How to Enable Narrator Function Key Announcements in Windows 11

What Is Narrator?

Narrator is a built-in app in Windows that reads what’s on your screen out loud. It helps you understand what’s happening on your computer by speaking text, buttons, and other items. This makes your PC easier to use, especially if you have trouble seeing. You can also change how Narrator reads things like punctuation and capital letters.

When you use Narrator, you can enable or disable Narrator phonetic reading, pause for punctuation, adjust how the Narrator reads advanced details, adjust the way capitalized text is read, add a braille display with Narrator, change input and output language for braille with Narrator, and more.

What Are Function Keys?

Function keys, labeled F1 through F12, sit at the top of your keyboard. In Windows 11, each function key performs a different task when pressed.

Why Enable Function Key Announcements?

When you type a function key, Narrator announces the function key out loud. This function key announcement helps you know which key you pressed. By default, this Narrator function key announcement feature is turned off. You can turn the Narrator function key announcement feature on or off whenever you want.

How to Enable Narrator Function Key Announcements

1. Open ⚙️ the Settings app. Click the ⊞ Start menu and select Settings. Or press Windows key + I on your keyboard to open ⚙️ Settings app.
2. When Settings opens, click Accessibility on the left side.
3. Click the Narrator option on the right side to expand it.

4. Look for the “Verbosity” section. Click to expand the “Have Narrator announce when I type” option.
5. Toggle the [Function keys] option to the On position. This turns on “Hear function keys as you type.”

Narrator function key announcements in Windows 11 can be turned on by adjusting a specific setting. This feature tells you which function key you have pressed when using Narrator. To find the Narrator function key announcement setting and enable it, follow these simple steps, ensuring Narrator can announce your function key presses.

What Happens When You Enable This?

When you enable the Narrator function key announcements, Narrator speaks the name of the F key (F1 through F12) you press. This feature makes it easier for you to know which specific function key you have pressed.

Summary

Customizing Narrator in Windows 11 to announce function keys as you type is simple and done through the Settings app.