I hate narrator. I realize it can be helpful for people that can't see well but I don't have that problem. I keep accidentally pressing whatever keys open it (I still haven't found out what it is) and losing focus on whatever program I had open. Is it possible to remove narrator from my computer forever?
6 Answers
I deleted my Narrator.exe
I found it in the Windows\System32 folder. Before I deleted Narrator.exe I right-clicked the file, Properties. Then I took ownership and changed the permissions giving me full control.
Having changed the access control, I deleted Narrator.exe.
I checked in Control Panel - Ease of access, when I clicked on Narrator nothing happened, just what I wanted.
answered Mar 30, 2013 at 11:02
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3Seems a bit extreme. Surely there must be another way. Perhaps using AutoHotKey to eat the keystroke that starts it; I'll give that a try. Commented Feb 13, 2014 at 9:35
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1Thanks for the idea, I just renamed mine to Narrator.exe.bak. Also @SteveCrane some of us want to kill it with fire.– csauveCommented Mar 17, 2015 at 20:19
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3This is the best solution by far! I love deleting things. Now the stupid Narrator can never come back. Ever. Commented Oct 2, 2015 at 15:32
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One of following methods should work.
Method A
- Navigate to System32.
- Locate Narrator.exe.
- Disable execution permission.
Method B
- Open regedit.exe.
Create the following key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\Narrator.exe
In that key, create a new string value named
Debuggerand assign it the value%1.
Reference: Disabling Narrator.
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Method B (allegedly) has the problem of leaving a running
AtBroker.exeprocess - check this answer at the duplicate question for more info superuser.com/a/577223/117002 Commented Apr 20, 2016 at 7:09 -
My OS won't let me change any settings. It won't let me open explorer as an admin either. Windows 8 f*cking sucks Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 1:05
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Method B works when you're on a managed Windows 10 machine, but Group Policy disallows you from using other solutions on this page.– RyanSCommented May 30, 2018 at 17:16
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@Amalgovinus That's not Windows 8; that's just not having an admin account. Commented May 23, 2019 at 16:37
I disabled Narrator for a while on Windows 8 (by finding 'Narrator.exe' and adding an access-control entry to deny 'Read & execute' permission for the built-in principal 'Everyone'), because I hated it too. However, when I upgraded to Windows 8.1 Narrator became enabled again. It was then that I found a better solution to the problem of being annoyed by Narrator:
- Open Narrator Settings (the modern version; search Start)
- Enable Narrator using the slide-bar
- Select voice 'Microsoft Zira'
- Slide the pitch to minimum
- Slide the speed to minimum
- Disable Narrator using the slide-bar
Now, when I accidentally press Windows+Enter I can laugh at the funny voice, which means I don't get annoyed. The best part is pressing Windows+Enter again to disable Narrator. Slow Zira's valediction cracks me up every time.
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I think I'll try this. I'm leaving the other answer as accepted because that will probably help others but know that I laughed out loud when I read this.– JonCommented Mar 24, 2014 at 21:20
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Hazel with maximum pitch and minimum speed is quite good too Commented Dec 7, 2015 at 16:23
For a less extreme alternative, follow Guy Thomas's answer, but instead of deleting narrator.exe just rename it, e.g. to narrator_REMOVED.exe. Now it's undoable.
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2why is it extreme to delete a piece of software that I'll never use, which is taking up space on my hard-drive, and which occasionally gets invoked by accident? I think you may need to check a dictionary definition of extreme. Deleting software you don't want, isn't extreme, it's sensible. Commented Sep 14, 2015 at 19:06
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1(1) You'll never use it? I wish you the best of health, of course, but vision can deteriorate — you might need narrator in the future. (2) I don't know your personal situation. If you share your computer with anybody, that person might need narrator in the future. Or you might start a new relationship with a vision-impaired person. (3) You might want to sell your computer some day, etc... Commented Sep 25, 2015 at 17:03
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11) It can be simply reinstalled as any other component. 2) When you sell your PC you don't sell your Windows license, you know? Sorry, but that's just absurd outlandish excuses against deleting obnoxious software that stuffed in your face regardless if you want it or not. I want MY PC to do what I want, not what whoever else decided "might be good". Commented Mar 20, 2016 at 17:55
After several weeks of suffering with the persistent Narrator, I stumbled on this forum but was inspired to take an untried approach that worked for me, by doing the following:
- Go to
Control Panel > Ease of Access > Ease of Access Center > Use the computer without a displayto show the main Ease of Access config settings. - In the
Hear text read aloudsection, turn off all Narrator / Audio Description settings. - Exit Ease of Access / Control panel then go back to the Narrator main screen and simply exit.
Turning it on is the same process - just enable in Ease of Access.
Hope this is helpful for Windows 10 users - not sure if 8.1/8/7 have the same Ease of Access settings.
Suffering with the persistent Narrator on windows 10? Try this: 1.Go to `Control Panel > Ease of Access Centre > Change sign-in settings
2.Untick Hear text read aloud tick boxes, turn off/untick all Narrator / Audio Description settings you do not want. Press the Apply button.
3.Exit Ease of Access / Control Panel
Turning it on is the same process - just enable in Ease of Access Centre > Change sign-in settings.
Hope this is helpful for Windows 10 users - not sure if 8.1/8/7 have the same Ease of Access settings.
asked Feb 25 [2014] at 8:38and mine wasasked Mar 28 '13 at 14:18Narrator.exeshould be enough. This way you don't need to tweak permissions, nor delete/rename it.Control Panel > Ease of Accessrun Narrator, select Narrator window (it run in background) go to settings and disable shortcut key, select save, select close...