How to Turn Off Text to Speech — Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac & More (2026)
Updated April 2026 · Step-by-step for every major device and OS
To turn off text to speech, go to Settings > Accessibility on your device and disable TalkBack (Android), VoiceOver or Spoken Content (iPhone), or Narrator (Windows). The exact steps vary by platform — use the shortcuts below to jump to yours.
Jump to your device:
- Android (TalkBack / Select to Speak)
- iPhone — Turn Off Text to Speech (iOS 17 & 18)
- Windows 11 — Turn Off Narrator
- Windows 10 — Turn Off Narrator
- Mac — Turn Off Spoken Content (Sonoma & Sequoia)
- Samsung Galaxy — Turn Off Screen Reader
- Xiaomi (MIUI / HyperOS)
- Motorola
- Chromebook — Turn Off ChromeVox
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Android
Android has two separate text-to-speech features. TalkBack is the full screen reader that reads everything on screen. Select to Speak only reads content you tap or highlight. Here's how to turn off both.
Turn Off TalkBack
Heads up: When TalkBack is active, you need to double-tap to open things and use two-finger swipes to scroll. The steps below assume TalkBack is already active.
- Open Settings
- Scroll to and double-tap Accessibility
- Tap TalkBack (on Samsung, this may be under Screen Reader)
- Tap the toggle to turn it off, then double-tap OK on the confirmation dialog
Faster method — Volume shortcut: Hold the Volume Up + Volume Down buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. Works if the TalkBack shortcut was previously enabled.
Even faster: Say "Hey Google, turn off TalkBack."
Turn Off Select to Speak
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap Select to Speak
- Toggle off Select to Speak shortcut (or the main Use service toggle)
Note for Samsung, Xiaomi, or Motorola users: Each brand uses slightly different menu paths. See the dedicated sections below — Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on iPhone (iOS 17 & 18)
iOS has two different features: VoiceOver (full screen reader, reads everything) and Spoken Content (reads selected or on-screen text when triggered). Most people who are annoyed by accidental readouts need to turn off Spoken Content.
Turn Off Spoken Content (Speak Screen / Speak Selection)
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap Spoken Content
- Toggle off Speak Screen and Speak Selection
What's the difference?
- Speak Screen — reads everything on screen when you swipe down with two fingers from the top
- Speak Selection — reads highlighted text when you tap the "Speak" option after selecting text
Turn Off VoiceOver
- Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver
- Toggle VoiceOver off
Quick method: Triple-click the Side button (or Home button on older iPhones) if VoiceOver is set as your Accessibility Shortcut.
Or ask Siri: "Hey Siri, turn off VoiceOver."
To stop accidental re-enabling: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut and remove VoiceOver from the list.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Windows 11 (Narrator)
Fastest method — keyboard shortcut: Press Win + Ctrl + Enter to instantly toggle Narrator off.
For a permanent fix:
- Press Win + I to open Settings
- Click Accessibility in the left sidebar
- Click Narrator
- Toggle the Narrator switch off at the top
Stop it from starting automatically: In the same Narrator settings, uncheck:
- Start Narrator after sign-in
- Start Narrator before sign-in
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Windows 10 (Narrator)
- Press Win + I to open Settings
- Click Ease of Access (note: Windows 10 uses "Ease of Access", not "Accessibility")
- Click Narrator from the left sidebar
- Toggle the Narrator switch off
Keyboard shortcut: Same as Windows 11 — Win + Ctrl + Enter
Stop it from auto-starting: In Narrator settings, uncheck:
- Start Narrator automatically
- Allow the shortcut key to start Narrator
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Mac (Sonoma & Sequoia)
Important for 2025–2026 users: In macOS Ventura and later (including Sonoma and Sequoia), Apple renamed "Spoken Content" to "Read & Speak" in System Settings. If you're on an older macOS, look for "Spoken Content" or "Speech" instead.
Turn Off Read & Speak (Speak Selection, Speak Screen)
- Click the Apple menu > System Settings
- Click Accessibility in the sidebar
- Click Read & Speak
- Toggle off any active options:
- Speak Selection — reads text you've highlighted
- Speak item under the pointer — reads whatever your cursor hovers over
- Speak announcements — reads system notifications aloud
Turn Off VoiceOver (Full Screen Reader)
VoiceOver is separate from Read & Speak. To turn it off:
- Press Command + F5 — instant toggle
- Or: System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > toggle off
To stop mid-sentence: Press Option + Escape.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Samsung Galaxy
Samsung phones have their own TTS settings on top of Android's built-in ones.
Turn Off TalkBack / Voice Assistant (Screen Reader)
On One UI 3.1 and newer, Samsung calls this "TalkBack." On older One UI versions it's called "Voice Assistant" under Screen Reader.
