Gallery: Make your PC talk with Windows Narrator

Narrator is built into Windows 2000, XP and Vista, but not earlier versions. In Windows 2000, there’s a choice of voices, while in Windows XP there’s only Microsoft Sam and in Windows Vista Microsoft Anna. To start Narrator, hold down the Windows logo key and the U key. In Windows 2000 and XP, this starts the Utility Manager, with Narrator already operational. In Windows Vista, it starts the Ease of Access Center, in which the user has to manually click on the Start Narrator link. Steps 2 to 4 apply only to Windows XP and Windows 2000. Vista users should skip to Step 5.

The first time Utility Manager is launched, a secondary message window labelled Microsoft Narrator is displayed. Narrator immediately begins reading the contents of this window as a demonstration of its capabilities. Narrator is easier to use if this window is not displayed on every occasion, so tick the box saying ‘Do not show this message again’ (bottom left-hand corner) and click OK. When the message box closes, it reveals another previously hidden one, shown here, in which Narrator’s options can be set.

Two of Narrator’s options are set by default– to announce on-screen events and read aloud any characters and keys that are typed. The first option is essential, but the second is less useful and can be unticked by those who don’t need confirmation of every key pressed. Whether you want the mouse pointer to be automatically moved to the currently active object on the screen is up to you, but we think every user will want to tick the box that starts Narrator in minimised mode (it gets in the way otherwise).

Click the Voice button to change the characteristics of the spoken output. There are settings from 1 to 9 for speed, volume and pitch. Once you’re used to using Narrator, you’ll probably want to increase the speed setting and possibly reduce the pitch setting to make it less shrill. Click OK to close the Voice settings dialogue box, then click Exit in the Narrator dialogue box. In the Utility Manager, select the Narrator option and make sure that ‘Start automatically when Utility Manager starts’ is ticked. Click OK to close.

By using the suggested settings, the next time Utility Manager is started, Narrator is immediately operational and minimised on the Windows Taskbar. All the user has to do is press Escape to close the Utility Manager and get on with business. Similar options for adjusting the sound of Narrator’s voice and other preferences are available in Windows Vista, where the Windows key and U keyboard shortcut launches the Ease of Access Center. But the best way of starting Vista’s Narrator in fully operational mode is to click the Start button, type Narrator into the search panel and press Enter.

Many Users with vision problems will be familiar with the benefits of using keyboard shortcuts instead of hard-to-follow mouse actions. Narrator responds to a wide range of keyboard shortcuts through which it can be told what to read, thus saving the user having to listen to a lot of time-wasting preamble. The most useful key of all is Ctrl, which silences Narrator should it start to get on your nerves. The other shortcut keys are laid out in Narrator’s Help file.

Many Users with vision problems will be familiar with the benefits of using keyboard shortcuts instead of hard-to-follow mouse actions. Narrator responds to a wide range of keyboard shortcuts through which it can be told what to read, thus saving the user having to listen to a lot of time-wasting preamble. The most useful key of all is Ctrl, which silences Narrator should it start to get on your nerves. The other shortcut keys are laid out in Narrator’s Help file.