macOS includes a highly robust suite of Accessibility features designed to help users with visual impairments navigate the operating system. One of these features is “Speak Announcements.” When enabled, your Mac will literally read system alerts, warning dialogue boxes, and application notifications out loud using a synthesized, robotic voice.
If you accidentally enabled this feature by hitting a strange keyboard shortcut, the results can be incredibly jarring. Imagine sitting in a quiet office environment, only for your MacBook to suddenly and loudly proclaim, “EXCUSE ME. SYSTEM UPDATE AVAILABLE” or “WARNING. DISK NOT EJECTED PROPERLY.” It is disruptive to your workflow and embarrassing in a public setting.
You can completely disable the spoken announcements feature, returning your Mac’s alerts to simple, silent visual prompts on the screen.
How to Stop Your Mac from Reading Alerts Out Loud
You must turn off the feature within the Spoken Content accessibility settings.
- Open the System Settings (or System Preferences) via the Apple Logo in the top-left menu bar.
- Scroll down the left sidebar and click on Accessibility.
- In the right-hand pane, look under the “Vision” section and click on Spoken Content.
- Look for a toggle switch labeled Speak announcements.
- Turn this toggle to the Off position.
- (Optional) If you also find that your Mac is reading everything your mouse hovers over, you have accidentally enabled the full VoiceOver suite. Return to the main Accessibility menu, click on VoiceOver, and ensure the master toggle is turned Off.
Your Mac will instantly become quiet again. When an application encounters an error or a calendar event pops up, you will only see the standard visual notification banner in the top right corner of your screen, without any robotic vocal accompaniment.