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15: System Preferences - Speech

Mac OS X has many built in features working with speech including speech recognition and a spoken user interface. Speech Recognition requires a microphone to work and works best in a quiet work environment.

To enable and configure speech recognition


Click the "Speech Recognition" tab. Then select the radio button "On" or "Off" for Speakable Items.


If this is your first time turning on speech recognition, a window will appear with directions. Read this window and then click "Continue".

A round Feedback window will appear

  • Turning "speakable items" on at login will automatically start speech recognition whenever you start or log into the computer.

    • Settings


    Click the "Settings" tab.

  • Microphone lets you select which microphone you will use to issue commands. This will vary depending on your computer and any external microphones you have plugged in.

  • The "Calibrate" button lets you check and adjust the microphone volume. Click the button to display the volume window. Then speak phrases listed on the left side of the window. As a phrase is recognized it will blink. Use the slider to change the volume as needed.

  • Listening key
    • is the keyboard key you must press to either listen to spoken commands or to toggle if listening is turned on or off. The default key is ESC. To change the key, click the "Change Key" button, and enter a new key in the window that appears and press ok.
  • "Listen only while key is pressed" requires you to press the selected key before it will listen. "Listen continuously with keyword" uses the listening key to turn listening on or off. If you select this option you can enter a keyword for your computer and use the "Keyword is" pop up menu to specify if the computer name must be spoken before each command.


  • "Speak command acknowledgement" instructs your computer to repeat the command it heard.
  • "Play this sound" enables you to select a sound to play when your computer recognizes a spoken command.


    • To set the commands options click the "Command" tab.

    Check the box next to each command that you want available when "Speakable Items" is on.


  • "OpenSpeakable Items folder" will show you the contents of "Speakable Items".

  • "Helpful Tips"
    • displays the window with the directions.

    To Use Speakable Items



    Hold down the listening key and speak the command or use the listening key to turn listening on, then speak the command you want your computer to perform. If the computer name is required before or after the command be sure to include it.

    If your computer understands the command, the sound you specified during setup will play and the command will appear above the feedback window.

    If the computer did not understand the command, nothing will happen, wait a moment and try again.

    To set the default speaking voice



    Click the "Text to Speech" tab.

    Select one of the voices in the voice list. To hear computer speak so you can hear the voice click on the "Play" button.

    To change the speed at which the voice speaks, move the slider.


    • "Announce when alerts are displayed" tells your computer to speak a certain phrase when an alert appears. If you turn this feature on, click on the "Set Alert Options..." button to chose a voice and phrase. You can also set the delay of the alert.

    • "Announce when an application requires your attention" tells your computer to verbally announce when an application needs your attention.


    • "Selected text when the key is pressed" reads any text you select when you press a key combination. When you turn on this check box a window will appear. Press the keystroke you want to use to speak or stop speaking the selected text and click "OK". You can change this keystroke by clicking the "Change Key" button to display this window again.


    You can set your preferences to have the time announced or to change the VoiceOver settings. Follow the buttons to change those preferences.








    Read more articles about System Preferences

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    System Preferences - Software Update
    System Preferences - Appearance
    System Preferences - CDs & DVDs
    System Preferences - Date & Time
    System Preferences - Desktop & Screen Saver
    System Preferences - Displays
    System Preferences - Energy Saver
    System Preferences - International
    System Preferences - Keyboard & Mouse
    System Preferences - Dock
    System Preferences - Sound
    System Preferences - Startup Disk
    System Preferences - Dashboard & Exposé
    System Preferences - Sharing

    This article was last edited on Mar-06-2007 4:20 pm
    This article can be referenced by its article number: 15 or by any of the following keywords: speech, talk, commands, read, text, back.