Your Mac is talking: how to turn off VoiceOver

Why it happens

VoiceOver is the Mac's built-in screen reader for people who can't see the screen. It reads out everything and draws a black box around the item it is reading. It's easy to switch on by accident with Command-F5, for example when a child or a cat presses keys.

How to fix it

1. Hold Command and press F5 once. You'll hear VoiceOver say it is turning off, and the black box disappears.

2. On many MacBooks the top row does other things first, so hold fn too and press fn-Command-F5.

3. Keys not working? Open System Settings, click Accessibility, then VoiceOver, and switch VoiceOver off. Your clicks still work while it is talking.

   Accessibility›VoiceOver›VoiceOver

Still not fixed?

1. If the voice only reads what your pointer is over, that's a different feature. Turn off Speak item under the pointer in Accessibility, then Read & Speak.

   Accessibility›Read & Speak›Speak item under the pointer

2. If an Accessibility pop-up keeps appearing, untick the features you don't need in Accessibility, then Shortcut.

   Accessibility›Shortcut

3. If VoiceOver talks on the login screen before you sign in, open Lock Screen, click Accessibility Options… and turn VoiceOver off there. You may need an administrator password.

   Lock Screen›Accessibility Options…

4. If VoiceOver keeps turning on by itself with nobody touching the keys, a stuck key may be the cause. Try another keyboard, and contact Apple Support or a repair shop if it carries on.