Social Proof

How to Turn off Text to Speech

Speechify is the #1 audio reader in the world. Get through books, docs, articles, PDFs, emails - anything you read - faster.

Featured In

forbes logocbs logotime magazine logonew york times logowall street logo
Listen to this article with Speechify!
Speechify

Table of ContentsTurning off Text to Speech ModeHow to turn off Text to Speech on iPhoneDisabling Google Text to SpeechHow to Turn off Text to Speech Assistant

Table of Contents

  1. Turning off Text to Speech Mode
  2. How to turn off Text to Speech on iPhone
  3. Disabling Google Text to Speech
  4. How to Turn off Text to Speech Assistant
  5. Top 8 Text to Speech Software/Apps

1. Turning off Text to Speech Mode

Turning off the text-to-speech feature largely depends on the operating system and the device you are using. Generally, you can access the accessibility settings of your device to disable this feature. This could be under the settings menu of your Android, Apple iPhone, or other devices like those from Samsung or Microsoft. In the settings, look for the text-to-speech option and deactivate it.

2. How to Turn off Text to Speech on iPhone

The iPhone, using the iOS operating system, offers a text-to-speech feature known as VoiceOver. To turn off this feature, follow these steps:

  1. Open settings from your iPhone's home screen.
  2. Tap on Accessibility.
  3. Choose VoiceOver from the options.
  4. Toggle off the switch.

For those using Siri for text-to-speech, the process is slightly different. Go to settings, select Siri & Search, and then turn off the 'Listen for "Hey Siri"' and 'Press Side Button for Siri' options. If dictation is the problem, this can be turned off from the on-screen keyboard settings in the same Accessibility menu.

3. Disabling Google Text to Speech

On Android devices, Google text-to-speech is typically used. Here's how to turn it off:

  1. Open the settings menu on your Android device.
  2. Scroll down to the System section and tap on Language & Input.
  3. Select Text-to-speech output.
  4. Select the settings icon beside the Google text-to-speech option.
  5. Adjust the Speech rate and Pitch, or click on Disable to turn it off.

If you have TalkBack activated, another text-to-speech service on Android, go back to the Accessibility menu and turn off the TalkBack option.

4. How to Turn off Text to Speech Assistant

Turning off a text-to-speech assistant such as Microsoft's Cortana or Google Assistant can be done from the assistant's user settings. On Microsoft, you can use the keyboard shortcut 'Windows Key + Ctrl + S' to open Cortana’s voice activation settings and turn off the 'Let Cortana respond to "Cortana" keyword' setting.

On Google Assistant, you can navigate to the assistant's settings, tap on the 'Assistant' tab, scroll to 'Assistant devices', and toggle off the Google Assistant option.

Top 8 Text to Speech Software/Apps

Here is a list of the top 8 software or apps with their details:

  1. Google Text-to-Speech: Google's solution, built into Android, but also available on iOS. Features customizable voices and playback speed.
  2. Apple's Siri/VoiceOver: Built into iOS, providing high-quality voice output and ease of use.
  3. Microsoft's Cortana: Microsoft's TTS solution, with good voice quality and system integration.
  4. Samsung's TTS: Comes built into Samsung devices, with support for multiple languages.
  5. Amazon Polly: A cloud service that converts text into lifelike speech. Useful for developing applications that increase engagement and accessibility.
  6. Natural Reader: An app with a friendly interface and the ability to change reading speed.
  7. iSpeech: A flexible option, offering both free personal use and paid options with more features.
  8. Balabolka: A TTS tool that can read clipboard content and view text from documents in different formats.

Remember, troubleshooting text-to-speech issues may vary depending on the software or apps and the device you use. Always make sure to check the specific instructions for your software, device settings, and operating system for the best results.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.