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I downloaded another TTS pack from Microsoft Speech Platform - Runtime Languages (Version 11), but in the speech properties this pack doesn't show up.

The image bellow lists all packs installed, which came by default in my Windows 8 installation.

speech

But it is not supported on windows 8, so how can I install more packs?

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4
  • That page states that those are only language data files, most likely for MS SAPI developers. Third party voices/TTS engines seem to be much larger downloads, but TBH I've never tried any besides the 2 L&H voices for XP that MS provided as free downloads.
    – Karan
    Commented May 3, 2013 at 23:39
  • Also want to know how to add German to this.
    – Ray
    Commented Dec 14, 2013 at 16:11
  • I didn't realized that Windows finally can speak so many languages!
    – Kamil
    Commented Sep 1, 2014 at 14:11
  • Here is an answer that directly addresses this: superuser.com/questions/1020849/…
    – SDsolar
    Commented Nov 16, 2017 at 4:19

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
34

Just use the tutorial on this page:

!!!WARNING!!!

This involves manual edits to your registry. If you mess it up, don't blame me. Do at your own risk.

Step 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Install the Speech Platform v11

a) go here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27225
b) click "Download"
c) select the "x64_SpeechPlatformRuntime\SpeechPlatformRuntime.msi"
d) run the installer (duh :P)

Step 2: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get the alternate voices

a) go here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224
b) click "Download"
c) select the voice files you want. They are the ones that have "TTS" in the file name.

There are 6 English (all female). I have not listened to the other languages, so I dont know how they sound. GB_Hazel and US_ZiraPro are IMO the better sounding voices.

MSSpeech_TTS_en-CA_Heather
MSSpeech_TTS_en-GB_Hazel
MSSpeech_TTS_en-IN_Heera
MSSpeech_TTS_en-US_Helen
MSSpeech_TTS_en-US_ZiraPro
MSSpeech_TTS_en-AU_Hayley

d) run the installers for each (duh :P)

Step 3: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Extract the registry tokens

a) Open Regedit
b) Under - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech Server\v11.0\Voices - right click the "Tokens" folder and export. Save this file to your desktop as voices1.reg so it will be easy to find later.
b) Under - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Speech Server\v11.0\Voices - right click "Tokens" and again export it, again to the desktop. Call it voices2.reg.

Step 4: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit the voices1/2 files

a) open Voices1.reg in Notepad.
b) press "cntrl + H"
c) enter \Speech Server\v11.0\ into the "Find What" field
d) enter \Speech\ into the "Replace With" field
e) click "Replace All"
f) Save File
g) Repeat a-f with the Voices2.reg file

Step 5: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merge the new Registry files into your registry

a) double click to "run" both Voices1.reg and Voices2.reg
b) Click "Yes" when it prompts

You should now have access to the new voices in Voice Attack, and in the Windows TTS options menu.

This process may also work with other voice packs.

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14
  • External links can break or be unavailable, in which case your answer would have no value. The link should be used for attribution and further information but the essential points should be included in your answer.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Feb 2, 2015 at 9:59
  • 1
    ZiraPro sounds so much more natural than Robotic Anna but it doesn't work when I click the Speech button in Microsoft Word. When I choose Hazel, it reads as Anna. When I choose ZiraPro, it's completely silent. Both voices read the preview text in Control Panel's "Text to Speech" options properly.
    – ADTC
    Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 3:17
  • Your URL is not working. The exported Registry for has many things. Please, tell us certanly what do we have to change. Thank you!
    – DmitryBoyko
    Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 15:56
  • To prevent typo's, I've created a PowerShell to do the registry stuff:
    – Dre
    Commented Dec 30, 2015 at 11:26
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    So many broken links are present in the post! BTW thanks.
    – Learner
    Commented Apr 15, 2021 at 13:00
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+50

You might be installing 32-bit voices that are unavailable when using the 64-bit Speech Properties dialog that you normally see on 64-bit Windows.

Try using the 32-bit dialog by invoking %windir%\sysWOW64\speech\SpeechUX\SAPI.cpl.

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3
  • Yeah... And I am wondering if voices microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224 are 32 bit or 64bit? Because they are not visible under the norma 64 bit console as well as 32 bit console... So wtfisit...
    – DmitryBoyko
    Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 1:53
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    @Peretz: Try Dimio's Tools. This link also contains additional information that could be useful. If you are into Visual Studio, see this program to list the installed TTS voices.
    – harrymc
    Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 8:26
  • This is exactly what I was looking for to change TTS language in discord. Maybe this comment will as well help people to find this in google (and if it only is my, it was worth it). Thanks for this answer!
    – geisterfurz007
    Commented Sep 30, 2017 at 15:48
1

enter image description here

Add new language in Control panel and then download language pack in there.

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1
  • How to get to this page?
    – user
    Commented Mar 27, 2020 at 3:35
0

Add new language in Control panel and then download language pack in there.

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2
  • 2
    Welcome to Superuser! This answer is a little short on detail, could you please expand it a little? Thanks
    – David
    Commented Mar 25, 2014 at 18:58
  • 2
    This is for Windows 8.1 - first 2 steps needed windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/add-language-keyboard . There are almost identical language settings in desktop Control Panel for both Windows 8 and 8.1
    – Ivan Ičin
    Commented Mar 25, 2014 at 22:30

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