When your phone is operating normally:
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap Screen Reader (or TalkBack on newer devices)
- Toggle it off
When the screen reader is already active (requires two-finger gestures):
- Two-finger swipe up to go to the home screen
- Two-finger swipe to navigate to Settings, then double-tap
- Two-finger swipe to Accessibility, double-tap
- Tap Screen Reader / TalkBack, double-tap
- Tap the toggle, double-tap to confirm, then double-tap Turn off
Volume shortcut: Hold Volume Up + Volume Down for 3 seconds.
Samsung Text-to-Speech Engine Settings
This is different from the screen reader — it controls the TTS voice used by apps like Google Maps or navigation.
Settings > General Management > Text-to-speech
From here you can switch between Samsung TTS and Google TTS engines, or adjust speech rate and pitch. There's no global on/off toggle here — disabling TTS happens at the individual app level.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Xiaomi (MIUI & HyperOS)
Xiaomi uses the standard "TalkBack" name but buries it a level deeper than stock Android under Additional Settings.
Turn Off TalkBack on Xiaomi
Settings path (MIUI 14 and HyperOS):
- Open Settings
- Tap Additional Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap Vision (on some firmware it may sit directly under Accessibility)
- Tap TalkBack
- Toggle it off
Volume shortcut: Hold Volume Up + Volume Down for 3 seconds — the fastest method on any Xiaomi device.
HyperOS vs MIUI 14: The path is identical. The only difference some users report is that on certain HyperOS builds, Vision doesn't appear as a subcategory and TalkBack sits directly under Accessibility.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Motorola
Motorola runs close to stock Android, so the path is simpler than Samsung or Xiaomi — no extra layers.
Turn Off TalkBack on Motorola
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Tap TalkBack
- Toggle Use TalkBack off
That's it — no "Additional Settings" or "Vision" submenu. Confirmed on Moto G, Moto Edge, and Moto G 5G models running Android 14/15.
Volume shortcut: Hold Volume Up + Volume Down for 3 seconds.
Stop it from re-activating accidentally: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Volume key shortcut and toggle it off.
How to Turn Off Text to Speech on Chromebook
Chromebooks have two TTS features: ChromeVox (full screen reader) and Select to Speak.
Turn Off ChromeVox (Spoken Feedback)
Fastest: Press Ctrl + Alt + Z — instant toggle.
To disable it permanently:
- Click the clock in the bottom-right corner, then the gear icon to open Settings
- Scroll down and click Advanced
- Click Accessibility
- Click Manage accessibility features
- Under Text-to-Speech, toggle off Enable ChromeVox (spoken feedback)
Turn Off Select to Speak
- Follow the same path: Settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage accessibility features
- Under Text-to-Speech, toggle off Enable Select to Speak
Quick Reference — All Platforms
| Device | Feature | Fastest Method | Menu Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android | TalkBack | Hold Vol Up + Vol Down (3s) | Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack |
| Android | Select to Speak | — | Settings > Accessibility > Select to Speak |
| iPhone | Spoken Content | — | Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content |
| iPhone | VoiceOver | Triple-click Side button | Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver |
| Windows 11 | Narrator | Win + Ctrl + Enter | Settings > Accessibility > Narrator |
| Windows 10 | Narrator | Win + Ctrl + Enter | Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator |
| Mac (Sonoma/Sequoia) | Read & Speak | — | System Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak |
| Mac | VoiceOver | Command + F5 | System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver |
| Samsung | TalkBack | Hold Vol Up + Vol Down (3s) | Settings > Accessibility > Screen Reader |
| Xiaomi (MIUI/HyperOS) | TalkBack | Hold Vol Up + Vol Down (3s) | Settings > Additional Settings > Accessibility > Vision > TalkBack |
| Motorola | TalkBack | Hold Vol Up + Vol Down (3s) | Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack |
| Chromebook | ChromeVox | Ctrl + Alt + Z | Settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage features |
| Chromebook | Select to Speak | — | Settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage features |
Why People Turn Off Text-to-Speech
Accidental activation is the most common reason. On Android, holding both volume buttons can accidentally launch TalkBack. On iPhone, triple-clicking the side button can trigger VoiceOver if Accessibility Shortcut is set.
It's disruptive in public. Screen readers announce everything — notifications, app names, button labels — out loud. This is embarrassing and hard to stop quickly if you don't know the shortcut.
Performance and battery. Running a screen reader continuously adds CPU overhead and drains battery faster, which is why gamers and power users often keep it off.
Personal preference. Many users find it easier to process information visually. Text-to-speech is a powerful accessibility tool, but not everyone needs it running all the time.
Looking for Better Text-to-Speech Instead?
Turning off your device's built-in screen reader makes total sense — those robotic system voices aren't designed for enjoyment. But if you still want text-to-speech for things like listening to articles, creating voiceovers, or producing content, the experience doesn't have to be that bad.
Lazybird is an AI voice generator built around natural, human-sounding voices in 50+ languages. Unlike your phone's accessibility reader, it's designed specifically for content — you paste text, pick a voice, and get a clean audio file you can use anywhere. There's a free tier to get started, and no accessibility settings to wrestle with. If you've been tolerating robotic system voices all this time, it's worth trying something actually built for the job.
