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 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 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.

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How to Use Windows Text to Speech Feature

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

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

Dave johnson   .

• 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.

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, read more articles on.

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• Tech Reference
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• Accessibility
• Tech How To
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Computer technology in plain English

How to Install & Use Third Party TTS Voices in Windows 10

Windows 10 comes with two default voices installed to be used with the text-to-speech engines. These two voices (namely Microsoft Zira and Microsoft David) that come pre-installed in Windows 10 are to be used with both apps and desktop applications. In case you are installing a third party voice pack for TTS then most probably it will be available for the desktop applications only. Here is how you can install third party TTS voices, set them as default and use them in Windows desktop applications:

Download and install TTS Voice Packs in Windows 10

One of the sources for downloading free Microsoft and LTS TTS voices is Zero2000 . You can also purchase very high quality TTS voices for Windows from companies like Ivona , Cepstral or CereProc . But if you want to try out these high quality voices in Windows 10, then you can also download the 30-day trial versions too. You can download these various packs from http://visionaid.com/phpincludes/en/support/voices/voices.php where you will find voice packs from Ivona and Nuance (no longer work in Windows 10).

Installation of these packs is usually very simple. All you have to do is launch and go through the setup installer package and it will automatically install all the voices included in the package in your Windows 10 PC.

Testing VisionAid Voices Packs in Windows 10

If you have downloaded the speech packs from VisionAid website (link above), then the setup package installs some extra tools in your PC. You can open the Start Menu icon and search for Speech Test to find a small speech testing tool. The other tool installed is for managing the installed voice licenses on your PC.

The Speech Test tool can be used to check the proper installation of these voices in your PC. You can select one of the installed voices from the drop-down list, then type something in the text box and click on the Speak button. There are some other options for this tool like speak punctuation and parsing XML files.

Setting a Default Voice for TTS in Windows 10

Some voices in Windows 10 are only meant for apps, and some for only desktop applications, while others can be used both for apps and traditional desktop applications. Most of the third party voices are designed to be used with the desktop applications. In order to use them, you have open Control Panel and choose the default voice.

You can press the Win+X and select Control Panel from the menu. In the Control Panel, search for “speech” and then click on the Change text to speech settings . In the window that opens, you can choose a default voice from Voice Selection list-box and then finally click on OK button.

Using the Newly Installed Voice in Desktop Application

For using the newly installed voices in Windows 10 requires you to either use a Windows app that you can download from the official Microsoft apps store or a desktop application like TTSReader that you can download from http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Other-Office-Tools/TTSReader.shtml .

TTSReader is a free application and can read all the text that you have copied  to the clipboard automatically. In the application, you can choose one of the available TTS voices and control its speech, volume and pitch. TTSReader can also save the speech output to an MP3 or WAV audio file.

Conclusion: If you are not happy with the default Microsoft Zira and Microsoft David TTS voices available in Windows 10, then you can get third party TTS voices for free or buy them online. Using the third party TTS voices in Windows 10 is a breeze if you know what type of voice packs you have installed.

hello, I’m Splaat, the Klasky Csupo Robot, I’m so happy that so one to laugh me!

