What "changing your voice" actually means
When you hear "change your voice" in tech, it usually means one of three things: switching the voice that reads text aloud to you, changing the voice you use to give commands to your device, or adjusting how your own voice sounds when you record audio. Most people encounter this when they notice their phone or computer is reading things in a voice they don't like, or when they want to use voice commands but prefer a different accent or gender presentation.
The voice you hear is called a text-to-speech voice or system voice. Your device comes with several of these built in, and you can usually switch between them in settings. Some devices let you read additional voices. The process is different on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, but the basic idea is the same: find the voice settings and pick a different one.
Key Takeaways
- Text-to-speech voices live in your device's accessibility or language settings, not in individual apps.
- Most devices come with multiple voices already installed, so you can switch between them without downloading anything.
- Changing your voice for voice commands (like Siri or Google Assistant) is a separate setting from the voice that reads text aloud.
- Some voices are only available in certain languages or regions, so your options depend on your device's language setting.
- Downloaded voices usually take up storage space, so check how much room you have before adding new ones.
Changing the voice on Windows
On Windows 10 and 11, the voice that reads text aloud lives in Settings under Ease of Access. Open Settings, then go to Accessibility on the left side. Click on Speech, then Text-to-speech. You will see a dropdown menu under "Choose a voice" with all the voices installed on your computer. Click the dropdown and select a different one. You can click the play button next to each voice to hear a sample before you commit.
If you want to change how fast the voice speaks, use the "Speaking rate" slider below the voice dropdown. Moving it to the right makes the voice faster; moving it left makes it slower. Some people find faster voices harder to understand, so this is worth adjusting if the default speed bothers you.
Windows also lets you read additional voices. In the same Speech settings, look for "Manage voices" or "Add voices." Click that, and you will see voices available for your language. Click the read button next to any voice you want to add. Downloaded voices appear in your dropdown menu once they finish installing.
Changing the voice on Mac
On Mac, open System Settings and go to Accessibility. Click on Spoken Content on the left. You will see a dropdown menu labeled "System voice." Click it to see all available voices. Select the one you want, and your Mac will use it for any text-to-speech reading going forward.
You can also adjust the speaking rate with the slider below the voice dropdown. Mac calls this "Speaking rate" just like Windows does. If you want to hear what a voice sounds like before selecting it, click on the voice name and then click the play button that appears.
Mac includes voices for many languages and accents built in. If you want additional voices, go back to the System Settings main menu, click General, then click Software Update. Some voice packs read automatically with system updates, but you can also manually search for language packs if your preferred voice is not showing up.
Changing the voice on iPhone and iPad
On iPhone and iPad, the voice that reads text aloud is part of a feature called Speak Screen. To change it, open Settings and go to Accessibility. Tap Speech, then Voices. You will see a list of voices organized by language. Tap the language you are using (usually English), and you will see all available voices for that language. Tap the one you want.
Some voices on iPhone are labeled "Premium" and require downloading. These usually sound more natural than the standard voices. If you tap a Premium voice, your device will read it automatically if you have enough storage and are connected to Wi-Fi. Premium voices take up between 50 and 200 megabytes each, so check your available storage before downloading several.
You can also adjust the speaking rate in the same Voices menu. Look for "Speaking Rate" and use the slider to speed up or slow down the voice. If you use voice commands with Siri, that is a separate setting. To change Siri's voice, go to Settings, then Siri & Search, then Siri Voice, and pick a different option there.
Changing the voice on Android
Android devices vary by manufacturer, but the text-to-speech voice is usually in Settings under Accessibility. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then look for Text-to-speech or Speech. You should see an option for "Preferred engine" or "Text-to-speech engine." Tap it and select which engine you want to use (Google Text-to-speech is the most common). Then tap the settings icon next to it to open that engine's options.
Inside the engine settings, you will see a dropdown for "Language" and another for "Voice." Set your language first, then select a voice from the list. You can usually tap a voice to hear a sample. Some Android devices let you read additional voices here; if you see a read button, tap it to add more options.
If you use Google Assistant for voice commands, changing the text-to-speech voice does not automatically change Assistant's voice. To change Assistant's voice, open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture in the top right, go to Settings, then Assistant, then Assistant voice, and pick a different one.
Why your device might not have the voice you want
If you open your voice settings and do not see the voice you are looking for, the most common reason is that it is not installed for your current language. If your device is set to English (United States), you will only see voices available for that region. Voices for English (United Kingdom) or English (Australia) will not appear unless you switch your language setting.
Some voices are also only available on newer devices or newer versions of your operating system. If you have an older phone or computer, you may have fewer voice options than someone with a newer device. Updating your device to the latest version of its operating system sometimes adds new voices.
Premium or high-quality voices often require downloading, and they will not appear in your list until you read them. Check whether your device has enough storage space before trying to read new voices. If your device is almost full, you may need to delete photos, videos, or apps to make room.
Changing how your own voice sounds when recording
If you are recording audio and want to change how your voice sounds in the recording itself, that is different from changing the system voice. Most recording apps (like Voice Memos on iPhone or the Recorder app on Android) do not have built-in voice effects. You would need to use audio editing software like Audacity (free, on Windows and Mac) or GarageBand (free, on Mac and iPad) to add effects like echo, reverb, or pitch shifting after you record.
Some messaging apps like Discord or Telegram let you explore voice effects in real time while you are speaking, but these are features of the app itself, not your device. Check the settings inside the app you are using to see if voice effects are available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a celebrity voice or a custom voice on my device?
Most devices do not come with celebrity voices built in, and downloading them is not straightforward. Some third-party apps claim to offer celebrity voices, but many of these are low quality or require paid subscriptions. Your best option is to stick with the voices your device provides, which are usually clearer and more reliable.
Will changing my device voice affect how Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa sounds?
Not automatically. Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa have their own voice settings separate from your device's text-to-speech voice. You need to change each one individually in its own settings menu. Changing your system voice will not change how your voice assistant sounds.
What if I change my voice and then want to change it back?
You can change your voice as many times as you want. Just go back to the same settings menu where you changed it and pick a different voice. There is no limit to how many times you can switch, and changing your voice does not affect any other settings on your device.
Do downloaded voices use a lot of storage space?
Most voices take between 50 and 200 megabytes, which is not huge, but it adds up if you read many. Check your available storage before downloading several voices. If your device is low on space, you can delete downloaded voices you are not using to free up room.
Why does my device voice sound robotic or unnatural?
Older or standard voices often sound more robotic because they are made by piecing together recorded syllables. Newer voices, especially Premium voices on iPhone or high-quality voices on Android, use neural technology that sounds much more natural. If the current voice bothers you, try switching to a Premium or newer voice.