How to Change Narrator Verbosity on Windows 11

This article explains how to change the verbosity level in Narrator on Windows 11.

Narrator is a screen-reading app built into Windows. It reads the text on your screen aloud. It also describes what’s happening on screen. This is helpful for users with low vision or blindness.

When you use the Narrator app, you can turn on or off its keyboard shortcuts, launch it automatically, adjust the voice, speed, and volume, manage natural voices, lower other apps volume when Narrator is speaking, change Narrator audio output device, and more.

The Narrator also lets you change how much information it speaks. You can pick between:

• Text only
• Some control details
• All control details
• Some text details
• All text details

Why Change Narrator Verbosity?

Changing the verbosity level helps you adjust how much the screen reader talks. A higher verbosity means more details. This is good if you want to hear everything about what’s on your screen.

A lower verbosity level is faster and less overwhelming. It’s better if you only want to hear the important stuff.

How to Change Narrator Verbosity

Follow these steps to change how much Narrator speaks.

Step 1: Open the Settings App

First, open the Windows Settings app. Click the Start menu and select Settings. Or press the keyboard shortcut (Windows key + I) to launch the Settings app.

Step 2: Go to Accessibility Settings

When the Settings app opens, click the Accessibility button on the left. Then select the Narrator tile on the right to expand it.

Step 3: Change the Verbosity Level

On the Narrator settings pane, find the “Verbosity” section. Click the “Verbosity level” tile. Then click the dropdown menu next to Verbosity level. Choose your preferred level:

1. Text only
2. Some control details
3. All control details
4. Some text details
5. All text details

You can also change the verbosity level by pressing Narrator + V on your keyboard.

That’s it! Your new verbosity level is now set.

Summary

Changing the verbosity level in Narrator on Windows 11 makes the app work better for you. You can control how much detail the screen reader provides. Pick a higher verbosity if you want lots of information. Pick a lower verbosity if you want to hear only the essentials. By adjusting verbosity levels, you can make Narrator fit exactly how you like to use Windows 11.

Frequently Asked Questions