how to get more text to speech voices windows 10

How to unlock extra Text to Speech Voices in Windows 11/10

Unlock extra text to speech voices via registry.

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Unlock all Windows 10 TTS voices system-wide to get more of them

Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system comes with a set of voices for each language installed on the device. Only some of the installed voices become available system-wide so that third-party software and services may make use of them as well. The majority of voices are restricted to internal use, e.g. for Cortana or other areas.

If you open Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator and select the "choose a voice" menu there, you get a list of voices that are available.

When you open a third-party program that uses voices on the Windows PC, only some of these are provided.

The screenshot above shows how many voices are available when you select the voice picker in Narrator.

The third-party program Balabolka displays only three voices that you may select even though you know that more are available on the device: frustrating.

There is a way, however, to unlock all Windows 10 text-to-speech voices so that they become available to any program or app that uses the voices that Windows provides.

Note : The method requires Registry editing. I suggest you create a backup of the Registry or even your system before you make any modifications to the Windows Registry so that you can restore the initial state if things don't go as planned.

Here is how that is done:

Step 1: Open the Windows Registry Editor

• Activate the Start menu of the operating system.
• Type regedit.exe to launch the Registry Editor.
• Confirm the UAC security prompt that is displayed.

Step 2: Open the list of available voices

• Go to the Registry key Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens

It lists all the voices that are available (except for Cortana voices, more about that later).

Step 3: Export the voices

You need to export the voice information in the Registry in the first step.

• Right-click on a key in the Registry Editor, e.g. MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM and select Export.
• Type a name for the new Registry file, e.g. markm, and select save from the dialog.

4. Modify the exported Registry file

Open the saved Registry file. It needs to be modified so that its values are added to two other locations in the Registry.

• Copy all information except for the first line (Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00) and paste the information below the content of the file.
• Replace the location in the first data set with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens
• Replace the location in the second data set with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens

Note : Each set includes two paths that you need to replace. Take a look at the following modified Registry file to better understand the process (for the U.S. voice Mark):

Original File:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM] @="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "409"="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}" "LangDataPath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,\ 00,70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,\ 65,00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,\ 00,5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,53,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 4c,00,6f,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,55,00,53,00,2e,00,64,00,61,00,74,00,00,00 "VoicePath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,\ 70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,65,\ 00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,31,00,30,00,33,00,33,00,4d,\ 00,61,00,72,00,6b,00,00,00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM\Attributes] "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "Gender"="Male" "Language"="409" "Name"="Microsoft Mark" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "Version"="11.0"

Modified File:

[ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens\ MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM] @="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "409"="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}" "LangDataPath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,\ 00,70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,\ 65,00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,\ 00,5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,53,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 4c,00,6f,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,55,00,53,00,2e,00,64,00,61,00,74,00,00,00 "VoicePath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,\ 70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,65,\ 00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,31,00,30,00,33,00,33,00,4d,\ 00,61,00,72,00,6b,00,00,00

[ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens\ MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM\Attributes] "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "Gender"="Male" "Language"="409" "Name"="Microsoft Mark" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "Version"="11.0"

[ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens\ MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM] @="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "409"="Microsoft Mark - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}" "LangDataPath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,\ 00,70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,\ 65,00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,\ 00,5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,53,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 4c,00,6f,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,55,00,53,00,2e,00,64,00,61,00,74,00,00,00 "VoicePath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,\ 70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,65,\ 00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,00,\ 5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,31,00,30,00,33,00,33,00,4d,\ 00,61,00,72,00,6b,00,00,00

[ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens\ MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM\Attributes] "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "Gender"="Male" "Language"="409" "Name"="Microsoft Mark" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "Version"="11.0"

Step 5: Import the new data

Importing is straightforward. Just double-click on the Registry file that you have modified and accept the warning prompt.

Note that you need to switch users, sign off and on again, or restart the PC before you may see the new voice in other programs.

Also, you need administrative rights to add data to the Registry using .reg files.

Bonus Step: Cortana

Cortana's exclusive voices are referenced in another location in the Registry.

• Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.windows.cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Isolated in the Registry Editor.
• You find a number of random character values there. Follow one of them to \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens
• On my test system, I went to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.windows.cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Isolated\ohDO1Sgy3MzgdEgEb4WYfDS4eikKwN2EBJ1Cyr7HTF0\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens
• Note that the actual voices need to have LangUpdateDataDirectory listed when you select the folder.
• Export the data just like you have before.
• Copy the data of the Registry file so that it exists three times (not two) in the exported Registry file.
• Replace the first set up to Tokens with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens
• Replace the second set up to Tokens with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens
• Replace the third set up to Tokens with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens

Here is an example using the U.S. Cortana voice Eva.

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.windows.cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Isolated\ohDO1Sgy3MzgdEgEb4WYfDS4eikKwN2EBJ1Cyr7HTF0\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM] @="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "LangDataPath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\MSTTSLocenUS.dat" "LangUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "VoicePath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\M1033Eva" "VoiceUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "409"="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.windows.cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Isolated\ohDO1Sgy3MzgdEgEb4WYfDS4eikKwN2EBJ1Cyr7HTF0\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM\Attributes] "Version"="11.0" "Language"="409" "Gender"="Female" "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Name"="Microsoft Eva Mobile" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "PersonalAssistant"="1"

Edited File:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM] @="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "LangDataPath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\MSTTSLocenUS.dat" "LangUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "VoicePath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\M1033Eva" "VoiceUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "409"="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM\Attributes] "Version"="11.0" "Language"="409" "Gender"="Female" "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Name"="Microsoft Eva Mobile" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "PersonalAssistant"="1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM] @="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "LangDataPath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\MSTTSLocenUS.dat" "LangUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "VoicePath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\M1033Eva" "VoiceUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "409"="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM\Attributes] "Version"="11.0" "Language"="409" "Gender"="Female" "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Name"="Microsoft Eva Mobile" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "PersonalAssistant"="1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM] @="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "LangDataPath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\MSTTSLocenUS.dat" "LangUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "VoicePath"="%windir%\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US\\M1033Eva" "VoiceUpdateDataDirectory"="%SystemDrive%\\Data\\SharedData\\Speech_OneCore\\Engines\\TTS\\en-US" "409"="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM\Attributes] "Version"="11.0" "Language"="409" "Gender"="Female" "Age"="Adult" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Name"="Microsoft Eva Mobile" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "PersonalAssistant"="1"

You can download the Registry files to add the Cortana voice Eva and the voice Mark system-wide: (Download Removed)

Repeat the steps for any language that you may have installed, the process is always the same. (via Reddit )

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Any steps on how to add Arabic speech to Windows 10 ?

any update on the new voices for win11 windows 11 22h2 voices of guy, aria, and jenny natural voices in narrator?

I just tried adding the ‘Guy’ voice for Win11. The Speech Properties “Voice selection” window now contains Microsoft James voice. However, when I select it, I receive a popup which says: “This voice cannot be played. Please try selecting another voice or selecting a different audio output device.”

Any assistance would be greatly helpful! I’m trying to get access to these voices to use on Logos Bible software.

May 2022, on windows 11 it worked like a charme , thank you

I developed a small tool which allows to patch the installed voices to make them available for the .NET text-to-speech engine.

