To turn off Narrator in Minecraft Java Edition, open Options... > Accessibility Settings... and change Narrator to OFF. In Bedrock Edition on platforms with text-to-speech controls, open Settings > Accessibility and turn off Text To Speech For UI and Text To Speech For Chat. You can also keep selected narration enabled or adjust its volume in Java Edition.
The short version
- Java settings: Change Narrator to OFF in Accessibility Settings....
- Java shortcut: Press Ctrl + B on Windows or Linux, or Command + B on macOS, repeatedly until narration is off, provided narration support works and Narrator Hotkey is on.
- Bedrock controls: On platforms supporting both controls, turn off Text To Speech For UI and Text To Speech For Chat to stop interface and chat narration.
- Speech outside Minecraft: Check your device’s screen reader separately because its controls do not switch off Minecraft’s own narration.
| Method | Control or location | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Java narration setting | Narrator in Accessibility Settings... | Disables narration or selects a mode |
| Java keyboard shortcut | Ctrl + B on Windows or Linux; Command + B on macOS | Cycles modes with working narration support and the hotkey enabled |
| Java accidental activation | Narrator Hotkey in Java 1.20.2 and later | Disables the narration shortcut |
| Java narration volume | Narrator/Voice in Java 1.21.9 and later | Lowers or mutes the sound category |
| Bedrock interface speech | Text To Speech For UI, where available | Controls spoken menus and interface text |
| Bedrock chat speech | Text To Speech For Chat, where supported | Controls spoken chat |
| Education interface speech | Enable UI Screen Reader | Controls interface narration |
| Education device synchronization | Enable Text to Speech with Device Settings | Controls whether speech follows device settings |
| Education chat through settings | Enable Text To Speech For Chat | Controls spoken chat |
| Education chat through the chat window | Chat Settings | Provides another spoken-chat control |
| Education narration volume | Sound Volume in Audio | Changes narration through the broader sound control |
| Windows 11 screen reader | Windows + Ctrl + Enter | Turns off active Windows Narrator |
| Windows 11 automatic activation | Startup and shortcut settings under Narrator | Prevents automatic or accidental activation |
| Windows Narrator speech mute | Speech toggle in versions with the April 2026 feature | Mutes speech while retaining screen-reader operation |
| Mac screen reader | Command + F5 | Turns off active VoiceOver |
| Mac accessibility panel or speech mute | Accessibility Shortcuts or VoiceOver Utility | Disables VoiceOver or mutes its speech |
| iPhone screen reader | Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver | Controls iPhone VoiceOver |
| Android screen-reader settings | Use TalkBack in TalkBack | Disables the system screen reader |
| Android accessibility shortcuts | Previously configured volume-button or on-screen shortcut | Turns off TalkBack on supported devices |
| Android voice command | Configured Google Assistant on supported devices | Turns off TalkBack by voice |
| Android external keyboard | TalkBack shortcut on the latest Android 16 version | Toggles TalkBack with an external keyboard |
| Chromebook screen reader | Ctrl + Alt + Z | Turns off active ChromeVox |
| PS5 screen-reader settings | Screen Reader under Accessibility | Disables or adjusts console speech |
| PS5 speech pause | Controller shortcut while text is being read | Pauses or resumes console speech |
Turn off Narrator in Java Edition
Open Options..., select Accessibility Settings..., then change Narrator to OFF. Use this setting to disable Minecraft’s narration or choose which text it reads aloud.
For a quicker change, press Ctrl + B on Windows or Linux, or Command + B on macOS. Repeat the shortcut until Narrator is OFF, since it cycles through modes. The shortcut requires working narration support and Narrator Hotkey to be on; if it does not change narration, use the accessibility menu.
To keep some speech, choose Narrates Chat, Narrates System, or Narrates All instead. Select Narrates Chat for chat narration or Narrates System for system narration. Choose Narrates All when you want both categories read aloud.
Turn off menu and chat speech in Bedrock Edition
In Bedrock Edition on platforms that expose text-to-speech controls, open Settings > Accessibility. Turn off Text To Speech For UI to stop spoken menus and interface text.
For spoken chat, turn off Text To Speech For Chat in the same menu on platforms supporting chat text-to-speech. The interface and chat switches are separate, so turn off both when you want neither read aloud. Leave one enabled if you want to retain that type of speech.
Mojang removed Text to Speech with Device Settings from Bedrock Edition 26.50, so use the remaining text-to-speech controls in Accessibility. If speech also occurs outside Minecraft, check your device’s screen reader separately.
Adjust narration in Minecraft Education
From the main menu, select Settings, open Accessibility, and turn off Enable UI Screen Reader to stop interface narration. To stop narration from following your platform’s screen reader, turn off Enable Text to Speech with Device Settings. Minecraft Education uses these names in its accessibility help, although wording can differ between builds.