Dear Trisha, I am a first-time visitor to your website. Found it while looking for guidance on how to add more voices, in particular third party voices, to Windows 10. Your article about “How to Install & Use Third Party TTS Voices in Windows 10” looks like what I need. Having links to sources is very valuable. Thanks for publishing it. I think I shall visit again since you seem to have a few nuggets of info worth exploring. Unfortunately, despite following your recommendations, I am still to be able to see the voices I downloaded added to Windows 10’s pool of voices. Following your article, I downloaded Ivona’s Anerican English Voice Pack from VisionAid’s website. Then, ran the executable file (VisionAid American English Ivona Voice Pack Setup 2.6.2.exe), which at the end announced that the setup was successful. Immediately, I went to Windows 10’s Text-to-Speech settings hoping to see the new voices in the voice-selection dropdown menu, but it was not to be. Ivona’s new voices (Eric, Ivy, Jennifer, Joey, Kendra and Kimberly) were not there. Your article indicates that to use the newly installed voices I need either a Windows app or a desktop application like TTSReader. I tried ReadAloud and Hear-it-First from the app store. Still not able to use the new voices I tried TTSReader. Ilona’s English voices were available to TTSReader, but so were other Ilona voices for which I had not installed their packages, as well as other Non-Ilona voices I had not installed either. So, I suspect, the voices available to TTSReader were installed by TTSReader. None of the voices available to TTSReader (except for the Microsoft ones) are listed in Windows 10’s Text-to-Speech settings in the voice-selection dropdown menu. My final goal is to be able to see third party voices truly added to Windows 10’s pool of voices available to all Text-to-Speech capable applications. I thought that’s what the article was going to help me do. Am I missing something? Thanks Raoul

Same thing here, after downloading and installing the voices, they were not appearing in my settings….

Exactly the same for me as well. The author must have a special Windows 10 edition?

The problem is Microsoft is pushing the new API for speech synthesis and the TTS voice companies are complying. If you install an old API based voice pack in latest version of Windows 10, it won’t show up in Windows settings. Similarly, if you install a voice pack with latest API support, it will show up in Windows settings but will fail to work in third-party programs that were designed using older API.

When I wrote this article last time, I was using Windows 10 version 1511, Ivona British English pack downloaded from VisonAid version 2.x and TTSReader 1.3.

I tried the same just a few minutes ago on Windows 10 version 1607 – the voices don’t show up in Windows settings, but work in TTSReader and VisionAid’s Speech Test.

On Windows 64 bit, the 3th party voices did not show up in settings and are not selectable. I’ve downloaded Claro Speech Control Panel and was able to change the default Windows 10 Voice with this utility. Sadly the SAPI5 voices I’ve purchased (from Nuance) work only with applications, not with Store Apps.

TTSReader is only around 2 MB, how can it contain different voice packs? You must have installed them before.

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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! –  DmitryBoyko 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... –  DmitryBoyko 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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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

That's it. (via Reddit ).

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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 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
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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

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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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Step 2: Click Display.

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8 Best Free Voice Recognition Software of 2024

In this post

1. Deepgram

2. google cloud speech-to-text, 5. otter.ai, 6. express scribe, 7. assemblyai - speech-to-text api, 8. speechmatics, comparison of the best free voice recognition software.

• Frequently asked questions on free voice recognition software

Tired of typing when you could be talking? 

Think - dictating emails, writing reports, or transcribing interviews effortlessly. Free voice recognition software can be your solution to boost productivity by converting speech to text quickly and accurately.

Converting speech-to-text can be laborious and time-consuming, but with the right free software, you can reduce hours of effort to mere minutes. We're here to help you select the best tool for your requirements.

We'll dive into the best free voice recognition alternatives, weighing features, benefits, and downsides to help you make an informed selection. Don't miss our comparison table, which highlights major distinctions and G2 ratings to help you choose the right software.

8 best free voice recognition software of 2024

• Google Cloud Speech-to-Text
• Express Scribe
• AssemblyAI - Speech-to-Text API
• Speechmatics

How did we select and evaluate the free voice recognition software?

At G2 , we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations -  that's the G2 difference! We don’t accept payment or exchange links for product placements on our list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.

Top 8 best free voice recognition software of 2024

The free AI voice recognition software list below contains real user reviews from the best voice recognition software category page. It’s important to note that in the context of this list, software that requires payment after a free trial is considered free . To be included in this category, a solution must:

• Contain vocabularies and recognition models for a variety of natural languages
• Create and share documents containing text converted by speech recognition
• Process and translate multiple types of audio or video files
• Update language models and improve vocabulary through user  input
• Provide adaptive features to transcribe noisy speech
• Capture information by phone, handheld recorder, or mobile device

This data was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity. 

Want to learn more about Voice Recognition Software? Explore Voice Recognition products.

