Turn off text-to-speech

How do I turn off the text-to-speech? I have followed the instructions in the user guide (attached). Even though the instructions are wrong, when I get to the right place in the settings, there is no option to turn off the text-to-speech. I need help.

page 161.pdf

Accepted answers

Verizon_Support

jrh4054,

After review, I was able to find that there is a Text-to-Speech option in the Accessibility setting. To get there go to Settings>My Device>Accessibility>Text-to-speech options. If you find there are no settings in this section that will help eliminate the device reading out your text messages, we may recommend a hard reset.

Did this issue begin as soon as the device was activated or did it begin sometime after a recent software update?

EfrainM_VZW

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All comments

Dave-in-Decatur

I'm not sure you can turn it off altogether. It is used, for instance, to give turn-by-turn directions in Maps (which means you can use these settings to change the voice you hear). What is a situation where it's giving you text-to-speech and you don't want to hear it?

Ann154

If the phone is talking to you for everything, that's a setting under the Accessibility options. You might have to touch an item twice to make a selection and accept that selection for the phone to respond to your commands.

jrh4054

Thanks for the reply. I've checked the Accessibility settings and don't see anything there causing this. What's happening is the phone speaks text messages I receive when the volume is higher than vibrate. This just started and it's very annoying.

jrh4054

Dave, see my answer to Ann154 about when this happens.

Ann154

It reads the actual messages to you? Or does it state "You have a text message." as a notification?

tikibar1

settings > accessibility > talkback (ensure it's off)

settings > hands-free mode (ensure it's off)

Ann154

Do you have "Hands-free mode" or "Driving Mode" turned on? For the tabbed view of the Settings, it is Settings > My device > hands free mode.

Dave-in-Decatur

I'll bet a Christmas cookie it's Hands-free mode that got turned on accidentally. This can also be controlled from the Notifications settings (it may be fairly deep in the list). It used to be called "Driving mode," and still is called that in the User Guide. On p. 33: "Driving mode: Enable or disable Driving mode, to have incoming caller ID and text messages read out." The User manual in the on-phone Help does now call it "Hands-free mode."

jrh4054

Thanks to all of you who have responded to my question. The 'hands-free' mode is off on the phone. The phone announces an incoming text and reads it aloud. It's very annoying. It doesn't happen with the phone is set to just vibrate.

Verizon_Support

jrh4054, this is a good question. I know I definitely wouldn't want my text messages to be read out loud all the time. When you pull down the notification bar from the home screen. You should have options on the top that are either Green or Grayed out, if you slide through those options you should see one that says "Hands-free mode" and it looks like a steering wheel. If that is green go ahead and tap on that to make it gray. Let me know if that stops the reading out of your text messages.

KevinR_VZW

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jrh4054

KevinR_VZW, as I have told others here, the hands free feature is off. In fact, I have never had it on. Any other ideas?

carrie16

I FINALLY fixed this problem on my phone. to fix go to "settings" then go to "accessibility" BUT when in text to speech mode the option to turn it off won't show on the screen, you have to TWO FINGER SWIPE down while in text to speech mode in order too scroll up or down. then just select turn off. Hope this helps someone!