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Narrator has two separate controls that people often mix up. To change how fast Narrator talks, press Narrator+Plus to speed up or Narrator+Minus to slow down. To make Narrator read mathematical symbols aloud, cycle the punctuation level with Narrator+Alt+Left Bracket or Narrator+Alt+Right Bracket until Narrator announces Math. Changing the punctuation level does not change speed, and changing speed does not change which symbols are read.
Change how fast Narrator speaks with the keyboard
The keyboard shortcut is the quickest way to adjust speed while you are listening. Microsoft’s Narrator basics documentation describes Narrator+Plus and Narrator+Minus as the commands for changing the rate at which Narrator speaks.
- Make sure Narrator is running. If it is not, press Windows logo key+Ctrl+Enter. Press the same combination again to stop it.
- Confirm your Narrator key. By default, either Caps Lock or Insert works as the Narrator key.
- Press Narrator+Plus to increase the speech rate, or Narrator+Minus to decrease it. Each press changes the rate in the direction you choose, and you can repeat the press until the pace suits you.
Microsoft describes the direction of each change but does not publish how much the rate moves per press. Plan on testing the step size on your own voice.
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Set a persistent speed in Narrator settings
Use the Settings route when you want to choose a speed directly rather than step toward it. It is also the place to set speed for a specific voice.
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- Press Windows logo key+Ctrl+N to open Narrator settings.
- Choose the Narrator voice you want to use.
- Expand Show all settings for that voice and adjust Speed.
Microsoft lists Speed, Pitch, and Volume as separate controls, and describes Speed as control of the speed at which Narrator speaks. Microsoft’s customization page documents Windows 10 and Windows 11 together and does not tie these labels to a specific build. If your screen shows different labels, check your build with winver and follow the controls you can see.
Make mathematical symbols audible
Punctuation level controls how much Narrator says about symbols in text. Math is one of the selectable levels, and it is the level aimed at formulas and equations.
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- Press Narrator+Alt+Left Bracket or Narrator+Alt+Right Bracket to move through the punctuation levels.
- Stop when Narrator announces Math.
- Read a line with symbols to confirm the change. Microsoft’s reading-text chapter describes the Math level as hearing most mathematical symbols.
| Punctuation level | What Microsoft says Narrator reads |
|---|---|
| Default | Little to no punctuation, with natural pauses |
| Some | Most conversational punctuation |
| Most | Additional symbols, such as parentheses |
| All | All punctuation, including special symbols |
| Math | Most mathematical symbols |
For math content, many listeners set both controls: a punctuation level that announces the symbols they need, and a speed they can follow. The two settings are independent, so changing one will not undo the other.
Keyboard layout and key details
- The default Narrator keys are Caps Lock and Insert. On a Japanese 106 keyboard, Microsoft lists Insert and NonConvert as the defaults.
- Plus and minus refer to the physical keys, and Shift is not required.
- Microsoft’s keyboard command appendix lists two layouts, Standard and Legacy. The speed commands are Narrator+Plus and Narrator+Minus in the Standard layout. The Legacy layout also lists numeric keypad Add and Subtract as alternatives.
- If you use a keypad alternative, check that your keyboard layout matches the one you are following, because the command that applies depends on it.
Speed limits and voice differences
Microsoft’s customization page gives approximate maximum speeds: about 400 words per minute for Narrator voices in general, and about 800 words per minute for the English Microsoft David, Microsoft Zira, and Microsoft Mark voices. These are approximate maxima, not guaranteed rates for every voice, language, or system. The page does not show a publication year for these figures, so treat them as indicative rather than as measured results.
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- Voice choice depends on language and what is installed. Microsoft says installed voices can be selected in Narrator and describes adding natural and legacy voices.
- Microsoft names third-party text-to-speech providers only as examples and says it does not endorse them. Confirm compatibility with Narrator before relying on a third-party voice.
If the shortcuts or settings do not work
- If Narrator+Plus and Narrator+Minus do nothing, confirm Narrator is running first, then press the other Narrator key (Caps Lock or Insert).
- If you are using a numeric keypad command, confirm that the Legacy layout is the one you are following.
- If the Settings labels or steps differ from the ones above, note your Windows build from
winver. Microsoft’s pages do not tie every label to one build, so the build number is the most useful detail to compare.
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