Quite often on Apple’s Universal Access forums there are questions from users who have found that their computer’s suddenly started talking to them, and putting a black box around whatever they’re working on.
Here’s what the black box looks like in the Finder when I have the “User Guides And Information” folder highlighted:
What’s happened here is that the user has accidentally triggered VoiceOver by pressing command-F5.
You can turn it off again by pressing command-F5, which works as a toggle.
Note that if you have a MacBook you might have to also hold down the “Fn” key at the same time, depending on how you have your laptop set up. Try it both with and without the “Fn” key and one of them should work!
- Ricky Buchanan
lisa teague May 2, 2009 at 1:45 pm
dear ricky,
thank you so much for the command-F5 tip. two of my cats walked across the keyboard and apparently triggered VoiceOver. I had no idea what to do.
the VoiceOver function seems incredibly useful, I am going to tell a friend with MS related vision loss and muscle tremors about it.
thanks again,
lisa
Ricky Buchanan May 31, 2009 at 9:11 pm
@Lisa: I’m glad the article helped you – my cat often “helps” in unfortunate ways too!
VoiceOver could be very helpful to your friend, it’s the type of program that Windows users pay over US$1,000 for! It may help her deal with the muscle tremors as well as vision loss as it lets you do all the navigation with the keyboard instead of needing a mouse.
Julie Olson January 31, 2010 at 8:46 am
Following up to the computer speaking suddenly–I have tried to turn it off by using the F5 command, and it won’t do it. In my apple menu, the restart and shut down items are shown twice. What can I do? Is there a utility I can run? Help!
Ricky Buchanan January 31, 2010 at 10:25 am
@Julie: If you have a laptop, you may need to add the “fn” key to the command. But having the restart and shutdown items doubled up on your Apple menu is a sign of some pretty severe corruption I’d think. If your machine is still under AppleCare warranty then call Apple. If not, I’d suggest the best move is to do a complete backup and make sure your backups are working, then to reinstall OS X with the “Archive And Install” command (If you have Snow Leopard, I don’t think there’s any choice – this is the only method there is) from the original install DVDs. This should preserve all your data and programs but I can’t guarantee it if your system is corrupted (hence the backups may be needed!).
Forrest February 2, 2010 at 2:40 pm
it worked for me command and f5 worked like a charm thanks!
Mrs Thang February 8, 2010 at 7:07 am
Found this on another site. It worked for me.
You may have accidentally hit Command + F5, this will turn on the voice over utility in Universal Access. It is basically for the visually impaired. To turn it off, go to System Preferences=>Universal Access=> and under the seeing tab, check the OFF radio Button.
miriam February 12, 2010 at 9:08 am
thank you sooooooooo much!!!!
wow, i couldn’t take it anymore, i was unsure who was going to have a seizure first, my macbook or me. so thank you for your command+F5 info!
charmaar March 28, 2010 at 4:39 am
Thank you very much. My Mac cannot stop to talk talk talk hahahaha.
Now. He sleep. Thank you for command+F5.
erika April 2, 2010 at 6:37 am
Thank u so Much !!!!!!!!!!!
Alex April 15, 2010 at 12:53 pm
OMG!!! thank you soo much you are the best i thought i screwed my computer but you helped out man thanks sooooo much!!!!
Ricky Buchanan April 18, 2010 at 12:15 pm
@Alex: It seems to be a common problem, I’m glad I could help!
El August 20, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Dear Ricky,
thanks a lot!! I think the VoiceOver thing is so annoying and your tips
El
El August 20, 2010 at 5:53 pm
and your tips are great
Laura September 3, 2010 at 4:09 am
THANK YOU THANK YOU. This was driving me insane. I had no idea what happened.
THANK YOU.
Miss B September 29, 2010 at 7:11 pm
@Mrs. Thang I used your method of: System Preferences =>Universal Access=> and under the seeing tab, check the OFF radio Button. Only with mine I checked off the “Voice Over” button. While that voice may be helpful to the visually impaired it can become annoying after while! Thanks for the tip!
Read more: http://atmac.org/my-computer-wont-stop-talking#comment-16430#ixzz10uLNxtM4
Becky December 6, 2010 at 7:24 am
Thanks, I don’t know what my kids did, but you saved me from going crazy!
S February 27, 2011 at 5:19 am
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have been freaking out about the stuff my PC was doing. I appreciate the help.
Nilofer May 14, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Thanks. i was giving commands from Terminal and apple script but I could not make it to stop.
Command F5 worked like a charm.
Do you know how to set commands for speech in the open speech command
Thanks
Nilofer
mary Smallwood June 3, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Cat triggered the voiceover. Thank god for the commandF5. It saved my sanity!!
marcus September 13, 2011 at 12:40 am
THANK YOU…. I was about to have a heart attack… the computer was working my nerves.. My children must have been playing with my keyboard.
james October 11, 2011 at 3:58 am
Thanks!!! stupid voice wouldn’t shut up for ages!
Faith Heise January 3, 2012 at 12:31 pm
My IPad 1 will not stop talking. I press and Icon and the voice tells me what it will do, but it won’t do anything.
It is also locked and I can’t get on it to unlock it. Swiping to start is on but the lady just talks.
It’s crazy!
Faith
Anu January 10, 2012 at 9:53 pm
I was starting a Presentation, and by my old Windows habit I pressed F5 to start the slideshow.. and Mac Alex starts the presentation! The damn thing doesn’t go after force quit as well.. And its telling everyone how i’m trying to shut it down.. Phew! You are a true life-saver!