To stop spoken chat, open Settings > Accessibility and turn off Enable Text To Speech For Chat. You can also open chat and select the gear icon beside the chat input box to open Chat Settings. There, turn off Text To Speech For Chat.
To change narration volume, open Settings > Audio and adjust Sound Volume. This is the broader sound-volume control, so use the individual accessibility switches when you want to disable interface or chat narration specifically.
Prevent accidental Narrator activation in Java Edition
In Java Edition 1.20.2 and later, open Options... > Accessibility Settings... and set Narrator Hotkey to OFF. This prevents the narration shortcut from changing the mode accidentally.
Set Narrator to OFF separately if speech is already enabled. Turning off the hotkey controls the shortcut, while the Narrator setting controls narration itself. To use the shortcut again later, return to the same menu and turn Narrator Hotkey on.
Lower narration volume in Java Edition
For Java Edition 1.21.9 and later, open Options... > Music & Sounds... and lower Narrator/Voice. Move the slider fully left to mute that sound category. Choose a lower volume if you still want narration at a quieter level.
Muting the category changes its sound level; use Narrator in Accessibility Settings... to change what Minecraft reads. Older instructions may name Voice or Voice/Speech; Mojang renamed the category Narrator/Voice in Java Edition 1.21.9.
Stop a separate screen reader on Windows or Mac
The Windows menu steps here use Windows 11. When Windows Narrator is producing the speech, press Windows + Ctrl + Enter to turn it off. Alternatively, open Settings > Accessibility > Narrator, then turn off Narrator. You can also press Windows + Ctrl + N to open its settings directly.
To prevent Windows Narrator from starting automatically, open Settings > Accessibility > Narrator and expand the settings beside Narrator. Turn off Start Narrator before sign-in and Start Narrator after sign-in. Turn off Keyboard shortcut for Narrator when accidental shortcut activation is the problem.
On a Mac, when VoiceOver speaks outside Minecraft too, press Command + F5 to turn it off. Alternatively, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and turn off VoiceOver. On a Mac or Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, you can also hold Command while quickly pressing Touch ID three times.
These controls change the operating system’s screen reader and leave Minecraft’s independent narration settings separate. If Minecraft continues speaking afterward, return to the narration controls for your edition.
Stop device speech on iPhone or Android
On iPhone, open Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and turn off VoiceOver. You can instead use the VoiceOver control in Control Center if you previously added it. A previously configured Accessibility Shortcut for VoiceOver is another route.
On Android devices with Google TalkBack, open Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack, turn off Use TalkBack, then select Turn off. While TalkBack is active, tap once to focus an item and double-tap to activate it. Scroll with two fingers as you move through the settings.
Android manufacturers can arrange settings differently; with a configured TalkBack shortcut, hold both Volume up and Volume down for a few seconds until TalkBack turns off. Alternatively, focus your configured accessibility shortcut or floating button and double-tap it. To prevent shortcut reactivation, open Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack and turn off TalkBack shortcut.
Stop screen reading on Chromebook or PS5
On a Chromebook, press Ctrl + Alt + Z to turn off active ChromeVox. On a Chromebook tablet, hold Volume down + Volume up for five seconds. Both methods control ChromeVox, so use Bedrock’s accessibility settings separately for Minecraft speech.
On PS5, start from the home screen and open Settings > Accessibility > Screen Reader. Turn off Enable Screen Reader to stop the console screen reader. For adjustments instead, change Speech Speed, Voice Type, or Voice Volume. You can also access accessibility settings through the control center if you previously added them there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you pause the PS5 screen reader without turning it off?
While the PS5 screen reader is reading text aloud, press PS + Triangle to pause or resume speech. This pauses the console screen reader rather than changing Minecraft’s narration setting.
Can Google Assistant turn off TalkBack?
On Android devices supporting the command, with Google Assistant configured, say Hey Google, turn off TalkBack and wait for spoken confirmation. This disables TalkBack, not Minecraft’s text-to-speech controls.
Can you mute Windows Narrator while keeping it running?
In Windows Narrator versions with the April 2026 speech-off feature, press Narrator key + Shift + S to toggle speech off. Repeat the shortcut to restore speech. This leaves the screen reader operating and does not change Minecraft’s narrator.
How do you mute VoiceOver speech on a Mac without disabling VoiceOver?
Open VoiceOver Utility with VO + Fn + F8, then open Speech > Voices and select Mute speech. VO means your configured VoiceOver modifier. This changes VoiceOver speech rather than Minecraft narration.
Can you turn off TalkBack with an external keyboard?
On an Android device running the latest Android 16 version, press Action + Alt + T on an external keyboard to toggle TalkBack off. Action is the Windows key on a Windows keyboard or the Command key on a Mac keyboard.
Can you turn off Mac VoiceOver through the accessibility shortcut panel?
Press Option + Command + F5 to open Accessibility Shortcuts. Focus VoiceOver and press Space to switch it off.