Mac OS – Troubleshoot no speech output from installed speech engines

Mac OS – Troubleshoot no speech output from installed speech engines


Problem

When using an application that uses synthetic speec such as Read & Write or Claro you may encounter a problem where no spech is heard when commanding the software to read back to you. 


Applies to

  1. Mac OS 

Resolution

The software that is responsible for producing audible speech is known as a TTS (Text To Speech engine).  Using either set of instructions below you can check volume setting and command the TTS directly to speak independent of any other software. 


TTS check  - Mac OS Monterey and above

  1. Click the speaker icon in the menu bar on the right and ensure that volume is at least half way up.
  2. Then Click Apple symbol (top left).
  3. Then click System Settings,
  4. In the Search box enter the phrase Spoken Content and then click the result in the list below.
  5. Click the drop down for System Voice and select the speech engine that failed to work before and click Play Sample button.  The speech engine should speak.


TTS check - Mac os Monterey and below

  1. Click Apple symbol (top left) and choose System Preferences.
  2. Then click Dictation and Speech.
  3. Then click Text to Speech.
  4. Then click System Voice.
  5. Then click the drop down to select the chosen speech engine.
  6. Then click Play button to hear the speech. 


Idea
Tip
If you select Kathy, Fred or Junior in the list and click Play Sample you should hear the Mac OS built in voices which should work even if the third party engine do not by way of comparison.


Next steps

If speech is not heard when clicking Play Sample or Play button this probably indicates that the problem may be with the speech engine itself ot the operating system.


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