Choose an Audio Device for Text–to–Speech Playback

You can choose your preferred audio device as output for text–to–speech (printed text to spoken words) playback. It will be active only if there is at least one audio device installed. This procedure tells you how to choose an audio device for text–to–speech playback through Speech Properties in Control Panel.

Mouse actions

Keyboard actions

On the Start menu:

Select Control Panel

Display the Start menu by pressing CTRL+ESC (or the Windows logo key ).

Select Control Panel by pressing C.

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.

In the Speech Properties dialog box:

Select the Audio Output button.

In the Speech Properties dialog box:

Select the Audio Output button by pressing ALT+O.

In the Text to Speech Sound Output Settings dialog box, under Text to Speech output:

Select Use preferred audio output device,
Or,
Select Use this audio output device, and then select a device from the list.
Select the Volume button to open the Volume Control dialog box, and then move the sliders to adjust settings.
To exit the dialog boxes and save changes:
Select OK.

In the Text to Speech Sound Output Settings dialog box, under Text to Speech output:

Select Use preferred audio output device by pressing A,
Or,
Select Use this audio output device by pressing U, press TAB to move to the device list, and then press the arrow keys to select an audio device from the list of installed devices.
Select the Volume button to adjust setting by pressing ALT+V, and then select the setting by pressing TAB and the arrow keys.
To exit the Volume Control dialog box:
Press ALT+P, X.
To exit the Text to Speech Sound Output Settings dialog box:
Press TAB to move to OK.
Press ENTER.
To exit the Speech Properties dialog box:
Press TAB to move to OK.
Press ENTER.

To close Control Panel:

Select the Close button.

To close Control Panel:

Press ALT+F, C.

Control Panel: Speech: Text–to–Speech tab: Text to Speech Sound Output Settings dialog box: Choose Text to Speech output