How to make your computer talk using VoiceOver in macOS 11 Big Sur

This article also includes step by step instructions for enabling the Speech settings in order to use ‘text-to-speech’. Text-to-speech gives you the ability to have any selected text read aloud as well as spoken announcements of alerts.

In this article

How to enable VoiceOver
VoiceOver settings

How to enable VoiceOver

1. Select the Apple icon  in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Preferences from the menu.
   
3. In the System Preferences window, select Accessibility.
   
4. On the Accessibility settings screen, select VoiceOver in the left column.
   
5. In the right column, select the checkbox for Enable VoiceOver.
   
   
   Note: You can turn VoiceOver on or off at any time by pressing Cmd + F5.
    
6. To practice using VoiceOver, use the built-in quick start training programme. Select Open VoiceOver Training.
   
7. Follow the guided process in the quick start guide.
   

VoiceOver settings

You can use VoiceOver in its default configuration, or you can customise it to suit your needs. To customise the settings for VoiceOver settings:

1. Select the Apple icon  in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Preferences from the menu.
   
3. In the System Preferences window, select Accessibility.
   
4. On the Accessibility settings screen, select VoiceOver in the left column.
   
5. Select the Open VoiceOver Utility button in the bottom right corner.
   
6. The VoiceOver Utility has ten categories you can customise:
   • General settings
   • Verbosity
   • Speech
   • Navigation
   • Web
   • Sound
   • Visuals
   • Commanders
   • Braille
   • Activities
     

Note: If this does not work it could be because someone else manages your computer settings (an IT department or administrator). If this is the case, you will need to contact them to access these settings or for further help.

More information

For Apple's comprehensive VoiceOver Getting Started Guide go to: https://help.apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/10.12/

Note:‘VoiceOver includes Braille support. VoiceOver automatically recognises the Braille model in use and programs the keys — including “wiz wheels”, scrollers, router keys, and buttons — to best suit each model’s characteristics.

If you don’t have a USB Braille display, you can use the onscreen visual Braille panel that VoiceOver provides. The Braille Panel behaves like a standard 40-cell display. It displays both the Braille dots being sent to the dedicated Braille display and an English translation so that sighted instructors, parents, or co-workers can read its contents with minimal disturbance to the non-sighted user.

For more information on Braille display that work with VoiceOver visit Apple's guide at: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202524