Deepgram is an AI-powered speech-to-text platform that delivers lightning-fast, highly accurate transcriptions . Unlike traditional speech recognition, Deepgram specializes in understanding conversational language, making it ideal for transcribing calls, meetings, and other real-world audio. Its advanced features, like speaker diarization, sentiment analysis , and entity extraction , provide valuable insights beyond simple text conversion.

What users like best:

“I have been using their product for over two years. It is very good, and they consistently introduce improvements. We develop video and audio accessibility products, so accurate transcripts and SRT files are crucial. Their support and sales teams are highly responsive and helpful. The pricing is very competitive, and they offer excellent programs for startups. Their integration points are well-documented, and the customer dashboard is user-friendly. We can easily experiment with new options without extensive programming.”

- Deepgram Review , Jeffery P.

What users dislike:

“One area for improvement is their logging and troubleshooting capabilities. Currently, the logging is somewhat limited, making diagnosing and resolving issues challenging. Enhancing the logging features would greatly aid in troubleshooting during issues.”

- Deepgram Review , Saran S.

Google Cloud Speech-to-Text is a powerful AI voice recognition tool that accurately converts audio into text. Using Google's advanced machine learning, it excels in handling diverse accents, background noise, and multiple speakers. With its ability to transcribe real-time audio and offer customization options, it's a versatile speech recognition solution for businesses and developers seeking reliable speech recognition.

“Google Cloud Speech-to-Text is exceptionally easy to use. It can be seamlessly integrated into any meeting or speech session. The text generation speed is nearly real-time, significantly accelerating content creation and saving users substantial time. A notable feature of Google Speech-to-Text is its automatic punctuation of sentences based on  natural language processing   (NLP) comprehension.”

- Google Cloud Speech-to-Text Review , Varad V.

“Along with several strengths, Google Cloud Speech-to-Text also has some limitations. Its reliance on an internet connection prevents offline use. Additionally, concerns about data privacy and Google's data handling practices exist. While generally fast, real-time transcription can sometimes experience latency issues that require improvement.”

- Google Cloud Speech-to-Text Review , Prashant G. 

Krisp is an AI-powered noise-cancellation tool designed to enhance audio quality during calls and meetings. It intelligently filters out background noise like keyboard clicks, dog barks, and construction, ensuring clear communication. Unlike traditional noise cancellation, Krisp focuses on eliminating unwanted sounds while preserving voice clarity, enhancing overall call quality.

“I love its seamless integration into any video conferencing platform. It's user-friendly and offers excellent customer support. I highly recommend this software for daily workplace use.

- Krisp Review , Osbel G.

“Occasionally, the noise cancellation is inconsistent. There have been instances where it mistakenly picked up a nearby colleague's voice while I was speaking and listening to a client."

- Krisp Review , James H.

Notta is an AI-driven meeting note-taker and transcription tool that converts audio and video conversations into text, generating accurate transcripts and summaries. With features like speaker identification, search, and collaboration, Notta helps teams capture and organize meeting information efficiently, saving time and boosting productivity.

“What makes Notta the best for me is its speed and high-degree precision. It builds up streaming speed by audio and video from a few seconds to a couple of hours, even with many different but ridiculous dialogues or accents. I can save hours and hours of work by taking advantage of this feature over traditional transcription schemes.”

- Notta Review , Lawrence J.

“There are certainly areas for improvement. The buttons are small, and creating clips is challenging. The user interface and user experience could be enhanced significantly. Additionally, the ability to paste a Zoom or meeting link from a mobile device to join a missed call is essential. This is the core purpose of the assistant, but it's currently impractical.”

- Notta Review , Jarod T.

Otter.ai is an AI-powered meeting and voice recognition  tool that goes beyond simple text conversion. It boasts real-time transcriptions , speaker identification, and highlights, allowing you to capture conversations and discussions as they happen. Unlike competitors, Otter.ai excels in understanding accents and integrates seamlessly with various platforms, making it a versatile solution for students, professionals, and content creators.  

