Hear each letter or word spoken as you type on a Mac

Why it happens

Typing feedback is a built-in Accessibility feature that reads out what you type, using the same voice your Mac uses for other spoken text. It's off unless you switch it on. It helps if you can't see the keys well, want to catch typos by ear, or are teaching someone to type.

How to fix it

1. Click the Apple menu, choose System Settings, then click Accessibility in the sidebar and choose Read & Speak.

2. Find Speak typing feedback. On macOS 26, turn on its switch and open its options. On macOS 27, click the Speak typing feedback row first, then turn on the switch inside.

   Accessibility›Read & Speak›Speak typing feedback

3. In its options, turn on Echo characters to hear every letter as you press it, Echo words to hear each word once you finish it, or both. Echo modifier keys also speaks keys like Shift and Command.

4. Open Notes or TextEdit and type a few words. You should hear them straight away.

On macOS 26, Speak typing feedback is a switch on the Read & Speak page with its options next to it. On macOS 27, you click the Speak typing feedback row to open it, then turn it on and choose what to echo.

Still not fixed?

1. If the voice is too fast, too slow or hard to understand, change System voice on the same Read & Speak page. A Speaking rate slider sits there too.

   Accessibility›Read & Speak›System voice

2. Hear nothing at all? Check your volume and that the right speakers or headphones are chosen in Sound settings under Output.

   Sound›Output

3. To hear a whole sentence or page read back instead, turn on Speak selection in Read & Speak. Then select some text and press Option-Esc.

   Accessibility›Read & Speak›Speak selection

4. If typing feedback stays silent after a restart and the latest macOS update, while other sounds play fine, contact Apple Support.