Your TV is likely talking due to an accessibility feature like Audio Description (AD) or Voice Guide/Assistant being turned on, which narrates visual information for the visually impaired but can be accidentally activated by pressing a button on your remote, often found under Settings > Accessibility. You can stop the narration by finding these settings on your TV and turning the feature off, which might be called Voice Guide, Audio Description, TalkBack, or Screen Reader, depending on your TV brand (Samsung, LG, Android TV, etc.).
Open Settings on your TV and go to "Accessibility" to turn off narration. Some TVs have multiple narration features, like Sony, which are called "Audio Description," "TalkBack," and "Screen Reader." Many smart TVs and remotes also have shortcuts you can use, like pressing the "Mic" or "Volume" buttons.
If your TV is announcing everything you do, then the Voice Guide/talkback/voice over option is turned on. Voice Guide is an accessibility function to assist users who are visually impaired. Could you please tell me the model number of your TV? So I can help you with the exact instructions to fix the issue.
If you can hear background music but not the voices on your TV, it's likely a problem with your audio settings or the way the TV is configured to output audio. Check your TV's audio settings for ``Speech'' or ``Dialogue'' modes, which can emphasize voice frequencies.
Auditory processing disorders (APD)
For some people, hearing but not understanding may signal an auditory processing disorder (APD). This means the nervous system—not the ears—struggles to make sense of the sounds coming in from the ears.
A poor balance between background music and dialogue is usually related to production rather than transmission problems. You can try switching from stereo to mono whenever there is such a problem, or switch off the "surround sound" or "enhanced" feature on your television.
To turn off your voice assistant (like Google Assistant or Siri), you typically go into your phone's Settings, find the Accessibility or Google Assistant/Siri settings, and toggle the main switch off, or disable triggers like "Hey Google" or "Hey Siri" and home button activation, depending on your device and desired level of deactivation.
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It could depend on how you're feeling, what's going on in your life or what types of voices you hear. It's common to think that if you hear voices, you must have a mental health problem. But research shows that many people hear voices and don't have a mental health problem. It's quite a common human experience.
If you are hearing an extra narrator describing the action or setting in a show you're watching, you may be hearing the Audio Description Service or Descriptive Video Service (DVS), which is made available to audiences who are blind or visually impaired.
If your TV or projector is announcing everything you do, then the Voice Guide is turned on. Voice Guide is an accessibility function to assist users who are blind or have low vision. If these steps do not match what your product is showing, check the user manual for your TV or projector.
If you can't turn off Audio Descriptions, it usually means a setting on your device needs to be changed. To fix the problem, follow the steps for your device. From your device's home screen, tap Settings. Tap General > Accessibility > Audio Descriptions.
The process differs depending on your TV brand and model, remote control and settings menus. Some remote controls have a dedicated Audio or AD button. Otherwise the feature can normally be found in your TV's Settings menu with the remote control, likely in the Accessibility or Audio section.
Option 1: Turn off TalkBack with shortcuts
Important: The Talkback shortcut setup varies depending on the device manufacturer, Android version, and TalkBack version. Try the following options to turn off TalkBack: Press and hold both volume keys for a few seconds. Listen for confirmation that TalkBack is turned off.
To turn off voice narration, go to your device's Settings, find the Accessibility menu, and look for options like Narrator, TalkBack, Screen Reader, or Voice Guide to toggle them off, often using keyboard shortcuts like Windows Key + Ctrl + Enter on PC or volume key combos on Android. The exact steps vary by device (Windows, Android, TV, Game Console), but Accessibility settings are the common location.
Fortunately, wireless headphones for TV viewing can help to eliminate background noise and provide a more immersive audio experience. These headphones use advanced noise-cancelling technology to filter out background noise, allowing you to focus on the audio from the TV.
Many TVs come with audio modes that specifically emphasize the human voice. Look for a setting labeled “Speech” or “Dialogue”; if you can't find one, try out other presets that increase the midrange frequencies in your TV's audio.