Narrator is the built-in screen reader that reads text aloud on your device

Narrator is a tool that speaks everything on your screen — menu options, text, buttons, notifications. It runs in the background once turned on, and many people turn it off because they don't need it, find it distracting, or activated it by accident. The steps to disable it depend on whether you use Windows or Mac, and whether Narrator is currently running or set to start automatically.

If Narrator is speaking right now and you want it to stop immediately, the fastest way is a keyboard shortcut. On Windows, press Windows key + H together. On Mac, press Command + F5. These commands toggle Narrator off without opening any menus. If that doesn't work, the steps below will walk you through the settings where you can disable it permanently.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, press Windows key + H to turn Narrator off immediately, or go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator and toggle it off.
  • On Mac, press Command + F5 to turn off VoiceOver (Mac's version of Narrator), or open System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and uncheck the box.
  • If you turned Narrator on by accident and can't find the settings, the keyboard shortcut is the fastest way to stop it from speaking.
  • Disabling Narrator in settings prevents it from starting automatically the next time you restart your device.

Disable Narrator on Windows 10 and Windows 11

The steps are the same whether you have Windows 10 or Windows 11. Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I. In the left sidebar, click Accessibility. Then click Narrator.

You will see a toggle switch next to "Narrator" at the top of the page. Click it once to turn Narrator off. The switch will turn gray, and Narrator will stop speaking immediately. If Narrator is currently speaking and you can't hear yourself think, use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + H instead — it works even if you can't see the screen clearly.

Once you turn off the toggle, Narrator will not start automatically when you restart your computer. If you want to turn it back on later, return to this same page and click the toggle again.

Disable VoiceOver on Mac (Mac's version of Narrator)

Mac calls its screen reader VoiceOver instead of Narrator, but it works the same way. The fastest way to turn it off is the keyboard shortcut Command + F5. Press both keys at the same time, and VoiceOver will stop speaking.

To disable it permanently so it doesn't start when you restart, open System Settings (the gear icon in your dock or Applications folder). Click Accessibility in the sidebar. Click VoiceOver. You will see a checkbox next to "VoiceOver" — uncheck it. VoiceOver will turn off immediately and will not start automatically next time you restart your Mac.

What to do if you can't find the Narrator settings

If Narrator is speaking and you're having trouble navigating to the settings, the keyboard shortcut is your fastest option. On Windows, press Windows key + H. On Mac, press Command + F5. These work regardless of what screen you're on or what app is open.

If the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, your device may have a different accessibility tool running instead. On Windows, check whether Magnifier (which zooms the screen) is on instead — press Windows key + Plus to toggle it. On Mac, check whether Zoom is enabled in System Settings > Accessibility > Zoom.

Narrator turned back on after you disabled it

If Narrator is speaking again even though you turned it off, something may have restarted it. On Windows, check whether you have a keyboard shortcut set to turn Narrator on. Open Settings > Accessibility > Narrator, scroll down to "Keyboard shortcuts", and look for any shortcut listed. If you find one, you can delete it by clicking the shortcut and pressing Delete.

On Mac, the same thing can happen if you have a keyboard shortcut set for VoiceOver. Open System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver, and look for "Enable VoiceOver" in the list. If a keyboard shortcut is shown, you can change or remove it.

Another reason Narrator might restart is if someone else is using your device and turns it on, or if a program you installed has its own accessibility settings that override yours. If you share your device with others, ask them whether they turned it on. If you recently installed a new program, check its settings for accessibility options.

Narrator keeps activating when you don't want it

Some keyboard combinations can accidentally turn Narrator on. On Windows, holding down the Windows key and pressing H will toggle it. If you use keyboard shortcuts for other programs, make sure they don't overlap with Windows key + H. You can change the Narrator shortcut in Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Keyboard shortcuts.

On Mac, Command + F5 toggles VoiceOver. If you use other programs that use this shortcut, you can change it in System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver. Look for the keyboard shortcut option and assign a different key combination that you won't press by accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Narrator delete any of my files or settings?

No. Turning off Narrator only stops the screen-reading tool from running. It does not affect your files, programs, or any other settings on your device. You can turn it back on anytime by following the same steps in reverse.

Can I disable Narrator just for one program instead of the whole device?

Narrator is a system-wide tool, so disabling it turns it off everywhere. However, some programs have their own accessibility settings. If you want Narrator off for a specific program but on for others, you would need to turn it off globally and then turn it back on when you need it for a different task.

What if I turned Narrator on by accident and I'm not sure how?

The most common way is pressing the keyboard shortcut by accident — Windows key + H on Windows, or Command + F5 on Mac. You can also turn it on through Settings > Accessibility. If you're not sure, just use the keyboard shortcut to turn it off right now, then check your keyboard shortcuts in the settings to make sure you won't press them by accident again.

Is there a difference between Narrator and other screen readers?

Narrator is built into Windows and Mac. Other screen readers like NVDA or JAWS are separate programs you download. If you have one of those installed, you would disable it through its own settings or by uninstalling the program, not through your device settings.