The tool copies selected items from the “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens” key to “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens”.

If you’re interested : https://www.dipisoft.com/file/TTSVoicePatcher.zip (it’s freeware, FR/EN)

Due to the manipulation of keys in HKLM, the tool requires administrator rights to be launched.

Indeed, this solution is much easier to implement! Thank you very much for sharing this tool!

It would have been perfect if you had additionally opened the source code.

Perfect solution! Everything else I tried did not work.

Thanks very much Martin! It took me some time to find your information on the internet. But now all of my installed system languages are also available from the ‘read aloud’ configurations pop-up in Calibre.

Thank you Martin. It worked exactly as described.

This was an incredible help to me, so thanks so much for posting such a thorough explanation.

Nevermind… In my copy paste action, I somehow missed a few brackets…

It’s working now!

I just followed all steps (several times now). But nothing seems to get added to my registry.

In the registry editor I browsed to both locations, but there’s only just the default voices: Hazel, David and Zira..

I did exactly as described, but I cant get voice Mark to be added… Yes I did restart after each try.

Also, each time I tried to merge I got the registry editor prompt:

The keys and values contained in blablabla….markm.reg have been successfully added to the registry

However Mark isn’t visible in the registry editor :-(

Followed all steps, read and tried multiple times, but somehow the edited .reg files are not added to the registry.

I tried adding MarkM voice (just like in the example) and restarted my pc

But when I check the paths: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM] & HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Tokens\MSTTS_V110_enUS_MarkM] in the reg editor, nothing has been added :-(

I only see Hazel, David and Zira..

Looks like the angle brackets apparently caused the command I was referencing to be stripped out of my reply. Removing them leaves this:

voice required=”Name=Microsoft Zira Desktop”

Have gotten the following installed in Balabolka and they are working: Microsoft David Desktop Microsoft Zira Desktop Microsoft Server Speech Text to Speech Voice (en-G8, Hazel) Microsoft Server Speech Text to Speech Voice (en-US Helen) Microsoft Server Speech Text to Speech Voice (en-US ZiraPro)

Howeverm I can’t figure out appropriate names for the MS Server Speech ones to use in Balabolka’s voice setting parameter:

Anyone succeeded with this?

Thank you very much ,this post solve my question.Thumb up!

downloaded them and tested them in the default voice selector. Seem to be fine

I suggest showing the files in a two column table with the items that need to be changed highlighted. This would make editing the files easier.

Working 100%. You are genius.

Sir this procedure doesn’t work for hindi tts.

their is a software which i developed that registers all the voices and any voices you want if you have the language packs installed

To ydntk- I’m interested to know more about your software, especially if it can be used without having to take lots of aspirins! Lol.

One shouldn’t need to go through so much trouble… there’s definitely something wrong here.

It doesn’t work Confirmed on 3/4/2020

Great, it works with https://balabolka.en.softonic.com/ . I got Cortana to say words like “fuck” without her censoring it. However, the inflection and timing doesn’t seem to be as good as when Cortana speaks after saying “Hey Cortana”; maybe inflection and timing is only polished for premade things that she says.

I get “Can not synthesize the speech: Class is not registered.” When trying to use the MarkM voice.

thank you so much.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!

Appliying these procedure, you didn´t unlock anything. The voices are seen but are not able to be used.

Hatte auch den Fehler! Man muss für jeden Eintrag 2x den Pfad ändern. Liebe Grüße Johannes

I Think the only problem is, when it comes an update. I think you will loose all these changes.

Try Blockadblock.

Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can use Powershell to do the same thing.

https://gist.github.com/hiepxanh/8b6ad80f6d620cd3eaaaa5c1d2c660b2

how to use that?

you are a genius man

Doesn’t currently work. Shows Eva Mobile in narrowater list, but nothing lists in ‘speech settings’

Are there any differences between the versions found in both randomly named keys??

Dont work with “MSTTS_V110_heIL_Asaf” Hebrew. :(

What about earlier Windows versions ?

it do not work in windows 7 professional and windows 7 expert.

Are you blind? This article is for Windows 10.

Nice tip, thanks Martin.

Very interesting, thank you !

brilliant Martin

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How to add text-to-speech voices to Windows 10 so that text can be read in the tone or language of your choice

• You can add text-to-speech voices to Windows 10 through your PC's Settings app.
• Once you've added a text-to-speech voice to Windows, you can use it in programs like Microsoft Word, OneNote, and Edge.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

Microsoft has a text-to-speech feature built into a number of Windows programs, including Microsoft Office, the Edge web browser, and OneNote. 

By default, the voices for your computer's current language are already installed. But if you need to install a second language, or if additional voices are released for your primary language, you can install them as well. 

The text-to-speech voices for all Microsoft apps are installed in the Settings app. Here's how to find and add them to Windows .

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Windows 10 (from $139.99 at best buy), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to add text-to-speech voices in windows 10.

1. Click the Start button in the bottom-left, and then click the Settings icon, which looks like a gear. 

2. In Settings, click "Time & Language."

3. In the navigation pane on the left, click "Language."

4. Click "Add a preferred language" and then scroll through the list until you see the language you want to add. Click it, and then click "Next." It'll be installed.

5. After it's installed, select it in the list of languages and click "Options."

6. On the language's details page, click "Download." This will install the language pack, which includes the voices for this language. 

How to choose a voice for text-to-speech in Windows 10

After you've downloaded voices, you can choose which one Windows uses for text-to-speech.

1. While still in the "Time & Language" section of Settings, click "Speech" in the left sidebar.

2. Underneath "Speech language," make sure it's set to the language you want text-to-speech to use.

3. Underneath "Voices," click the "Choose a voice" drop-down menu and select the voice you want to use by default. You can vary its speed and preview the voice here as well. 

Some programs let you pick a text-to-speech voice that's different from the one the rest of Windows uses.

In Word, for example, click "Review" and then click "Read Aloud." A playback control menu will appear in the top-right of the screen. Click the gear icon to open the Read Aloud settings. Here, you can choose the voice you want to use in Word. 

Likewise, the Edge browser has a similar option. When you choose "Read aloud" from the three-dot menu, "Voice options" appears at the top of the page. Click it to change voices.

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to use speech-to-text on a windows computer to quickly dictate text without typing, you can use text-to-speech in the kindle app on an ipad using an accessibility feature— here's how to turn it on, how to use text-to-speech on discord, and have the desktop app read your messages aloud, how to use google text-to-speech on your android phone to hear text instead of reading it, 2 ways to lock a windows computer from your keyboard and quickly secure your data.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: We compared the $1,200 MacBook Air with the $500 Surface Go, and the results were a mess

• Main content

How to Use Text to Speech Windows 10: A Step-by-Step Guide

Navigating through Windows 10’s text-to-speech feature is a breeze when you know the right steps. By exploring a few settings, you can have your PC read text out loud, which can be a major help for those who have visual impairments or simply want to multitask. Here’s a quick guide to get you started with text-to-speech on Windows 10.

How to Use Text to Speech in Windows 10

In the following steps, we’ll guide you through enabling and using the text-to-speech feature on your Windows 10 computer. This setup will let your computer read text from applications and documents aloud, improving accessibility and convenience.

