Accidentally turned on Windows screen reader (Narrator)? Learn how to turn OFF Narrator using the keyboard shortcut, settings, or by disabling it permanently.
Narrator is a built-in Windows accessibility feature that reads everything on the screen so that people with visual problems can use their computer as smoothly as possible. However, not everyone needs it, and it is pretty easy to accidentally turn ON Narrator. If you are not ready, the sudden robotic voice is pretty distracting and sometimes makes you panic.
Thankfully, if you don’t need this feature, you can quickly turn off Narrator in Windows 11 and 10 using a keyboard shortcut or the Settings app. Alternatively, you can also disable Narrator permanently if you don’t want to turn it on accidentally ever again. In this quick and easy guide, I will show you three ways to turn OFF Narrator and disable it permanently. Let’s get started.
Quick navigation:
- Turn off Narrator using a keyboard shortcut
- Turn off Narrator using the Settings app
- Turn off Narrator permanently
Turn Off Narrator Using a Keyboard Shortcut
You can toggle (turn on or off) Narrator using the keyboard shortcut “Windows + Ctrl + Enter“. If you hear the Narrator’s voice, simply press the keyboard shortcut to turn it off.
Turn Off Narrator Using the Settings app
If you don’t want Narrator to turn ON when you press the keyboard shortcut, you need to disable it in the Settings app. This method is helpful for those who don’t want to use Narrator or who don’t want it triggered by accidental key presses.
On Windows 11:
- Right-click the Start button on the taskbar.
- Select the “Settings” option.
- Go to the “Accessibility” tab on the left sidebar.
- Click the “Narrator” option on the right page.
- Turn OFF the “Narrator” toggle.
- Turn OFF the “Keyboard shortcut for Narrator” toggle.
- Close the Settings app.
- With that, you’ve turned OFF Narrator and disabled its keyboard shortcut.
On Windows 10:
- Open the Settings app using “Windows key + I“.
- Click the “Ease of access” option.
- Select the “Narrator” option on the sidebar.
- Turn OFF the “Narrator” option.
- Uncheck the “Allow the shortcut to start Narrator” option.
- Close the Settings app.
As soon as you do that, the Narrator is switched off instantly. You can now safely close the Settings app.
Turn OFF Narrator Permanently in Windows 11 and 10
Note: This process requires administrative rights.
This is the nuclear option. If you don’t need or want to use Narrator and want to disable it for all the users on your computer, this is what you need. This method shows you how to change the permissions of the Narrator’s exe file so it cannot be activated. Here’s how to do it.
First, open the File Explorer by pressing the “Windows key + E” shortcut. Next, navigate to the “C:\Windows\System32” folder.
In the “System32” folder, find the “Narrator.exe” file, right-click it, and select the “Properties” option.
In the Properties window, go to the “Security” tab and click the “Advanced” button at the bottom.
Click the “Change” option next to “TrustedInstaller“.
Now, type “Users” in the “Enter the object name to select” field and click “Check Names“. Windows automatically turns it into the proper user group. Next, click the “OK” button.
Click “OK” in the “Advanced Security Settings for Narrator.exe” window.
Now, select “Users” under the “Group or user names” section and click the “Edit” button.
Next, select “Users” under the “Group or user names” section and select the “Deny” checkbox next to the “Full Control” option under the “Permissions for Users” section. Click “OK” to save the change.
Click “OK” in the Properties window.
Finally, restart Windows, and you are done. From now on, Narrator will not turn ON either from the Settings app or with the keyboard shortcut.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
