Trying to turn screen reader off! | Community
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marionnia
Newcomer
February 13, 2024
Question

Trying to turn screen reader off!

  • February 13, 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 13 views

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help. When I'm in a meeting everything is being audio-described to me out loud (chat messages, people arriving and leaving etc) which I think means my 'screen reader' settings are on and I don't want them to be.

However, when I'm trying to find how to turn them off it seems to be in the 'accessibility' tab. I can't find one of these, and my settings menu on zoom open in my browser looks different to the examples I've seen online, with no accessibility tab.

I've tried to download the latest version thinking I may be working off an old version but the hasn't helped. I'm using a MacBook and opening zoom through safari. 

Any ideas on how I might find the accessibility tab and stop the audio description?!

Many thanks

 

    7 replies

    A
    Newcomer
    andrta
    Newcomer
    February 16, 2024

    Hi, just replying to say that I am having this exact same issue. I don't know how this feature turned itself on, and I can't find a way to turn it off. Joining the plea for help!

      G
      Newcomer
      Glow4
      Newcomer
      March 22, 2024

      I'm also having the same issues. It's so interruptive and annoying! I'm going to reach out to Zoom support about this!

       

        G
        Newcomer
        Glow4
        Newcomer
        March 22, 2024

        Marianna & Andrta, if you haven't already figured it out, I just discovered how to do it. You won't find the accessibility on the older desktop version, but you will find it on the Zoom pop up screen that appears right before you begin a meeting.  I've attached a screenshot of that. Click on your picture in the upper right hand side and then click on settings. On the left hand side at the very bottom is the accessibility link we've been looking for! For some reason, all of mine were suddenly enabled and I'm not sure why.  I had to click everything off and now it's not talking to me anymore. Whew! 🙂

        O
        Newcomer
        omerh
        Newcomer
        May 6, 2024

        I do have the accessibility tab. I disabled all alerts and still get this annoying audio alerts

         

        R
        Newcomer
        rlb_again
        Newcomer
        March 28, 2025

        Adding myself to this. Using MacOS. Zoom accessibility checkboxes for screen reader all turned off. Zoom still tells me about everything. So annoying.

        P
        Newcomer
        posterha
        Newcomer
        September 25, 2025

        Affecting me as well. All screen reader options are OFF in the Accessibility settings (picture attached). Every time when someone shares their screen, it announces it. I'm on MacOS Sequoia 15.6.1. Super frustrating as it gets picked up by my microphone as well.

        P
        Newcomer
        posterha
        Newcomer
        November 20, 2025

        I opened a support case with Zoom. Apparently, it's an OS-level setting that needs to be disabled. I'll post the steps here:

         

        If the option has already been disabled in the Zoom app, it may be the MacOS VoiceOver.

        Here are some steps that you can try:

        1. Press Command (⌘) + F5 three times quickly
        2. Or go to System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and turn it OFF; Spoken Content > Speak Selection: OFF;Spoken Content > Speak Screen: OFF
        3. Restart Zoom and device
        4. Test in a meeting

          This solved my issue. It's odd because this is one of two screen reader toggles available in MacOS. Audio Descriptions were turned off for me, but the VoiceOver setting was enabled. Not intuitive lol.

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