Step 1: Open Settings

First up, open the Settings menu by pressing Windows Key + I.

Once you’re in Settings, you’re just a few clicks away from enabling text-to-speech. This is your control center for all things related to your computer’s setup.

Step 2: Navigate to Ease of Access

Next, select "Ease of Access" from the menu.

The Ease of Access center is designed to help users customize their PC to better suit their needs, making the computer more user-friendly.

Step 3: Click on Narrator

Now, click on "Narrator" from the left-hand sidebar.

Narrator is the built-in screen reader in Windows 10. It reads out text on the screen and describes events like notifications and calendar appointments, which is handy for accessibility.

Step 4: Turn On Narrator

Toggle the button to turn Narrator on.

Once you enable Narrator, you’ll instantly notice a blue box outlining the text and buttons on the screen. The computer will start reading aloud any text you navigate to.

Step 5: Customize Narrator Settings

Adjust the voice, speed, and volume to your liking under the "Voice" settings.

Customizing these settings allows you to tailor the text-to-speech experience to your personal preference, making it more enjoyable and easier to follow along.

After completing these steps, Narrator will be enabled on your Windows 10 computer. You can now have text read aloud to you, making it easier to follow along with documents, emails, and more.

Tips for Using Text to Speech in Windows 10

• Shortcuts: Familiarize yourself with keyboard shortcuts for Narrator for more efficient use.
• Voices: Explore different voices available in the settings to find one that you prefer.
• Feedback: Enable audio feedback for actions to make it easier to navigate.
• Continuous Reading: Use the continuous reading feature to read long documents without interruptions.
• Learning Curve: Give yourself some time to get used to how Narrator works and how it can best serve your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i turn off narrator.

You can turn off Narrator by pressing Ctrl + Windows Key + Enter.

Can I use text-to-speech with other languages?

Yes, you can add additional languages in the settings under the "Region & Language" section.

Is Narrator the only text-to-speech tool on Windows 10?

No, there are third-party applications available that can also provide text-to-speech functionality.

Can I control Narrator with my voice?

Currently, Narrator is controlled via keyboard shortcuts, but you can use it alongside other voice control software.

Does Narrator read everything on the screen?

Narrator can read most text on the screen, including web pages, documents, and interface elements.

• Open Settings.
• Navigate to Ease of Access.
• Click on Narrator.
• Turn on Narrator.
• Customize Narrator settings.

Using text-to-speech in Windows 10 is a powerful way to enhance your computing experience. Whether you’re visually impaired or simply want to give your eyes a rest, enabling Narrator is a straightforward and effective solution. Once you’ve navigated through the settings, you’ll find that having text read aloud can be a real game-changer.

For more tips and detailed guides on other Windows 10 features, keep exploring the Ease of Access settings. And remember, customizing your setup can make a big difference in how you interact with your PC. Now that you know how to use text-to-speech in Windows 10, why not give it a try? Your computer screen is just waiting to have a conversation with you!

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

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How to Use Windows Text to Speech Feature

Press Win+Ctrl+Enter to read text aloud with Narrator

• University of Pune (India)

• Western Governors University
• What Is Narrator?
• How to Enable Narrator
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

• Press Win + Ctrl + Enter to start and stop Narrator from the keyboard.
• Or, go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator . Toggle on/off Turn on Narrator .
• Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate and read the screen.

This article explains how to use the Windows 10 text-to-speech feature.

Is There a Text-to-Speech Option in Windows 10?

The Windows 10 text-to-speech option is called Narrator . It's accessible through Ease of Access settings and a keyboard shortcut.

Narrator is a screen reader designed for the visually impaired, but anyone can use it to give their eyes a rest. With the text-to-speech features, you can navigate apps and web pages. For instance, it can read entire web pages, spreadsheet tables, and describe formatting attributes like font types and font colors to help you work with any content. 

Here are some of the key features of Narrator:

• Change the voice and install other text-to-speech voices.
• Personalize the speaking rate, pitch, and volume of the voice.
• Use Narrator's scan mode to navigate apps and web pages faster with keyboard shortcuts and arrow keys.

How Do I Turn on Text-to-Speech on My Computer?

Narrator is switched off by default. The easiest way to trigger it is to press Win + Ctrl + Enter , but it's also accessible through Settings:

Select the Start button and choose Settings .

Go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator . 

Enable Narrator by toggling the button to the On position. 

You can quickly jump to the Narrator settings by pressing Win + Ctrl + N .

A Narrator dialog box will appear on the screen explaining keyboard layout changes. The blue border around the text highlights the parts read by Narrator. 

Select OK to stop the message narration and exit the dialog. Also, check the box next to Don’t show again if you don’t want the box to appear every time Narrator starts.

A welcome screen will appear when you start using Narrator for the first time. From here, you can learn how to use the screen reader and find related learning resources like the comprehensive Narrator guide available online. 

How Do I Use Text-to-Speech in Windows?

Different keyboard shortcuts are associated with navigating everything on the screen with Narrator.

The keyboard shortcuts use the Narrator modifier key, which, by default, is the Caps lock key or the Insert key. You can choose another modifier key in Narrator Settings, but no matter what you choose, you want to press-and-hold the modifier key while also pressing the other keys mentioned below.

Control Voice Playback

Here are some important Narrator shortcut keys that involve voice playback:

• Narrator + Ctrl + + to increase text-to-speech volume.
• Narrator + Ctrl + - to decrease text-to-speech volume.
• Narrator + + or Narrator + - to speed up or slow down voice playback.

Narrator can read any text on the screen. Navigate across the content with the arrow keys or use Scan Mode for more precise control over what you want to read. 

Use the Narrator modifier key with the correct shortcut to read text by page, paragraph, line, sentence, word, or character.

• Read the current page: Narrator + Ctrl + I
• Read from the current location: Narrator + Tab
• Read the current paragraph: Narrator + Ctrl + K
• Read the current line: Narrator + I
• Read the current sentence: Narrator + Ctrl + Comma
• Read the current word: Narrator + K
• Read the current character: Narrator + Comma
• Stop reading: Ctrl
• Navigate out of the content: Tab

Basic Navigation

With Tab and the arrow keys, you can jump between interactive controls like buttons, checkboxes, and links.

• To open a hyperlink on a web page, go to it with the tab and arrow keys. Then, press Enter to open the page.
• To find out more about a link, press Narrator + Ctrl + D and Narrator can tell you the page title behind the link.
• To find out more about an image, press Narrator + Ctrl + D and Narrator will read a description of the image.

Advanced Navigation With Scan Mode

Scan Mode in Narrator will help you work through page content like paragraphs using just the Up and Down Arrow keys. Turn it on or off with Caps Lock + Space and then use keyboard commands like H to jump forward through headings, B for buttons, or D for landmarks.

There are many Scan Mode commands. Refer to the Microsoft Support's Narrator Guide to learn more about them.

Narrator has an exhaustive list of commands to help navigate a screen with the help of sound and shortcuts. Remember these two keyboard shortcuts

• Narrator + F1 : Display the entire commands list.
• Narrator + F2 : Display commands for the current item.