“Otter.ai emerges as a technology with an exceptional capability to transcribe accurately. This is revolutionary for real-time meetings, calls, and audio input transcription. Its user-friendly interface and compatibility with various channels like Zoom make it highly practical. Additional team-oriented features like transcript sharing, commenting, and highlighting facilitate seamless team coordination.”

- Otter.ai Review , Eric H.

“Sometimes, due to variations in accents and speaking speed, it fails to capture everything accurately, and even if the system does manage to record some additional words, they are often incorrect. It is frustrating when the tool integrates automatically, and even when attempting to remove it from a meeting, it is difficult to eject, often sending disruptive reminder chat messages.”

- Otter.ai Review , Saniya S.

Express Scribe is a professional AI tool  d esigned to simplify transcription. It offers precise playback control with keyboard shortcuts or foot pedals, enabling efficient navigation through audio files. While primarily a playback tool, Express Scribe can integrate with third-party voice recognition software, transforming it into a powerful transcription workstation.

“I appreciate how Express Scribe seamlessly integrates with the transcription foot pedal. It is a small, easily downloadable, and installable software that can be operational within minutes. There is no training is necessary for basic software functions.”

- Express Scribe Review , Sandra J.

“ I wish the editor had an auto-correct feature. This way, I don't have to transfer my work to another application for editing and proofreading.”

- Express Scribe Review , Anita S.

AssemblyAI is a powerful speech-to-text application programming interface (API) that goes beyond voice recognition. It offers advanced features like speaker diarization, sentiment analysis, and custom vocabulary, enabling deep insights from audio data. With its robust API and focus on accuracy, AssemblyAI empowers developers to build intelligent voice-enabled applications.

“AssemblyAI is truly focused on product development as its core customer within organizations. Their APIs are well-defined and consistently updated. The accuracy and error rate of their speech-to-text model are industry-leading. Our customers appreciate the transcriptions and other intelligent features we can offer. AssemblyAI makes their APIs easy to use and integrate into our products.”

- AssemblyAI Review , Ryan J.

“I believe they could explore generative AI capabilities more deeply and introduce additional features beyond traditional Q&A to enhance usability and product differentiation.”

- AssemblyAI Review , Avijit C.

Speechmatics is a leading speech-to-text AI-voice recognition software renowned for its accuracy and inclusivity.  It excels in transcribing diverse accents, dialects, and languages, making it ideal for global businesses. Beyond basic transcription, Speechmatics offers advanced features like speaker diarization and language identification, providing deeper insights from audio data.

“We use Speechmatics as the "ears" for our ChatGPT-powered robots that keep telemarketer scammers busy. Speechmatics processes thousands of audio clips each day. The accuracy is amazing - even with low-quality international telephone conversations. Speechmatics recognizes acronyms, does proper punctuation, capitalization, and grammar, and recognizes "new" words, such as the pandemic-related vocabulary we now use every day. The account team is responsive, and support is prompt, helpful, and human. I highly recommend Speechmatics.”

- Speechmatics Review , Roger A.

“Speechmatics's products and services have geographical limitations, particularly the absence of servers in China, which can lead to transmission delays that may affect real-time transcription requirements. We hope to see improvements in this area, which would undoubtedly make Speechmatics an unparalleled choice in the transcription service market.”

- Speechmatics Review , Frank Z.

If you feel overwhelmed by the wealth of information about free voice recognition software , this comparison table will help you with all the important aspects:

Frequently asked questions on free voice recognition software

Q. what kind of hardware do i need to use a free voice recognizer.

Most free voice-recognition software is web-based, so you only need a device with an internet connection and a web browser.

Q. Can you customize the voice generated by free voice recognition software?

Yes, many free software offer customization options. You can often adjust voice speed, pitch, and accent to suit your preferences. Some even allow you to choose between male and female voices or different voice styles. However, the level of customization may vary between different tools.

