When you first get a PS5, the console will walk you through a setup process and let you adjust some basic settings. One of them is called the screen reader, and, as the name suggests, it reads all the screen text while also giving outspoken advice. However, it’s not a necessary feature, and many gamers choose to disable it.
Fortunately, this is a relatively straightforward process. Read on to find out how to turn off the voice in your PS5 settings.
Turn Off the Screen Reader
If your PS5 reads things out of nowhere, you likely enabled the screen reader accidentally or forgot to disable it during the initial setup. This can be inconvenient and unnecessary, but there is a way to turn it off.
- Go to the PS5 home screen.
- Locate the Settings icon in the top-right corner.
- Search for “Accessibility.”
- Scroll down and select “Screen Reader.”
- Select “Enable Screen Reader” and make sure it’s off and the related settings are grayed out.
- You can now use the PS5 without the screen reader.
It’s really that simple.
How Does the Screen Reader Get Enabled?
When you’re in the initial setup screen, you won’t actually see the option to turn the screen reader on or off. The reason is that the PS5 enables the screen reader automatically if you wait for 10 seconds. In short, if you went elsewhere during the process, such as grabbing a drink, you’ll inadvertently enable it.
Disabling it can be done by following the instructions in the section above, but you can also pause it by pressing the Playstation and triangle buttons simultaneously. That will keep the screen reader inactive until you press this combination again.
Enabling the Screen Reader
If you want to turn the screen reader back on, follow these steps.
- Return to the PS5 home screen.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Select “Accessibility.”
- Go to “Screen Reader.”
- Enable the feature and ensure its settings are white and active.
- Continue gaming or try adjusting some settings.
Users can configure the PS5 screen reader. You can control the speed of the narration since some people struggle to hear quick speech. It’s also possible to change the voice from the default female to other options.
The last setting is the volume. In some cases, overlapping sounds can be distracting, but you also want to hear what the screen reader is saying.
Additional FAQs
Can you turn on voice commands on PS5?
Yes, you can easily turn voice commands on by going to the Settings menu and looking for the option. However, voice commands are currently only available for PS5 users registered in the U.S. and U.K. There is also only one language supported – English.
It will take longer before other regions and users can enable voice commands on their PS5s.
Can you disable voice chat on PS5?
Disabling voice chat because you don’t wish to let others hear you is possible. The Sound option enables you to slide your controller speaker’s volume to the left, muting it entirely. Doing this will help you stay silent and never enter voice chat rooms.
Game Audio Only
The screen reader can ruin immersion for gamers, so many prefer to disable it. Even though some PS5 owners accidentally activate it, they can still turn it off from the Settings menu. Despite being a helpful feature for select people, it tends to be a nuisance more than anything else.
Did you enable the screen reader by staying on the initial setup page for too long? What do you think Sony can do about this feature? Let us know in the comments section below.
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