Microsoft Support's Chapter 2: Narrator basics online guide explains the fundamentals of navigating a screen or a web page with Narrator. The complete online guide is a vital resource to learn how to use text-to-speech in Windows.

Select Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator > and move the toggle to the left (off position) under Turn on Narrator . Alternatively, use the Win+Ctrl+Enter keyboard combination.

If you want to dictate text instead of typing,  turn on Windows Speech Recognition ; go to  Settings  >  Time & Language  >  Speech  >  Microphone  >  Get Started . Say, "Start listening," or press Win+H to bring up the dictation toolbar. For help using voice recognition for dictation, browse this list of  standard Windows Speech Recognition commands .

Try online text-to-audio file converters such as  VirtualSpeech  to create an MP3 file from a block of text. The Microsoft Store offers similar apps such as Any Text to Voice and Convert Text to Audio.

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How to set up and use text-to-speech on Windows 10 and 11

Published on June 30, 2023

The Windows text-to-speech feature is an essential accessibility tool for the visually impaired. It’s also helpful if you have reading disabilities like dyslexia or are an auditory learner. The feature reads out all the text on the screen, tells you what apps and app windows you’re opening, and other important information you’ll need to know. Windows has a built-in text-to-speech feature called Windows Narrator, so you don’t have to worry about downloading or installing anything. Here’s what you need to know about Windows Narrator and how to set up and use text-to-speech on Windows 10 and 11.

QUICK ANSWER

To use text-to-speech on Windows 10 and 11, go to  Settings > Ease of access > Narrator  (on Windows 10) or  Settings > Accessibility > Narrator (on Windows 11)   and toggle on  Narrator . You can enable or disable different settings to customize the experience to your liking.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

What is Windows Narrator?

How to enable text-to-speech on windows 10 and 11.

• How to manage text-to-speech settings in Windows 10 and 11

How to change the text-to-speech voice

How to use text-to-speech on windows.

Narrator is Microsoft’s text-to-speech and screen reader feature that comes built-in on Windows 10 and 11. It reads everything on your screen, including websites, emails , documents, and more. It also tells you every action you perform, like opening and closing apps and browser tabs and enabling or disabling features in the settings menu.

Windows Narrator is designed for the visually impaired, but anyone can use it. There are plenty of ways to customize the experience as well. You can set what kind of content is read to you and change the voice, language, reading speed, and other settings.

Windows Narrator is available on Windows 10 and 11 and works the same way on both platforms. The Narrator settings menu is slightly different on Windows 11 and has a few more features, especially regarding voice and language selection. However, the shortcuts and general features are the same.

To enable text-to-speech on Windows, go to  Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator  (on Windows 10) or  Settings > Accessibility > Narrator  (on Windows 11) and enable  Narrator .

As soon as you do, you should hear the default voice telling you that you have enabled the feature. If you want visual confirmation, there will be a blue box to show what page , paragraph, line, or word the Narrator is reading.

The  Narrator Home app will also launch automatically. It has useful features for a first-time user, including a quick start guide, a complete guide, and one-click access to the Narrator settings. You can also use the Feedback button if you come across app issues.

You can minimize the Narrator Home page and uncheck the box next to  Show Narrator Home when Narrator starts if you want to disable it. It’s best to do so only after you’ve set up the text-to-speech feature the way you like it.

Manage text-to-speech settings in Windows 10 and 11

Just enabling the text-to-speech feature might not be enough to get the desired experience. With the default settings, Narrator might be unable to find or read what you need, and navigating a web page or document can be a little tricky.

Windows Narrator start-up options

The first thing to do is to ensure that Narrator launches when you want it to. On Windows 10, check or uncheck the boxes under the Start-up options for Start Narrator after sign-in for me or  Start Narrator before sign-in for everyone if you have multiple user accounts on the same computer or want to use Narrator in the login screen. You’ll find the options on Windows 11 by expanding the menu under  Narrator .

You can also use a keyboard shortcut to turn the Narrator on or off. Toggle the setting in the Start-up options (Windows 10) or Use Narrator section (Windows 11) to use the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter shortcut.

Verbosity settings

Verbosity settings let you adjust what details the Narrator reads aloud. The default setting of  3 – All control details  will include information about all buttons, windows, browser tabs, and apps you open and use. If you want the feature only to read text, you can change it to All text . You’ll find these settings under  Verbosity  on Windows 11 and  Change what you hear when reading or typing on Windows 10.

You can further customize verbosity by enabling or disabling the options to emphasize formatted text, pause when reading punctuation, and read advanced details like the help text on buttons and controls. There’s also a setting to change how Narrator reads capitalized text — with no change (Don’t announce), increased pitch, or the app saying “Cap.”

If you have control details enabled, you can set how much information the Narrator will provide about buttons and controls. It’s set to Immediate context by default, but you can change it to  Full context for new and old controls to hear every detail. You can also enable  Read hints on how to interact with buttons and controls and  Tell me why actions can’t be performed if you want information on how to use buttons on an app or web page.

Finally, you can set what happens when you type on the keyboard. You’ll find these settings under  Have Narrator announce when I type  on Windows 11 and the  Change what you hear when typing section on Windows 10. You can have the text-to-speech feature read out letters, numbers, punctuation, words, toggle keys (like Caps Lock and Num Lock), function keys, arrow keys, and modifier keys (like Shift and Alt).

Mouse and keyboard settings

Narrator lets you set a Narrator Key to make it easier to use shortcuts for verbosity and navigation. You’ll find these settings under  Change keyboard settings on Windows 10 and  Mouse and keyboard on Windows 11.

You can use Caps Lock or the Insert button as the Narrator Key. It’s set to both options by default, but you can pick a specific button. To make it more convenient, you can also lock the Narrator Key in place so you don’t have to press it every time for a command.

You can also customize your keyboard if you want to use it only for commands and navigation. Windows 11 adds the option to use the mouse to read and interact with your screen. Enable the option to have the Narrator Cursor follow your mouse.

Narrator Cursor

The Narrator Cursor is the blue box that moves across the text as it reads it, tells you about buttons and controls, or an overview of webpages and apps. You can choose to show or hide the cursor on your screen. If you’re typing text, you can enable the  Move my text cursor with the Narrator cursor, so you can continue typing without resetting the text cursor position.

Other Windows Narrator settings

Click on  Use a Braille display with Narrator to download the Braille keyboard and other software you need.

You might also want to enable  Sync my Narrator settings on this device if you’re going to keep the same settings for every user. You can also hear image alt text, page titles, and link information by enabling the Get picture information setting in the Manage data and other services  section.

Change the text-to-speech voice

You’ll find voice settings under  Personalize Narrator voice on Windows 10 and  Narrator voice on Windows 11. Use the dropdown to choose from the available list of male or female voices for different languages and regional dialects. You can also set the reading speed, volume, and pitch to customize the default voice options. Select  Lower the volume of other apps when Narrator is speaking to ensure you don’t miss out on anything.

Windows 11 lets you add natural voices that are less robotic and flow better. Click on Add in the  Natural voices section to preview and download the available options.

Add new text-to-speech voices and languages

You’ll only find a few voice options available by default, but you can add more. Go to  Settings > Time and language > Language (or Language and region on Windows 11) and click  Add language .

