---
title: 'Applying a Voice'
description: 'Apply a vertical Voice from the admin — it merges identity + genome overrides idempotently, optionally sets a design, and is fully audited and revertible.'
canonical: 'https://cartwright.app/docs/verticals/applying-a-voice'
---

# Applying a Voice (/docs/verticals/applying-a-voice)



A Voice is applied from the admin, and the operation is **idempotent** — applying the same Voice twice leaves the shop in the same state, so it's safe to re-run.

<Callout type="info">
  Requires the `verticalPresets` flag (default-off). Applying a Voice is admin-only and audited.
</Callout>

## From the admin [#from-the-admin]

1. Enable `verticalPresets` in `/admin/features`.
2. Open &#x2A;*`/admin/verticals`** and browse the catalogue.
3. Pick a Voice and choose what to apply — the copy/identity always, and optionally its suggested design and a starter page layout.
4. Confirm. The change is written through the genome, recorded in the [audit log](/docs/features/audit-log-revert), and can be reverted.

## What "apply" does [#what-apply-does]

Under the hood, `applyVertical(slug, opts)`:

1. **Validates** every genome key it's about to write.
2. **Merges** the Voice's identity anchors + copy overrides into the genome (it never blindly overwrites unrelated fields).
3. Optionally **sets the design** (`designSlug`) to the Voice's suggestion.
4. Optionally **applies a starter page layout** via `pages.set_layout`.
5. Wraps the whole thing in an audit entry and invalidates the relevant caches.

Because copy is resolved at render through the genome (`override ?? resolved ?? anchor`), a Voice changes the **rendered** copy immediately, and you can still hand-edit any field afterward — your edit wins.

## Reverting [#reverting]

Every apply is an audited mutation, so you can undo it from the audit log, or apply a different Voice to re-tone again. Nothing is destructive.

## The CLI [#the-cli]

A Voice can also be installed into a fresh project from the marketplace:

```bash
npx cartwright vertical install <slug>
```

This resolves the `stable` tag (currently the latest engine release) and scaffolds the preset into your repo. See [CLI options](/docs/getting-started/cli-options).

## Related [#related]

* [Voices overview](/docs/verticals/overview) — what a Voice is
* [In-place editing & the genome](/docs/features/in-place-editing) — how resolved copy works
* [Audit log & revert](/docs/features/audit-log-revert) — undoing any change