up/down mode (see its manual).
- A clicker paired to a locked phone. Unlock the phone, or pair the clicker to the TV/laptop instead.