The complete guide to Pictalk Buddy: your digital companion for robust communication, an adapted visual schedule, interactive sequences and visual notebooks, with pictograms and images
What is Pictalk Buddy?
Pictalk Buddy is a digital companion app with a robust communication module, an adapted schedule, sequences and a life notebook for people with a cognitive disability or a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes them more anxious and less independent during the day. Examples include autism (ASD), dyslexia, dyspraxia and other specific learning disorders, and Down syndrome.
We took our inspiration from paper communication books and the weekly planners you often see on the fridge, as well as from more traditional calendar apps. The app also offers sequences (or step-by-step routines) and notebooks.
Pictalk Buddy gives spoken feedback through a synthetic voice and includes a pictogram search engine covering ARASAAC, Sclera, Mulberry, ParlerPictos and OpenMoji. You can also import images from your photo library. Pictalk Buddy has a notification system to support independence.
Installation
The app is available on Android and iOS. You can also use it right in your web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) at this address: https://buddy.pictalk.org/
You don't need to create an account to start using Buddy. Once installed, the app works offline for viewing events.
How do I use it?
Five tabs, five modules built around different needs...
Pictalk Buddy brings together everything a person with a neurodevelopmental disorder needs day to day. All in one app.
 The Robust AAC module |  The Adapted Agenda module |  The Interactive Sequences module |  The Visual Notebooks module |  Your profile, your settings |
The Robust Augmentative and Alternative Communication module
Pictalk Buddy's robust AAC module lets people who are nonverbal or who have difficulty expressing themselves build sentences, reach their vocabulary and make themselves heard, with a natural-sounding voice and a tool designed for everyday use.
The Agenda module
The Agenda module gives a clear, intuitive view of daily or weekly events using customizable pictograms and images. Designed to support your independence, it also offers advanced features such as repeating events, built-in detailed sequences and text-to-speech.
The Sequences module
This module lets you create interactive, step-by-step sequences to guide you through daily activities like brushing your teeth, or work tasks like maintaining a piece of landscaping equipment.
The Notebook module
Visual notebooks let you keep a record of everyday moments (activities, outings, highlights) with photos, videos, pictograms and text. This module is especially helpful for people who find it hard to tell others about their day out loud: by flipping through the notebook together, they can point, comment and share. It's a great gateway to language.
Settings
Pictalk Buddy is highly customizable so that as many people as possible can use it.
The Robust Communication module (AAC)
Understanding the interface
The module is built around a customizable grid of pictograms. The grid layout supports motor planning: each pictogram always stays in the same spot, so you can navigate faster and faster over time.
Extensive, progressive default vocabularies are built in, based on the most frequently used everyday words. They can be adapted to any profile and any age, and come from the Open AAC library.
In the top left corner, a small arrow takes you to your list of vocabularies. You can have several vocabularies for different situations, for example a quick mode with the essentials and a full mode for more elaborate communication. Each vocabulary can be set up independently: language, display type, color coding.
In the top right corner, the three dots give you access to display and editing options:
Guided word search
Print an aided language display (ALD) directly from the app
Turn on edit mode to change the grid
Change the layout: grid (customizable number of rows and columns), fixed (same number of columns) or automatic (adapts to the device)
In edit mode, drag and drop pictograms to rearrange them. You can also select several pictograms at once to edit, delete, hide, copy or cut them. Note: on a tablet or phone, press and hold to bring up this interface.
Building sentences and autocorrect
The sentence bar at the top of the screen shows the pictograms as you select them. Tap it to open sentence mode: there you can type on the keyboard, browse your favorite sentences or find sentences you've already spoken.
You can also interact with the sentence bar by dragging and dropping.
To speak the sentence, press the blue button: the sentence is displayed in large type on the screen. The back arrow to the right of the speak button lets you move through the vocabulary without losing the sentence you're building.
Labels automatically adapt to the subject and tense of the sentence. The app learns from your corrections and your vocabulary to become more and more personalized. Several levels of autocorrect and sentence expansion are available, with real-time next-word suggestions, just like on a keyboard.
Creating a word
To add a word to your vocabulary, first switch to edit mode. Then tap an empty cell: a creation screen appears.
There you can choose the displayed word, the associated image, the speech (the word read aloud, which can differ from the displayed word), the cell's background color, and an optional link to another board.
Printing
You can print the entire vocabulary right from the app.
Aided language displays (ALDs)
An aided language display (ALD) brings together on a single page the words for one activity, such as mealtime, bath time or a game.
To access your ALDs, open the Communication module, then the left panel, and tap "ALDs" at the top.