Q. What are the common audio formats that free voice recognition software support?

Common output formats include MP3, WAV, and AAC.

Q. Are there any limitations to using free voice recognition software?

Free versions typically come with limitations like character limits, output quality, or watermarks on the generated audio.

Discover your inner voice

With a plethora of free voice recognition software options available, finding the perfect tool to bring your words to life has never been easier. By carefully considering factors like voice quality, customization options, and intended use, you can select the ideal generator to enhance your projects. Remember to explore the terms of service for each option to ensure it aligns with your commercial needs. Experimentation is key to discovering the best fit for your voiceover requirements.

We hope this list helps you find the right solution!

Dive deeper into AI voice recognition , its types, and applications across industries!

Edited by Monishka Agrawal

Samudyata Bhat

Samudyata Bhat is a Content Marketing Specialist at G2. With a Master's degree in digital marketing, she currently specializes her content around SaaS, hybrid cloud, network management, and IT infrastructure. She aspires to connect with present-day trends through data-driven analysis and experimentation and create effective and meaningful content. In her spare time, she can be found exploring unique cafes and trying different types of coffee.

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• About AssemblyAI

What is speech recognition? A comprehensive guide

This article will provide a comprehensive overview of speech recognition, including its benefits and applications, and help you choose the right speech recognition API.

The use of speech recognition technology is exploding and is expected to grow at a clip of over 14% year over year for the foreseeable future. 

Recent advancements in the AI research behind speech recognition technology have made speech recognition models more accurate and accessible than ever before. These advancements, coupled with consumers’ increased reliance on digital audio and video consumption, are powering this impressive growth and transforming the way we interact with this technology in both our personal and professional lives. 

In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of speech recognition, including its benefits, applications, and how to get started using the technology. 

What is speech recognition?

First, let’s explore deeper: what is speech recognition?

Speech recognition, also referred to as speech-to-text and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) , is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning to turn spoken words into readable text. 

Speech recognition technology has existed since 1952, when the infamous Bell Labs created “Audrey,” a digit recognizer. Initially, Audrey could only be used to transcribe spoken numbers but a decade later, researchers were able to make Audrey to transcribe rudimentary spoken words like “hello”. 

Later, researchers used classical Machine Learning technologies like Hidden Markov Models to power speech recognition models, though the accuracy of these classical models eventually plateaued. 

Today, deep learning technology, heavily influenced by Baidu’s seminal paper Deep Speech: Scaling up end-to-end speech recognition , dominates the field.

In the next section, we’ll discuss how these deep learning approaches work in more detail.

How does speech recognition work?

In its simplest form, a speech recognition model takes audio inputs, breaks them into their individual parts, and outputs a written text.

Speech recognition models today typically use an end-to-end deep learning approach. This is because end-to-end deep learning models require less human effort to train and are more accurate than previous approaches.

Speech recognition occurs via three main steps: audio preprocessing, the deep learning speech recognition model, and text formatting. 

Audio preprocessing converts the audio input into a usable format through transcoding, normalization, and segmentation.

The deep learning speech recognition model then maps the audio input to a sequence of words. Today, modern systems use Transformer and Conformer architectures to achieve speech recognition.

These models generate the likelihood of each word, or linguistic unit, being spoken in each short time frame. Then, a decoder generates the most probable word sequence based on pre-linguistic-unit likelihood values . 

Finally, text formatting ensures that the text output by the deep learning recognition model is readable. For example, the raw outputs typically don’t have punctuation and casing, and emails and numbers are spelled out in their entirety. Text formatting changes these outputs into the more readable text format that we’re used to seeing. 

Not all speech recognition models today are created equally — some can be limited in accuracy by factors such as accents, background noise, language, quality of audio input, and more. Following explicit steps to evaluate speech recognition models carefully will help users determine the best fit for their needs.

Today’s top speech recognition models, like Universal-1 , are trained on millions of hours of multilingual audio data to help overcome these challenges. Universal-1, for example, produces near-human speech-to-text accuracy in almost all conditions, including in audio with accented speech, heavy background noise, and changes in spoken language, and returns results quickly for fast consumption. 

