The Eleven v4 Audio Tags list: Try them, then write your own

Eleven v4 is a breakthrough Text to Speech model that transforms text into a performance. Audio Tags let you direct that performance with granular control over its emotional output. Place a bracketed, natural-language cue like [whispers] or [excited] and listen as v4 changes the delivery to match.

This ElevenLabs Audio Tags list covers every emotion in the full Eleven v4 emotional range, along with tags for delivery, pacing, reactions, accents, and sound effects. Once you know the basics, we’ll also show you how to write your own tags in plain language.

Summary

• Audio Tags are natural-language signals in square brackets that Eleven v4 reads as performance direction, changing how it delivers the words that follow.
• Eleven v4 is the top-ranked model in the Artificial Analysis Speech Arena [September 2026] and Audio Tags let you direct that performance line by line.
• The Eleven v4 emotional range wheel lets you hear different emotions for a rapid overview of the model's abilities.
• Tags aren't limited to a fixed list, meaning you can write your own by combining qualities, like [whispering, fearful], or describing the situation or character behind a line.
• Audio Tags work via ElevenAPI on Eleven v4, Eleven v4 Turbo, and Eleven v3.

What are ElevenLabs Audio Tags?

Audio Tags are natural-language cues that you can embed into your writing inside of square brackets. Eleven v4 reads these as performance markers, using them as direction that alters how it speaks certain words or phrases. You write them inline with your script in the ElevenLabs Text to Speech app and watch as our models bring them to life.

Eleven v4 is the top-ranked TTS model in the Artificial Analysis Speech Arena, where listeners vote on the most natural-sounding text to speech.¹ Audio Tags let you take that performance even further by direction exactly how each line is delivered.

Here’s how to use Audio Tags in a script:

• Place a tag before the words it affects: When you write “[shouts] I can’t believe you said that to me,” the entire line is shouted.
• Emotion carries forward: When you add a tag, its emotion carries forward across the line, meaning you only need to introduce another tag when you want the delivery to shift. For example, “[proud] I’ve been cooking for over a decade. I know how to boil an egg. [startled] What’s that burning smell?"
• Combine tags to layer direction: Separate Audio Tags with a comma inside one set of brackets, like [whispering, playful], to add nuance to your TTS performance.
• Pair tags with punctuation: While Audio Tags set the mood and delivery, you can control the pacing naturally by using punctuation in your script. Add ellipses, dashes, or capitals to shape the prosody of a line.

For a deeper explainer on how tags work and how they replace SSML, we’ve written a complete guide to Audio Tags.