Call our helpline
0300 180 0028Short guide:
- Click the Apple icon
in the top left corner of the screen and select System Settings. - Click Accessibility in the sidebar.
- Select Spoken Content from the list of Accessibilty options.
- Turn on the toggle switch for Speak announcements.
- To change the settings for Speak announcements, click the i button
next to the toggle switch.
Before and after
This section gives you step by step instructions on how to have announcements and alerts read aloud by your computer in macOS 15 Sequoia, with pictures of the screens to help.
Open System Settings
1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and choose System Settings from the menu.
Open the Accessibility settings
2. In the System Settings window, click Accessibility in the sidebar.
Find the Spoken Content settings
3. Select Spoken Content from the list of Accessibilty options on the right.
Turn on Speak announcements
4. Click the toggle switch for Speak announcements to turn it on.
Change the settings for Speak announcements
5. Click the i (show detail) button next to the toggle switch.
Change the voice used for announcements
6. To change the voice used for announcements, select the drop-down menu for Voice and choose from the options.
Choose the phrase to hear at the start of announcements
7. By default, announcements will start with the application’s name. To change which phrase is spoken at the start of an announcement, select the drop-down list for Phrase and choose from the options.
8. To add your own phrase to the list, click the Edit Phrase List option.
9. Click the + (add) button and type your new phrase. Click OK to save your new phrase.
Change the delay before an announcment is spoken
10. By default, announcements are not spoken until they have been on the screen for 20 seconds. You can make this shorter or longer using the slider for Delay.
Play an example of a spoken announcement
11. To hear how announcements sound, click the Play Sample.
Save your changes
12. When you are happy with your settings for Speak announcements, click the OK button.
Close System Settings
13. When you are happy with your settings, close System Settings by clicking the Close button (red circle) in the top-left corner of the window or using the Cmd + W keyboard shortcut.
Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings are managed by someone else (an IT department or administrator for example). If so, you will need to contact them to access these settings or for help.
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Call our helpline 0300 180 0028 or email enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk
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