Module settings
The entire Communication module is customizable. In the app settings, tap "Communication" to access the following options:
Autocorrect: level of autocorrect and sentence expansion
Vocabulary: managing pictograms and boards
Sentences: setting up the sentence bar and favorites
Display: grid size, layout, visual theme
Usage statistics: tracking the vocabulary used, helpful for families and professionals
The Agenda module
Understanding the interface
By default, the day's events are shown vertically. Scroll down to see tomorrow's events, the day after, and so on. Each day has its own color, and you can change the color theme in the settings.
As you can see in the screenshot, past events are grayed out. Upcoming events (here "Going home") are tinted gray. This keeps your cognitive load as low as possible when you look at your day.
To change the display direction or switch the calendar shown, tap the three dots in the top right corner. You can then select or deselect a calendar, print the current week or change the view: 1) infinite vertical view, 2) day by day, 3) week by week on a tablet or computer.
Here's what the "Going home" event looks like while it's in progress.
A bar in the same color as the event shows the time elapsed. Once the bar is empty, the event is over. A white badge with a yellow dot appears when there are sequences or tasks to check off. That's the case here with the sequence "Pack the backpack."
If you tap the event, you'll see:
A blue button that reads the event aloud
The detailed time slot (start time, end time)
All the images for the event
A visual timer if the event lasts less than an hour
A GPS location with a shortcut to Google Maps
Creating an event
Creating events is easy, and it's key to getting the most out of Pictalk Buddy.
Each event has several customizable properties:
Title (shown directly in the Agenda view)
Detailed description
Start and end date and time
Pictograms or custom images
Option to include step-by-step sequences
Repeats and alarms for a steadier routine
Task or event, to support independence
Optional address to make getting around easier
Every event can be read aloud with high-quality text-to-speech, improving accessibility and supporting your independence.
The Sequences module
Understanding the interface
To start a sequence, just tap it. You'll then see the steps to follow, with a green button to check off each step once it's done.
A timer may appear if the step is timed, in one of two modes: a time limit not to exceed, or a minimum time to wait before the step can be checked off.
You can also duplicate, edit, delete, export and print the sequence.
Creating a sequence
Creating a sequence in Pictalk Buddy is quick and intuitive.
Each sequence has a clear title and is broken down into several specific steps.
Each step can include an image (pictogram or photo) or a video, along with a custom audio recording or automatic text-to-speech.
You can sort your sequences with tags such as Cooking, Hygiene, Health and more, making them easier to manage and quick to find.
The Life Notebook module
Understanding the interface
The life notebook is organized as a timeline of posts. Each post can contain photos, videos, pictograms and text. Notebooks are available offline and sync automatically across all your devices.
Creating a post
Creating a post takes about two minutes. Add a title and media (photos, videos, pictograms), then publish. You can organize your notebooks by topic or by person.
Shared notebooks
You can create shared notebooks that several people, or an entire group, can access. In a shared notebook, members can comment on posts, react to them and see who has read each one. It's an especially useful way to keep families, educators and support professionals connected, while keeping a shared record of the person's journey.
Pictalk Buddy Watch
Pictalk Buddy is also available on smartwatches (WearOS 3+). The app gives you access to the Agenda, sequences and communication right on your wrist.
The watch shows the current event and lets you check off tasks, see upcoming events for the week and start sequences. Custom notifications and alarms arrive right on your wrist to support your independence throughout the day.
For installation, pairing and a full feature rundown, see the Pictalk Buddy Watch guide.
Pictalk Buddy Pro
Pictalk Buddy offers a Pro plan for organizations that support multiple people: special education schools, day programs, therapy practices, schools and more. It lets you manage individual profiles, share content (schedules, sequences, life notebooks) among team members, and give families access at no extra cost, all from a single administrator account.
Pro access comes with a membership in the Pictalk nonprofit association. To learn more and book a call with our team, see the Pictalk Buddy Pro guide.
Settings
To meet as many needs as possible, Pictalk Buddy offers a wide range of customization options
Adjustable interface size (normal, large, XL)
Color settings adapted to different types of color blindness (protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia)
Fine-tuning of the synthetic voice (voice, speed, pitch)
Other tutorials
The TechLab at APF France Handicap (written by Aurélie RÉGENT) has put together a great guide to Pictalk Buddy (formerly Agenda CAA), in French, here: https://techlab-handicap.org/produit/agenda-caa/
Ressources école inclusive has also made a tutorial, in French, for the previous version of the app, available here: https://ressources-ecole-inclusive.org/agenda-caa/