How to Turn On Voice Access in Windows 11

Accessibility is improving across all aspects of technology as time goes on, and Microsoft has made it a priority to include accessibility features in many of its products. Users of all types are able to get the most out of their devices with the assistance of accessories such as the Surface Adaptive Kit and the Xbox Adaptive Controller. And in the realm of software, Microsoft has only recently included a significant new feature in Windows 11 called voice access, which made its debut with the 22H2 release of Windows 11.

Users are able to take control of their PCs by just using their voices with the voice access function, which is part of the Accessibility tools in Windows. For example, you are able to start new applications, shut some of the ones you already have, and navigate around the apps using voice commands.

Although the Get Help with Windows 10, 11 feature provides assistance for all the features, the following guide mentions how you can turn on voice access in Windows. So without any further ado, let’s begin. 

A Step-By-Step Tutorial on How to Turn On Voice Access in Windows 11 

Method 1: Enable Voice Access Via Settings

Utilizing the Microsoft Windows settings tool is the quickest and most convenient method for activating the voice access function. Because you do not need administrator access to the system in order to accomplish this, you are free to make these modifications even if you are logging in with a basic user account. To do so, follow the steps below: 

• To launch the Settings app, simultaneously press the Win + I keys on your keyboard.
• Select Accessibility from the list of options available on left.
• Proceed to the right side of window and choose the option named Speech from the menu that appears there.
• Now, activate the Voice access switch by toggling it on.
• Open the Voice access option, and then look for the box that reads “Start voice access after you sign in to your PC.” If you wish this function to start up immediately after you log in to Windows, open the Voice access option and check the box next to it.

When you have finished activating the function, Windows will offer you to download a speech model so that the voice access functionality can comprehend what you are saying. To go forward, continue in the following manner:

• Simply choose the Download option.
• The Voice access guide window should now open when you do this. You now have the option to pick the microphone that you would want to make use of for this reason. Click the “Add new microphone” button if the option for your selected device is not there in the drop-down menu.
• After you have chosen the microphone, continue by making a click on the arrow symbol located in the lower right-hand corner of the window.
• In the next prompt, click the Start Guide option to get instructions on how to make use of the voice access function.

Method 2: Use Windows Registry to Enable Voice Access 

If you are unable to get the Settings program function for you in order to activate the voice access feature for any reason, you may give the Windows Registry Editor a go at doing the job instead. When you sign in to Windows using this technique, the voice access function will have its status changed to “enabled” immediately.

The Windows Registry is a tool for administrative use that stores information on the applications and procedures that run on the operating system. It is common practice for advanced users to make adjustments to the system through the Registry in order to personalize it to their preferences. This is exactly what we are going to accomplish with this technique.

Though, in order to go on with this approach, you will need to have administrator access to the system. Before you proceed with the actions that are listed below, it is strongly suggested that you first build a backup of your Registry. If you do these steps, you will be able to restore the Registry Editor to its previous condition in the event that anything goes wrong in the future. After that, to continue, proceed as described in the following steps:

• You may bring up a Run dialog by pressing the Win key + the R key simultaneously.
• In the Run box, type regedit, then hit the Enter key.
• You also have the option of going to the Windows search bar, typing “Registry Editor,” and then selecting the “Run as administrator” option.
• When prompted to confirm your user account, click the Yes button.
• Once you have entered the Registry Editor, browse to the location stated further down:
• The path should look something like this: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion.Accessibility
• To change the configuration value, go to the menu available on the right and double-click the value. If you cannot find this value, right-click anywhere in the right pane, and select the New > String Value option from the context menu.
• Simply renaming this item to Configuration and then pressing Enter will preserve the change.
• Now, click twice on the Configuration key that you just established, and then type voiceaccess under the Value data.
• To save the changes, press the Enter key.

This should be enough to successfully make the needed adjustments. If at some point in the future, you decide that you no longer wish to use the Voice access function, you can easily stop it by deleting the Registry key that you generated.

Closing Lines 

Utilizing the computer and navigating through applications are both made much simpler by the voice access capability. If you have experience with speech-activated virtual assistants in the past, such as Google Assistant or Alexa, utilizing the voice access function on Windows will seem even more natural to you. As a consequence of this, you won’t have to put in the effort required to use the mouse or the keyboard when you’re doing a number of different jobs. We hope you found the information in this article helpful & informative.