Type in the language you want, or scroll through the list. Look for the text-to-speech icon to see if you can use it with Windows Narrator. You’ll find the complete list of supported languages and voices here .

If you want to use text-to-speech all the time, go to go to  Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator  (on Windows 10), or Settings > Accessibility > Narrator  (on Windows 11) and enable  Narrator .

To use text-to-speech after opening specific web pages, emails, or documents, use the Windows key + Ctrl + Enter  shortcut to enable Narrator. It will start reading the text from the beginning, or you can move your mouse to start listening from where you want to.

Check out the complete list of keyboard commands and shortcuts to make it easier to use text-to-speech on Windows. Here are a few useful ones to remember to help you get started. The Narrator Key is Caps Lock or Insert, depending on what you have set. If you’ve selected the Lock Narrator Key option in the settings, leave it out in the shortcuts below.

• Windows key + Ctrl + Enter: To enable or disable Narrator.
• Narrator + right/left arrow: Move to the following item (right arrow), and move to the previous item (left arrow).
• Narrator + F1: To show the entire commands list.
• Narrator + Enter: Do the primary action for buttons and controls.
• Narrator + Ctrl + Enter: This toggles Search mode.
• Narrator + F12: Read the current time and date.
• Narrator + S: Listen to a webpage summary.
• Ctrl + Narrator + plus sign/minus sign:  To increase or decrease the Narrator volume.
• Narrator + C : Read the document.
• Ctrl + Narrator + U/I/O: Read the previous page (U), read the current page (I), or read the next page (O).

Windows Narrator FAQs

Yes, a version of it it has been included in all versions of Windows since Windows 2000.

Absolutely. It can read out any text that you see on your screen, including web pages.

Windows narrator is avaialble in a wide range of languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and many others. Find out how to change the language in the guide above.

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How to install more voices to Windows Speech?

I downloaded another TTS pack from Microsoft Speech Platform - Runtime Languages (Version 11) , but in the speech properties this pack doesn't show up.

The image bellow lists all packs installed, which came by default in my Windows 8 installation.

But it is not supported on windows 8, so how can I install more packs?

• text-to-speech
• text-to-speech-voices

• That page states that those are only language data files, most likely for MS SAPI developers. Third party voices/TTS engines seem to be much larger downloads, but TBH I've never tried any besides the 2 L&H voices for XP that MS provided as free downloads. –  Karan Commented May 3, 2013 at 23:39
• Also want to know how to add German to this. –  Ray Commented Dec 14, 2013 at 16:11
• I didn't realized that Windows finally can speak so many languages! –  Kamil Commented Sep 1, 2014 at 14:11
• Here is an answer that directly addresses this: superuser.com/questions/1020849/… –  SDsolar Commented Nov 16, 2017 at 4:19

4 Answers 4

Just use the tutorial on this page :

!!!WARNING!!! This involves manual edits to your registry. If you mess it up, don't blame me. Do at your own risk. Step 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Install the Speech Platform v11 a) go here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27225 b) click "Download" c) select the "x64_SpeechPlatformRuntime\SpeechPlatformRuntime.msi" d) run the installer (duh :P) Step 2: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get the alternate voices

There are 6 English (all female). I have not listened to the other languages, so I dont know how they sound. GB_Hazel and US_ZiraPro are IMO the better sounding voices.

Step 3: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extract the registry tokens

Step 4: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit the voices1/2 files

Step 5: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Merge the new Registry files into your registry

You should now have access to the new voices in Voice Attack, and in the Windows TTS options menu. This process may also work with other voice packs.

• External links can break or be unavailable, in which case your answer would have no value. The link should be used for attribution and further information but the essential points should be included in your answer. –  fixer1234 Commented Feb 2, 2015 at 9:59
• 1 ZiraPro sounds so much more natural than Robotic Anna but it doesn't work when I click the Speech button in Microsoft Word . When I choose Hazel, it reads as Anna. When I choose ZiraPro, it's completely silent. Both voices read the preview text in Control Panel's "Text to Speech" options properly. –  ADTC Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 3:17
• Your URL is not working. The exported Registry for has many things. Please, tell us certanly what do we have to change. Thank you! –  NoWar Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 15:56
• To prevent typo's, I've created a PowerShell to do the registry stuff: –  Dre Commented Dec 30, 2015 at 11:26
• 1 So many broken links are present in the post! BTW thanks. –  Learner Commented Apr 15, 2021 at 13:00

You might be installing 32-bit voices that are unavailable when using the 64-bit Speech Properties dialog that you normally see on 64-bit Windows.

Try using the 32-bit dialog by invoking %windir%\sysWOW64\speech\SpeechUX\SAPI.cpl .

• Yeah... And I am wondering if voices microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224 are 32 bit or 64bit? Because they are not visible under the norma 64 bit console as well as 32 bit console... So wtfisit... –  NoWar Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 1:53
• 1 @Peretz: Try Dimio's Tools . This link also contains additional information that could be useful. If you are into Visual Studio, see this program to list the installed TTS voices. –  harrymc Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 8:26
• This is exactly what I was looking for to change TTS language in discord. Maybe this comment will as well help people to find this in google (and if it only is my, it was worth it). Thanks for this answer! –  geisterfurz007 Commented Sep 30, 2017 at 15:48

Add new language in Control panel and then download language pack in there.

• How to get to this page? –  user Commented Mar 27, 2020 at 3:35

• 2 Welcome to Superuser! This answer is a little short on detail, could you please expand it a little? Thanks –  David Commented Mar 25, 2014 at 18:58
• 2 This is for Windows 8.1 - first 2 steps needed windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/add-language-keyboard . There are almost identical language settings in desktop Control Panel for both Windows 8 and 8.1 –  Ivan Ičin Commented Mar 25, 2014 at 22:30

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How to set up and use Windows 10 Speech Recognition

Windows 10 has a hands-free using Speech Recognition feature, and in this guide, we show you how to set up the experience and perform common tasks.

On Windows 10 , Speech Recognition is an easy-to-use experience that allows you to control your computer entirely with voice commands.

Anyone can set up and use this feature to navigate, launch applications, dictate text, and perform a slew of other tasks. However, Speech Recognition was primarily designed to help people with disabilities who can't use a mouse or keyboard.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to configure and start using Speech Recognition to control your computer only with voice.

How to configure Speech Recognition on Windows 10

How to train speech recognition to improve accuracy, how to change speech recognition settings, how to use speech recognition on windows 10.

To set up Speech Recognition on your device, use these steps:

• Open Control Panel .
• Click on Ease of Access .
• Click on Speech Recognition .

• Click the Start Speech Recognition link.

• In the "Set up Speech Recognition" page, click Next .
• Select the type of microphone you'll be using. Note: Desktop microphones are not ideal, and Microsoft recommends headset microphones or microphone arrays.

• Click Next .
• Click Next again.

• Read the text aloud to ensure the feature can hear you.

• Speech Recognition can access your documents and emails to improve its accuracy based on the words you use. Select the Enable document review option, or select Disable document review if you have privacy concerns.