Applications of speech recognition: More than just dictation

Speech recognition applications today reach far beyond just dictation software. In fact, speech recognition technology is powering a wide range of versatile Speech AI use cases across numerous industries.

Streaming Speech-to-Text , for example, is being used to build apps that create on-screen subtitles during live broadcasts and virtual meetings, to support customer service agents during live calls, and to generate live notes during online educational courses. 

Here are a few other industry examples of speech recognition applications:

Customer service

Speech recognition is being used as the foundation for powerful Conversation Intelligence platforms and to augment call centers, voice assistants, chatbots, and more. Conversation Intelligence platforms , for example, transcribe calls using speech recognition models and then apply additional Speech AI models to this data to analyze calls at scale, automate personalized responses, coach customer service representatives, identify industry trends, and more. Combined, these Speech AI tools create a better overall user experience .

The healthcare industry uses speech recognition technology to transcribe both in-office and virtual patient-doctor interactions. Additional Speech AI models are then used to perform actions such as redacting sensitive information from medical transcriptions and auto-populating appointment notes to reduce doctor burden. 

Accessibility

Speech recognition models are also being used to increase accessibility across industries , such as to ensure people with hearing impairments can access needed information, support diverse learning styles with written and visual subtitles, improve media consumption by providing captions, and increase overall user experience. 

K-12 school systems and universities are implementing speech recognition tools to make online learning more accessible and user-friendly. Learning management systems, or LMSs, are adding speech-to-text transcription to increase the accessibility of course materials, as well as building with additional Speech AI models that can catalog course content, help educators evaluate reading comprehension, augment feedback loops, and more. 

Content creation

Not surprisingly, speech recognition models are also being used by the content creation community. Tools like AI subtitle generators help creators more easily add AI-generated subtitles to their videos, as well as allow them to modify how the subtitles are displayed (color, font, size, etc.) on the video itself. The addition of subtitles makes the videos more accessible and increases their searchability to generate more traffic.

Smart homes and IoT

Smart home devices, like Google Home and Nest, have also integrated speech recognition technology to allow for a more seamless user experience. Accuracy is especially important for these devices, as well as IoT devices, as users need to interact with the technology via voice commands and receive timely responses. 

Automotive 

Speech recognition technology is also being integrated directly into vehicles to power navigational voice commands and in-vehicle entertainment systems. 

Benefits of speech recognition: A game-changer for productivity and accessibility

Speech recognition technology offers a multitude of benefits across industries: increased productivity, improved operational efficiency, better accessibility, enhanced user experience, and more. 

Jiminny , a leading conversation intelligence, sales coaching, and call recording platform, uses speech recognition to help customer success teams more efficiently manage and analyze conversational data. The insights teams extract from this data help them finetune sales techniques and build better customer relationships — and help them achieve a 15% higher win rate on average . 

Qualitative data analysis platform Marvin built tools on top of speech recognition and Speech AI to help its users spend 60% less time analyzing data, significantly boosting productivity . 

Screenloop , a hiring intelligence platform, integrated AI speech recognition to transcribe and analyze interview data. In addition to reduced time-to-hire and fewer rejected offers, Screenloop users spend 90% less time on manual hiring and interview tasks . 

Lead intelligence company CallRail was an early adopter of speech recognition and Speech AI. Since its integration, its AI-powered conversation intelligence tools have increased call transcription accuracy by up to 23% . The company also doubled the number of customers using its conversation intelligence product.

Choosing the right speech recognition API: A buyer's guide

Choosing the best Speech-to-Text API or AI model for your project can seem daunting, but here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

1. Accuracy

Accuracy is one of the most important comparison tools we have for speech recognition APIs. Word Error Rate, or WER , is a good baseline to use when comparing, but keep in mind that the types of audio files (noisy versus academic settings, for example) will impact the WER. In addition, always look for a publicly available dataset to ensure the provider is offering transparency and replicable results — the absence of this would be a red flag. 

