Is your Roku device narrating everything on the screen? If so, the voice guide feature is likely turned on. While this can be helpful for visually impaired users, it may be annoying if accidentally activated. Fortunately, you can easily disable it.
Roku TVs come with accessibility settings designed to assist individuals with visual or hearing impairments. However, if the voice guide is not needed, you can turn it off with a few simple steps.
How to Turn Off Voice on Roku TV
Smart TVs like Roku offer many useful features, but sometimes they turn on features that aren’t desired—like the text-to-speech function that reads menu text aloud. This can be frustrating, especially if it turns on unexpectedly, like when a child presses the wrong button on the remote. Let’s walk through the options to turn off the voice guide on Roku.
Via Remote Shortcut
The voice guide can sometimes be activated by pressing the options (asterisk) button on the remote. Pressing it four times will turn the feature on. To turn it off, simply press the asterisk button four times.
Before trying this shortcut, ensure the feature is enabled by navigating to: Settings > Accessibility > Screen Reader/Audio Guide > Shortcut > Enabled.
Using Audio Guide Settings
If the shortcut doesn’t work, you can turn off the voice guide through the settings menu:
- Press the Home button on your remote to access the home screen.
- Select Settings from the left sidebar.
- Go to Accessibility.
- Navigate to Audio Guide / Screen Reader.
- Select Audio Guide and turn it Off.
Disable Remote Shortcuts to Turn Off Audio Guide
If you’ve ever found yourself turning on your Roku TV, only to be greeted by the sudden voice of the Audio Guide, you’re not alone. This feature can easily be activated with just a few button presses on the remote. Fortunately, you can disable these shortcuts to prevent this from happening. Here’s how to do it:
- Press the Home button on your remote to go to the home screen.
- Select Settings from the left sidebar.
- In the Settings menu, navigate to Accessibility.
- Under the Accessibility menu, find and select Shortcut.
- Choose Disabled to turn off the Audio Guide shortcut on your remote.
This will prevent accidental activation of the voice guide, ensuring a quieter experience when you turn on your Roku TV.
Turn Off Descriptive Audio in Streaming Apps
If you’re hearing scene narration while watching content on streaming platforms, it’s likely because you’ve accidentally enabled audio descriptions. To turn off this feature in popular streaming apps, follow these simple steps:
- Netflix: Press the Down button on the remote and switch to a language without narration.
- Amazon Prime Video: Press the Up button on the remote, go to Audio & Languages, and select a language without audio description.
- Max (formerly HBO Max): Press Play/Pause, move down and select the speech bubble, choose a language under Audio, and then press the Back button to save the changes.
- Hulu: Press the Up button on the remote, go to Settings > Audio, and select a language without audio description.
- Apple TV: Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Audio Descriptions and turn it Off.
Troubleshooting Roku’s Voice Features
In case the Audio Guide keeps turning on or you are unable to turn it off, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can follow.
Audio Guide Keeps Turning On
This may happen if there’s an issue with the remote or an unintentional button press. Check the following:
- Check the Remote: Ensure that the Star button (*) on your Roku remote is not stuck or being accidentally pressed. This button is often the cause of the voice feature turning on.
- Check for Software Updates: Make sure that your Roku device is up-to-date. Sometimes, bugs or glitches in older software versions may cause problems with settings.
- Reset Your Roku Device: You can perform a soft reset by restarting your Roku device through the settings, or if necessary, do a full reset by pressing the reset button on the device itself.
Device Not Responding to Audio Guide Toggle
If the settings menu isn’t responding to your inputs, try the following:
- Reboot Your Roku: Unplug the device, wait for 10 seconds, and then plug it back in.
- Reset Network Connection: If your Roku is having trouble, resetting your network connection might help.
- Factory Reset: If all else fails, you can do a factory reset (note that this will erase all your preferences and settings).
Alternative Methods for Voice Settings
Here are some other methods to adjust the voice features on your Roku device.
Using Roku Remote to Turn Off Voice Guide
Sometimes the voice feature may be toggled on unintentionally through the remote. If this happens, press the Star button (*) repeatedly to toggle off the Audio Guide.
Adjusting Settings on Roku App
You can also adjust the settings via the Roku mobile app. The app mimics the functionality of the remote, so you can access settings and toggle the Audio Guide feature off from the app itself.
Voice Control and Accessibility Features
Roku offers a variety of accessibility features to assist users. For example, voice search functionality allows you to use voice commands to search for shows and movies. However, it’s important to distinguish between voice search and the Audio Guide feature, as they serve different purposes.
Roku Audio Guide vs Other Voice Features
Understanding the difference between Roku’s Audio Guide and other voice-related features is important, especially if you’re trying to turn off the wrong feature.
Comparison with Voice Assistants
Voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri can be integrated with Roku devices to enable voice control. These assistants can search for shows, change the volume, and navigate menus. Unlike the Audio Guide, these features are not designed to read out on-screen text but to respond to user commands.
How Screen Reader Differs from Other Voice Controls
The Screen Reader or Audio Guide reads out every detail of the screen, including menu items and text, whereas voice assistants respond to commands to perform tasks. If you’re looking to turn off the voiceover feature, make sure you’re focusing on the Audio Guide in the Accessibility menu rather than any other voice-related features.
Preventing the Voice Feature from Activating in the Future
To ensure the voice feature doesn’t get turned on again unexpectedly, follow these preventive tips:
Adjusting Roku’s Settings for Accessibility
If you or someone else in your home needs accessibility features, make sure to customize them in the Accessibility Settings. You can set preferences so that features like the Audio Guide are only activated when required.
Managing Voice Features for Kids and Adults
You can also lock specific settings on Roku to prevent children from accidentally enabling the Audio Guide. This can be done through the Roku parental controls, allowing you to manage accessibility settings more securely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Roku TV speaking to me?
The voice on your Roku TV is likely the Audio Guide feature, which is designed for visually impaired users. It reads aloud the on-screen text and menus.
How can I disable the voice guide on my Roku TV?
You can turn off the voice guide by either pressing the asterisk button four times on the remote or navigating through the Accessibility settings and turning off the Audio Guide.
What if the voice on Roku keeps turning on by itself?
The voice may accidentally be activated by pressing the asterisk button on the remote. To prevent this, you can disable the shortcut for the Audio Guide in the Accessibility settings.
How do I turn off descriptive audio in streaming apps on Roku?
For apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others, you can disable descriptive audio by adjusting the language or audio description settings in the app’s menu.
Can I turn the voice back on if I need it later?
Yes, you can easily turn the voice guide back on by following the same steps in the Audio Guide settings, or by using the remote shortcut to enable it again.
Conclusion
Whether you’re using a Roku TV, Roku Streaming Stick, or Roku Box, turning off the voice feature (Audio Guide) is easy with the right steps. Understanding the difference between voice assistants, accessibility features, and the Audio Guide will help you control your Roku experience better. If you continue to face issues with the voice feature, the troubleshooting steps provided should help restore the device to your preferred settings.