• Use manual activation mode — Speech Recognition turns off the "Stop Listening" command. To turn it back on, you'll need to click the microphone button or use the Ctrl + Windows key shortcut.
• Use voice activation mode — Speech Recognition goes into sleep mode when not in use, and you'll need to invoke the "Start Listening" voice command to turn it back on.

• If you're not familiar with the commands, click the View Reference Sheet button to learn more about the voice commands you can use.

• Select whether you want this feature to start automatically at startup.

• Click the Start tutorial button to access the Microsoft video tutorial about this feature, or click the Skip tutorial button to complete the setup.

Once you complete these steps, you can start using the feature with voice commands, and the controls will appear at the top of the screen.

Quick Tip: You can drag and dock the Speech Recognition interface anywhere on the screen.

After the initial setup, we recommend training Speech Recognition to improve its accuracy and to prevent the "What was that?" message as much as possible.

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• Click the Train your computer to better understand you link.

• Click Next to continue with the training as directed by the application.

After completing the training, Speech Recognition should have a better understanding of your voice to provide an improved experience.

If you need to change the Speech Recognition settings, use these steps:

• Click the Advanced speech options link in the left pane.

Inside "Speech Properties," in the Speech Recognition tab, you can customize various aspects of the experience, including:

• Recognition profiles.
• User settings.
• Microphone.

In the Text to Speech tab, you can control voice settings, including:

• Voice selection.
• Voice speed.

Additionally, you can always right-click the experience interface to open a context menu to access all the different features and settings you can use with Speech Recognition.

While there is a small learning curve, Speech Recognition uses clear and easy-to-remember commands. For example, using the "Start" command opens the Start menu, while saying "Show Desktop" will minimize everything on the screen.

If Speech Recognition is having difficulties understanding your voice, you can always use the Show numbers command as everything on the screen has a number. Then say the number and speak OK to execute the command.

Here are some common tasks that will get you started with Speech Recognition:

Starting Speech Recognition

To launch the experience, just open the Start menu , search for Windows Speech Recognition , and select the top result.

Turning on and off

To start using the feature, click the microphone button or say Start listening depending on your configuration.

In the same way, you can turn it off by saying Stop listening or clicking the microphone button.

Using commands

Some of the most frequent commands you'll use include:

• Open — Launches an app when saying "Open" followed by the name of the app. For example, "Open Mail," or "Open Firefox."
• Switch to — Jumps to another running app when saying "Switch to" followed by the name of the app. For example, "Switch to Microsoft Edge."
• Control window in focus — You can use the commands "Minimize," "Maximize," and "Restore" to control an active window.
• Scroll — Allows you to scroll in a page. Simply use the command "Scroll down" or "Scroll up," "Scroll left" or "Scroll right." It's also possible to specify long scrolls. For example, you can try: "Scroll down two pages."
• Close app — Terminates an application by saying "Close" followed by the name of the running application. For example, "Close Word."
• Clicks — Inside an application, you can use the "Click" command followed by the name of the element to perform a click. For example, in Word, you can say "Click Layout," and Speech Recognition will open the Layout tab. In the same way, you can use "Double-click" or "Right-click" commands to perform those actions.
• Press — This command lets you execute shortcuts. For example, you can say "Press Windows A" to open Action Center.

Using dictation

Speech Recognition also includes the ability to convert voice into text using the dictation functionality, and it works automatically.

If you need to dictate text, open the application (making sure the feature is in listening mode) and start dictating. However, remember that you'll have to say each punctuation mark and special character.

For example, if you want to insert the "Good morning, where do you like to go today?" sentence, you'll need to speak, "Open quote good morning comma where do you like to go today question mark close quote."

In the case that you need to correct some text that wasn't recognized accurately, use the "Correct" command followed by the text you want to change. For example, if you meant to write "suite" and the feature recognized it as "suit," you can say "Correct suit," select the suggestion using the correction panel or say "Spell it" to speak the correct text, and then say "OK".

Wrapping things up

Although Speech Recognition doesn't offer a conversational experience like a personal assistant, it's still a powerful tool for anyone who needs to control their device entirely using only voice.

Cortana also provides the ability to control a device with voice, but it's limited to a specific set of input commands, and it's not possible to control everything that appears on the screen.

However, that doesn't mean that you can't get the best of both worlds. Speech Recognition runs independently of Cortana, which means that you can use the Microsoft's digital assistant for certain tasks and Speech Recognition to navigate and execute other commands.

It's worth noting that this speech recognition isn't available in every language. Supported languages include English (U.S. and UK), French, German, Japanese, Mandarin (Chinese Simplified and Chinese Traditional), and Spanish.

While this guide is focused on Windows 10, Speech Recognition has been around for a long time, so you can refer to it even if you're using Windows 8.1 or Windows 7.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.

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Cortana voices

The same way, you can access extra Cortana voices. Export the voices from the following Registry branch:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.windows.cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Isolated\jWXZvMzcRxToSdOzNgXV_L3ZSrLDNbZuY5NZNWCCUd8\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens

Then edit the exported file and place the values of the exported path under the following Registry branches

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech_OneCore\Voices\Tokens
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\Tokens
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\SPEECH\Voices\Token

For reference, you can download the Registry tweak for the Eva voice.

Download Registry Tweak for Eva Voice

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5 thoughts on “Unlock Extra Text to Speech Voices in Windows 10”

Thank you SO much for this… I was beating my head against a wall trying to get an alternate voice to work. This was a PERFECT instructional!

Also needs to be added for Wow6432Node so dozens of 32-bit old Speech apps get these voices :)

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Unbelievable how much time was required to find this good answer.

oh hell yeaaaah, spent days trying to figure out why the hell one system setting had voices and the other one wouldn’t populate

This method doesn’t help in case of windows 11. I think something more has to be done. Kindly help

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How to Add and Remove Speech Voices in Windows 10

By timothy tibbetts.

Step away from the screen as you listen to content while performing other tasks or improve your reading comprehension by hearing content at your own pace, in your desired language. Available in a variety of natural-sounding voices and accents.

Read aloud is available in both online and offline modes, however, only a few voice options are available while offline.

Yes—launch Read aloud from the address bar or the Settings and more menu.

To hear specific content, select the text of what you'd like to hear, then right-click (or press and hold) and select Read aloud selection .

Tips and Tricks

• Is Read aloud available on mobile? Yes, Read aloud is available on Microsoft Edge mobile app on iOS and Android systems.
• * Feature availability and functionality may vary by device type, market, and browser version.

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How to Unlock New Text to Speech Voices in Windows 10

updated on October 4, 2023

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Microsoft has a tradition of adding new text-to-speech voices in the new versions of its operating system. Windows Vista presented Anna to the World, which retained even in Windows 7. Windows 8 also introduced some new voices, including David, Zira and Hazel. And Windows 10   also introduced some new additional voices .

Some Windows 10 enthusiasts have discovered these new voices in the US English version of the operating system:  Microsoft Mark Mobile and Microsoft Eva Mobile, and a special test voice designed for Microsoft’s personal assistant, Cortana. But unfortunately, Eva voice is locked by Microsoft, but don’t worry about that, because here’s how you can unlock it with just a couple of registry tweaks.