WER does have limitations, however, as it can still be difficult to assess the “readability” of the text. Diffchecker tools — tools that allow you to compare two blocks of text and eyeball the differences for quick comparison — can be helpful here. 

2. Additional features and models

In addition to speech recognition, it can be helpful when a provider offers additional Natural Language Processing and Speech Understanding models and features, such as LLMs, Speaker Diarization, Summarization, and more. This will enable you to move beyond basic transcription and into AI analysis with greater ease. 

Building with AI can be tricky. Knowing that you have a direct line of communication with customer success and support teams while you build will ensure a smoother and faster time to deployment. Also consider a company’s uptime reports, customer reviews, and changelogs for a more complete picture of the support you can expect. 

4. Documentation

API documentation should be readily accessible and easy to follow, helping you get started with speech recognition faster. Quickstart guides, code examples, and integrations like SDKs will all be helpful resources, so ensure their availability prior to starting a project.

Transparent pricing is also a necessity so that you can get an accurate idea of your incurring costs prior to building. Watch out for hidden costs and check for bulk usage discounts to save in the long term. 

6. Language support

If you need multilingual support, make sure you check that the provider offers the language you need. Automatic Language Detection (ALD) is another great tool as it automatically allows users to detect the main language in an audio or video file and translate it in that language. 

7. Privacy and security

When dealing with large amounts of sensitive data, solid privacy and security practices are a must. Make sure your speech recognition provider can answer questions such as:

• Have I accounted for defense in depth?
• Does the API provider adhere to strict industry standard frameworks?
• How much transparency is provided in code-level controls?
• What technical controls are supporting the security of my data?

Additionally, privacy measures like Personally Identifiable Information (PII) redaction ensure that data in particularly sensitive fields like medicine and customer information remains private. 

8. Innovation

The fields of speech recognition and Speech AI are in nearly constant innovation. When choosing an API, make sure the provider has a strong focus on AI research and a history of frequent model updates and optimizations. This will ensure your speech recognition tool remains state-of-the-art.

The future of speech recognition: A glimpse into the voice-enabled world

Advancements in speech recognition and Speech AI continue to accelerate. Expect accuracy to continue to improve, as well as support for multilingual speech recognition and faster streaming, or real-time, speech recognition.

We’ll also see new applications for speech recognition expand in different areas. Voice biometrics, for example, is a technology that uses a person’s voice “print” to identify and authenticate them, and is already being integrated into technology like banking over the phone. Emotion recognition uses AI to detect human emotions in spoken audio or video as well as using facial detection technology.

In general, we can expect speech recognition technology to be integrated into nearly every aspect of daily life — from grocery checkouts to self-driving cars to home applications.

Still, some concern remains over the responsible use of speech recognition technology, especially over data privacy, data security, biases in AI algorithms, and more. Open conversations with AI providers will help assuage some of these concerns, as well as assess their commitment to responsibly move the field forward. 

Unlock the power of speech with AssemblyAI

Speech recognition is a transformative technology that will change the way consumers and businesses interact with audio and video on a daily basis. 

For example, launched in early 2024, AssemblyAI’s Universal-1 speech recognition model is raising the bar as the industry-leading Speech AI provider. Universal-1 was trained on over 12.5 million hours of multilingual audio data, helping it achieve:

• more than 92.5% accuracy in almost all conditions
• significantly reduced latency
• strong multilingual transcription

Not only does a model like Universal-1 provide highly accurate speech-to-text transcription, but it will also help power the next generation of AI products and tools built on top of this voice data at greater accuracy and speed. 

If you would like to test Universal-1 yourself, you can play around with speech transcription and speech understanding in the AssemblyAI playground , or sign up for a user account to get $50 in credits. 

Ready to get started with speech recognition?

Sign up for an account to unlock $50 in API credits.

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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)

Spanish (Mexico, Spain)

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

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