Sometimes you cannot talk out loud, or would rather read. Orb has two settings for that.
Messenger view
Messenger view moves the orb aside and shows the conversation as a message thread, with a box to type in. Orb still speaks, and still pulls faces. Switch it on under Start here in the Knowledge base panel.
Quiet mode
With Quiet mode on, nothing is said out loud. Orb answers just as it otherwise would, and you read the text instead. It works in either view, but pairs best with Messenger view.
Quiet mode also changes check-ins: rather than being asked out loud, a check-in arrives as a box to type your answer in.
Work status updates
While Orb is working, for instance searching the web, it can say what it is doing. Switch Work status updates off if you would rather it worked in silence. In Quiet mode the updates are shown rather than said.