How to Turn Off Narrator on Windows, Xbox, Roku, Fire TV and More

Your computer, TV, tablet, console, or game suddenly starts reading menus aloud, and every click feels slower than it should. That voice is usually Narrator, VoiceView, Screen reader, Voice Guide, or Minecraft narration. Start with the shortcut for the device in front of you, then use the settings path if the voice comes back.

1. Stop Windows Narrator with the keyboard

1. 1.Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter.
2. 2.Stop once Narrator turns off.
3. 3.Press the same keys again only when you want to turn Narrator back on.
4. 4.If Narrator is already running, press Narrator + Esc to exit it. By default, the Narrator key is Caps lock or Insert.

Skip the older Windows logo key + Enter shortcut on current Windows 10 and Windows 11; use Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter.

2. Switch Narrator off in Windows Settings

This fixes Narrator when the keyboard shortcut is not the way you want to control it.

1. 1.Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + N to open Narrator settings.
2. 2.On Windows 11, go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator.
3. 3.On Windows 10, go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator.
4. 4.Switch Use Narrator off.

3. Turn off Narrator before Windows sign in

1. 1.Stay on the Windows sign-in screen.
2. 2.Select the Accessibility icon in the bottom-right corner.
3. 3.Use the Narrator toggle switch to turn Narrator off.

Use this screen when Narrator starts before you can reach the desktop.

4. Keep Windows Narrator from starting again

Open Settings > Accessibility > Narrator on Windows 11, or Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator on Windows 10. You can also press Windows logo key + Ctrl + N, expand Show all settings next to the Narrator toggle switch, then clear Start Narrator after sign-in for me. To stop it before sign-in for everyone, clear Start Narrator before sign-in for everyone; that all-users setting requires permission to change.

5. Disable accidental Windows Narrator shortcuts

1. 1.Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + N.
2. 2.Go to Start-up options.
3. 3.Turn off Allow the shortcut key to start Narrator or Keyboard shortcut for Narrator.

On supported touch devices, Windows button + Volume up can also start or stop Narrator when the Narrator shortcut is allowed.

6. Shut off Narrator on Xbox

On Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, press the Xbox button, then open Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Narrator and turn Narrator off. With a controller, press and hold the Xbox button until the controller vibrates, then press the Menu button; repeat those buttons to turn Narrator off. With a connected keyboard, press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter.

7. Silence Roku, Samsung TV and Fire TV voices

1. 1.On Roku, press the Star or Options button four times quickly to turn Screen reader off when the shortcut is enabled.
2. 2.On Roku, go to Settings > Accessibility > Screen reader > Screen reader on/off, then turn it off.
3. 3.On Samsung TVs and projectors with Voice Guide, go to Home > Settings or All Settings > General or General & Privacy > Accessibility > Voice Guide Settings > Voice Guide > Off.
4. 4.On a Samsung Smart Remote, press and hold the +/- or Volume button for 2 seconds or longer to open Accessibility Shortcuts, then turn off Voice Guide.
5. 5.On Fire TV, press and hold Back + Menu together for about 2 seconds, then repeat the shortcut to turn VoiceView off.
6. 6.On Fire TV, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceView > VoiceView, then turn it off.

To prevent Roku from toggling Screen reader later, go to Settings > Accessibility > Screen reader > Shortcut and disable the shortcut.

8. Turn off VoiceView on a Fire tablet

On Fire tablets, swipe down from the top of the screen with three fingers to open Quick Settings, then swipe down a second time to expand Quick Actions. Tap the gear icon to open Settings, tap Accessibility, then double-tap the screen to open it. Tap VoiceView Screen Reader and double-tap, tap the switch next to VoiceView and double-tap, then tap Continue in the alert and double-tap to confirm. With VoiceView running, one tap selects an item and a double-tap activates it. If the VoiceView Shortcut is enabled, triple-press the power button to turn VoiceView off.

9. Mute Minecraft Narrator and text to speech

1. 1.In Minecraft Java Edition, press Ctrl + B to toggle Narrator off when the Narrator hotkey is on.
2. 2.From the Minecraft Java Edition title screen or pause menu, select Options > Accessibility Settings, then set Narrator off.
3. 3.To prevent the Java Edition hotkey, set Narrator hotkey to OFF.
4. 4.In Minecraft Education, go to Settings > Accessibility, then turn off Enable UI Screen Reader.
5. 5.In Minecraft Education, go to Settings > Accessibility, then turn off Enable Text To Speech For Chat.

During a Minecraft Education game session, Ctrl + B toggles text-to-speech for chat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Narrator keep turning on by itself?

On Windows, the startup settings or Narrator shortcut can bring it back. Open Narrator settings, clear Start Narrator after sign-in for me, and turn off the Narrator shortcut.

How do I stop Narrator from reading without turning it off completely?

Press Ctrl to stop the current reading. To silence Narrator speech while keeping Narrator active, press Narrator key + Shift + S, then press it again to restore speech.

What is the Narrator key on Windows?

By default, the Narrator key is Caps lock or Insert. Use it for commands such as Narrator + Esc to exit Narrator.

Can my work computer block Narrator settings?

Yes. Managed Windows devices can block access to Accessibility or Ease of Access settings, so a workplace device administrator may need to change the setting.