Steps to unlock new text to speech voices in Windows 10

The voice of Eva Mobile can be unlocked with a following registry tweak: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftSpeechVoicesTokensMSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaM] @="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "409"="Microsoft Eva Mobile - English (United States)" "CLSID"="{179F3D56-1B0B-42B2-A962-59B7EF59FE1B}" "LangDataPath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53, 00,70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00, 65,00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53, 00,5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,53,00,54,00,54,00,53,00, 4c,00,6f,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,55,00,53,00,2e,00,64,00,61,00,74,00,00,00 "VoicePath"=hex(2):25,00,77,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00, 70,00,65,00,65,00,63,00,68,00,5f,00,4f,00,6e,00,65,00,43,00,6f,00,72,00,65, 00,5c,00,45,00,6e,00,67,00,69,00,6e,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,54,00,54,00,53,00, 5c,00,65,00,6e,00,2d,00,55,00,53,00,5c,00,4d,00,31,00,30,00,33,00,33,00,45, 00,76,00,61,00,00,00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftSpeechVoicesTokensMSTTS_V110_enUS_EvaMAttributes] "Age"="Adult" "Gender"="Female" "Version"="11.0" "Language"="409" "Name"="Microsoft Eva Mobile" "SharedPronunciation"="" "Vendor"="Microsoft" "DataVersion"="11.0.2013.1022" Save the text above as a .reg file, or download it as a already packed and ready to use Registry file below: Download Registry tweak for Eva voice

Now, do the following steps:

• Open Control Panel
• Go to the following path:

Control PanelEase of AccessSpeech Recognition

• On the left, click the “Text to speech” link. Eva Mobile voice should now appear in the menu. Click on Preview Voice to hear the voice you just installed:

English US version of the operating system isn’t the only one having various text-to-speech voice ‘characters. You can find more localized voices if you install other Language Packs for your version of Windows. For example, Spanish version features Helena and Sabina, French version has Microsoft Hortense, Chinese Traditional version includes Tracy and so on.so on.

• RELATED:  Best text-to-speech apps for your Windows 10 device

How to add a new Narrator voice in Windows 10

As  a quick reminder, if you want to change the TTS voice in Windows 10 , all you need to do is navigate to Settings > Time & Language > Region & Language and add a new language.

Then select the new language and go to Options. Select Download language pack >  Speech > hit Download. When the download finished, go to Settings  > Ease of Access > Narrator. Navigate to ‘Choose a voice’ and simply select the new voice that you want to add.

List of all the TTS voices available in Windows 10

As stated above, not all the voice are applicable for particular languages. Here’s the list of all the Narrator voices available in the latest Windows 10 versions:

RELATED STORIES TO CHECK OUT:

• 5 best speech to text software for increased productivity
• Talkinator is a handy text-to-speech tool for Windows 10
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More about the topics: windows 10

Windows Hardware Expert

Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting. When he's not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.

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How to set up speech-to-text in Windows 10

Are you ready to start dictating your documents and text using just your voice? Instead of offering separated dictation or speech-to-text capabilities, Windows 10 conveniently groups its voice commands under Speech Recognition , which interprets the spoken word across the operating system for various tasks. We’ll teach you how to get everything ready, as well as how to enable speech-to-text in Windows 10, so you can start chatting away to your favorite OS and improve Windows’ “ear” for your voice.

Finding a mic

Setting up speech recognition, training your computer and more, related guides.

• How to use Windows 10
• Best dictation software

Note: Speech recognition is only currently available in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Before you start, you must be sure that you have the correct hardware for speech-to-text options. It’s easy to overlook this step as we assume that all devices come with built-in mics these days.

However, the issue here is quality. Built-in mics can work well for simple tasks, like Skype conversations or voice commands, but they can also cause distortion, especially with speech-to-text options. In the past, Microsoft has warned that its speech-recognition features are best suited for headset microphones that interpret sounds with greater clarity and are less susceptible to ambient noise. If you really want to use speech recognition on Windows 10, you should get a quality headset that works well with your computer.

If you’re going to invest in hardware, you should do it as soon as possible. Once you train the speech features, it can be difficult to switch devices. Should you decide to buy a mic, follow these steps to make sure Windows knows that you want it to be your primary microphone, even over previous mics:

Step 1: In the Windows search box, type “speech.” Doing so will bring up an option to go to Speech Recognition in the Control Panel. Select this. When the window opens, select Set Up Microphone to begin.

Step 2: Now, choose whether you are using a headset mic or a desktop mic and select Next . Windows will give you some tips on mic placement, then ask you to read a sentence. Read the sentence into your mic, and select Next (there’s no grade or test to pass).

Step 3: If everything worked well, your mic should now be set up. Select Finish to complete the task.

With your mic ready, it’s time to start configuring your various speech-recognition capabilities. In Windows 10, this is a more seamless process than it has been in the past. These steps and tutorials will affect an array of Windows programs, but you may also want to make sure dictation is enabled in any writing apps that you prefer to use. Begin with the steps below.

Step 1: In the Windows 10 search box, type “speech,” and select Windows Speech Recognition in the results.

Step 2: Select Start Speech Recognition to begin. If Windows 10 still doesn’t recognize your mic, it will have you go through the mic setup steps again at this point, then begin the speech recognition setup.

Step 3: One of the choices in the setup process is whether to enable D ocument Review or not. This option tells Windows to look at your emails and documents in your search index and look at the words you frequently use. It can help with the recognition software, but it isn’t a necessary step, so choose what you feel comfortable with.

Step 4: Now decide whether you want speech-to-text to be activated with a keyboard or vocal command and click Next . Use the reference sheet to familiarize yourself with commands you can make and continue through the other preferences. While Windows offers to print out the commands for you, you can easily access them on Microsoft’s website by going here .

Step 5: Windows will also ask if you want to start speech recognition every time you start the computer. If you are using speech recognition for accessibility reasons, this may be an excellent mode to enable.

You should now be ready to go. You can enable or disable speech to text by pressing the Ctrl + Windows keys at any time.

You’re all set at this point to use speech-to-text with a variety of files within Windows Docs. But first, you might want to take the time to fine-tune Windows’ voice-recognition capabilities. With a little training, Microsoft’s latest software can learn your voice and process it to text with greater accuracy.

Step 1: Go to the Ease of Access menu. Click on Speech Recognition .

Step 2: Select Train Your Computer to Better Understand You .

Step 3: Windows will have you read out extended sequences of text, which will help it learn the particular quirks of your voice and intonation, allowing it to understand your voice better.

Near the bottom of the speech-recognition menu is the Speech Reference Card, which is a helpful tool. It provides a cheat sheet on controlling software programs verbally, for those new to voice commands. You can access the cheats in either a small side screen or a print-out.

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After a few months of use, oils, dust, drink drips, and food crumbs can build up in even the keyboards of our best laptops. No one is immune to this, not even tech experts like us. But there are ways to get your laptop clean again.

We’ve laid out the best ways to clean your laptop keyboard, whether you’re simply trying to disinfect or you need a deep clean. But there are a few critical steps to take before you start scrubbing.  Prep work

You're not actually stuck with the screen resolution setting your Windows PC came with. In addition to tons of other device personalization options, screen resolutions are customizable on Windows PCs. And adjusting the screen resolution on your Windows machine is easier than you think. All it takes is a quick trip to your Settings app or Control Panel (depending on which version of Windows you're running) and a few clicks and you're on your way to an easier-to-view screen. Here, we'll show you how to adjust screen resolutions for Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 7 PCs. In Windows 11 Step 1: Navigate to the Windows 11 Settings app.

