Choose the Text–to–Speech Playback Voice

Text–to–speech (TTS) is the ability of the operating system to play back printed text as spoken words. An internal driver, called a TTS engine, recognizes the text and, using a synthesized voice chosen from several pre–generated voices, speaks the written text. A TTS engine is installed with the Windows XP operating system. Additional engines are also available through third party manufacturers. This procedure tells you how to select a playback voice associated with the TTS engine you use through Speech Properties in Control Panel.

Mouse actionsKeyboard actions
1 On the Start menu:
  • Select Control Panel
Display the Start menu by pressing CTRL+ESC (or the Windows logo key Windows logo key).
  • Select Control Panel by pressing C.
2 In Control Panel:
  • Be sure you are in Classic View (all Control Panel icons are showing).
  • If not, under Control Panel in the left pane, select Switch to Classic View.
  • Select Speech.
 In Control Panel:
  • Be sure you are in Classic View (all Control Panel icons are showing).
  • If not, under Control Panel in the left pane, select Switch to Classic View by pressing TAB.
  • Press ENTER.
  • Move to Speech by pressing the arrow keys.
  • Press ENTER.
3 In the Speech Properties dialog box, under Voice Selection:
  • Select a voice option from the list.
  • Select OK.
    In the Speech Properties dialog box:
  • Move to Voice Selection by pressing ALT+V.
  • Select a voice from the list of options by pressing the arrow keys.
  • Press ENTER.
4 To close Control Panel:
  • Select the Close button.
 To close Control Panel:
  • Press ALT+F, C.

Control Panel: Speech: Text to Speech tab: Voice selection

Control Panel: Speech: Text to Speech tab: Voice selection