To turn on text-to-speech in Windows 10, press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter to start Narrator, the built-in screen reader. Press it again to stop. You can also turn it on in Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator.
Applies to: Windows 10. Checked against Microsoft Support on September 27, 2026.
Turn on Narrator
- Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator.
- Turn on Turn on Narrator.
- To use the keyboard shortcut, check Allow the shortcut key to start Narrator.
On older versions of Windows 10, the shortcut is Windows logo key + Enter.
Change the voice and speed
On the same page, under Personalize Narrator’s voice, choose a voice and move the Speed, Pitch, and Volume sliders.
To add voices, select Add more voices, which opens Speech settings.
Have Narrator read text
- Read the current item: press Caps Lock + Tab (Caps Lock is the Narrator key).
- Read from the cursor: press Caps Lock + R. To read the whole document, press Ctrl + Caps Lock + R. Press Ctrl to stop.
- See all commands: press Caps Lock + F1.
- Stop Narrator: press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter again.
Other ways to hear text
- Read aloud in apps. Microsoft Edge and Word have their own read-aloud buttons. See how to get Word to read aloud.
- Type instead of speak. For the reverse, typing by voice, press Windows logo key + H.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn Narrator off if it started by accident?
Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter. To stop it starting again, clear Allow the shortcut key to start Narrator.
Does Narrator work with the on-screen keyboard?
Yes. See how to open the On-Screen Keyboard in Windows 10.
If you see captions on videos rather than hearing text read aloud, see how to turn off captions in Windows 10.
If Narrator turns on by accident in Windows 11, see how to turn off Narrator in Windows 11.
To type with your voice instead, see how to use speech to text on Windows 11.
Microsoft’s guides are Keyboard shortcut for Narrator and Narrator keyboard commands. More help is on our Windows Help & Guides page.
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.
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