Step 2: Click Display.

Laptop screens will attract dirt, dust, and grime -- that's just a fact of life. Whether you're using one of the best 2-in-1 laptops and want to clean off your fingerprints from the touchscreen or you use a notebook laptop and have somehow gotten food or dirt on it, the cleaning process isn't necessarily intuitive. You'll likely have lots of questions about it. Do you need a special cleaning fluid? How hard should you rub? What do you rub the screen with? Even using water to clean a laptop screen isn't necessarily completely safe, due to minerals. So join us as we list our favorite tools for each type of yuck removal and teach you how to clean a laptop screen without inflicting damage. For dust: Microfiber cloth

People who wear glasses or own a camera know about this little tool all too well. After all, it's the best way to clean a camera lens or eyeglasses.

Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC

With voice typing, you can enter text on your PC by speaking. Voice typing uses online speech recognition, which is powered by Azure Speech services.

How to start voice typing

To use voice typing, you'll need to be connected to the internet, have a working microphone, and have your cursor in a text box.

Once you turn on voice typing, it will start listening automatically. Wait for the "Listening..." alert before you start speaking.

Note:  Press Windows logo key + Alt + H to navigate through the voice typing menu with your keyboard. 

Install a voice typing language

You can use a voice typing language that's different than the one you've chosen for Windows. Here's how:

Select Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region .

Find Preferred languages in the list and select Add a language .

Search for the language you'd like to install, then select Next .

Select Next or install any optional language features you'd like to use. These features, including speech recognition, aren't required for voice typing to work.

To see this feature's supported languages, see the list in this article.

Switch voice typing languages

To switch voice typing languages, you'll need to change the input language you use. Here's how:

Select the language switcher in the corner of your taskbar

Press Windows logo key + Spacebar on a hardware keyboard

Press the language switcher in the bottom right of the touch keyboard

Supported languages

These languages support voice typing in Windows 11:

Chinese (Simplified, China)

Chinese (Traditional, Hong Kong SAR)

Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)

Dutch (Netherlands)

English (Australia)

English (Canada)

English (India)

English (New Zealand)

English (United Kingdom)

English (United States)

French (Canada)

French (France)

Italian (Italy)

Norwegian (Bokmål)

Portuguese (Brazil)

Portuguese (Portugal)

Romanian (Romania)

Spanish (Mexico)

Spanish (Spain)

Swedish (Sweden)

Tamil (India)

Dictation commands

Use dictation commands to tell you PC what to do, like “delete that” or “select the previous word.”

The following table tells you what you can say. If a word or phrase is in bold , it's an example. Replace it with similar words to get the result you want.

Dictating letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols

You can dictate most numbers and punctuation by saying the number or punctuation character. To dictate letters and symbols, say "start spelling." Then say the symbol or letter, or use the ICAO phonetic alphabet.

To dictate an uppercase letter, say “uppercase” before the letter. For example, “uppercase A” or “uppercase alpha.” When you’re done, say “stop spelling.”

Here are the punctuation characters and symbols you can dictate.

Dictation commands are available in US English only.

You can dictate basic text, symbols, letters, and numbers in these languages:

Simplified Chinese

English (Australia, Canada, India, United Kingdom)

French (France, Canada)

German (Germany)

Spanish (Mexico, Spain)

To dictate in other languages, Use voice recognition in Windows .

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How to Use Text to Speech Windows 11: A Comprehensive Guide

September 11, 2024

Michael Collins

In Windows 11, using the text-to-speech feature is a straightforward way to have your computer read text aloud. To get started, you need to enable the feature in the settings, customize it to your liking, and then use it to have text read to you. This guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you can effectively use text-to-speech on your Windows 11 device.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Text-to-Speech in Windows 11

Let’s go through the steps to set up and use text-to-speech in Windows 11. By the end of these steps, you’ll have the text-to-speech feature up and running, customized to your preferences.

Step 1: Open Settings

First, open the Settings app on your Windows 11 device. You can do this by clicking on the Start menu and selecting the gear icon, or you can simply press Win + I on your keyboard.

Step 2: Go to Accessibility

Next, navigate to the Accessibility section. In the Settings window, look for the Accessibility option on the left-hand side. Click on it to access various accessibility features.

Step 3: Select Speech

Now, find and select the Speech option. Within the Accessibility menu, scroll down until you see the Speech option. Click on it to open the speech settings.

Step 4: Turn On Text-to-Speech

Enable the text-to-speech feature. In the Speech settings, you’ll see a toggle switch labeled "Turn on Narrator." Flip this switch to enable text-to-speech on your device.

Step 5: Customize Text-to-Speech Settings

Customize the voice and speed of the text-to-speech. You can choose from different voices and adjust the speaking speed to match your preference. Play around with these settings until you find the combination that works best for you.

Step 6: Use Text-to-Speech

Finally, use text-to-speech on your device. You can now select any text on your screen, and with the text-to-speech feature enabled, Windows 11 will read it aloud for you.

After completing these steps, your Windows 11 device will start reading the text you select out loud. It’s a handy feature for anyone who prefers auditory learning or needs assistance reading text on the screen.

Tips for Using Text-to-Speech in Windows 11

Here are some additional tips to enhance your experience with text-to-speech in Windows 11:

• Experiment with different voices to find the one that is most pleasant and easy to understand for you.
• Adjust the speed of the speech to ensure the text is read at a comfortable pace.
• Utilize keyboard shortcuts to quickly enable or disable the text-to-speech feature.
• Use text-to-speech for proofreading your documents; hearing the text read aloud can help catch errors you might miss when reading silently.
• Explore third-party text-to-speech software if you need more advanced features or additional voices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i quickly enable text-to-speech in windows 11.

You can quickly enable text-to-speech by pressing Win + Ctrl + Enter to turn on Narrator.

Can I change the voice used for text-to-speech?

Yes, you can select from different voices in the Speech settings under the Accessibility menu.

Is it possible to adjust the reading speed?

Absolutely! You can adjust the reading speed in the Speech settings to match your preference.

Can text-to-speech read web pages?

Yes, text-to-speech can read web pages. Simply select the text you want read aloud, and the feature will do the rest.

Is there a way to pause and resume text-to-speech?

Yes, Narrator includes options to pause and resume the reading of text, which can be controlled via keyboard shortcuts or the Narrator settings.

• Open Settings
• Go to Accessibility
• Select Speech
• Turn on Text-to-Speech
• Customize Text-to-Speech Settings
• Use Text-to-Speech

Using text-to-speech in Windows 11 is a breeze once you know the steps. This feature can be a game-changer for both productivity and accessibility. Whether you’re looking to proofread documents by ear, give your eyes a break, or enhance your multitasking capabilities, text-to-speech has got you covered.

For further reading, consider exploring more about accessibility features in Windows 11, or dive into third-party text-to-speech tools for even more customization options. Now that you’ve mastered the basics, why not start using text-to-speech today? It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference in how you interact with your device.

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