How to Disable the Forza Horizon 5 Screen Reader on Xbox

Some players starting Forza Horizon 5 for the first time are met with a robotic voice that narrates menu options, beginning with the initial launch screen. This feature, a screen reader, is an accessibility tool designed to help users navigate the game’s interface. For those who do not need it, however, its automatic activation can be an unwelcome surprise. The voice typically instructs the player to “press A button to start” and may also announce that they can “press X button for accessibility.”

At the game’s launch, this feature seemed to be enabled by default for a number of players, and disabling it was not always a simple process. The issue could originate from the game’s own settings, the Xbox console’s system-wide accessibility features, or a conflict between the two. This guide provides the methods to disable the narrator both within the game and at the console level, along with troubleshooting steps for when the voice persists.

Disabling the Screen Reader from In-Game Settings

The most direct method to disable the narrator is through Forza Horizon 5’s internal settings menu. This menu contains specific toggles for various accessibility features, including the screen reader that reads on-screen text aloud.

Accessing the Settings Menu

There are two primary ways to access the settings. If you are on the initial start screen after launching the game, pressing the X button on the Xbox controller should take you directly to the accessibility menu, an option often announced by the screen reader itself.

If you are already in the game world, you can access the settings from the pause menu. Press the Menu button on the controller, which is the small button with three horizontal lines to the right of the central Xbox button. This action opens the main campaign menu. From there, navigate to the “Settings” tile and select it by pressing the A button.

Adjusting Accessibility Options

Once inside the Settings menu, locate and select the “Accessibility” option. This opens a dedicated screen with several toggles. The three settings relevant to the narration features are:

• Screen Reader: This is the main toggle for the feature that reads menu text and other interface elements aloud.
• Voice Chat Text-to-Speech: This feature converts text messages from other players during online voice chat into synthesized speech.
• Voice Chat Speech-to-Text: This transcribes spoken words from other players in voice chat into on-screen text.

To completely disable all narration, ensure that each of these three options is set to “Off.” Use the D-pad or left analog stick to highlight each option and press the A button to cycle through its states until it reads “Off.” While the “Screen Reader” setting is the primary cause of menu narration, the other two are related and disabling them helps prevent unwanted audio during online play.

Saving and Restarting

After setting all three options to “Off,” you must save the changes. The game will prompt you to press the Menu button to apply the new settings. Once confirmed, the changes should take effect. For a setting that impacts the game’s startup sequence, a full restart is often necessary. To properly quit the game on an Xbox Series X or Series S, press the Xbox button to open the guide. With Forza Horizon 5 highlighted, press the Menu button on the controller. In the context menu that appears, select “Quit.” This action fully closes the application, bypassing the Quick Resume feature. After quitting, relaunch Forza Horizon 5 from the dashboard. If the fix was successful, the narrator voice should no longer be present at the start screen.

Checking the Xbox System-Level Narrator

If the robotic voice continues after being disabled in the game’s settings, the problem may be the Xbox console’s own system-wide narrator. This is a separate accessibility feature built into the Xbox operating system that can sometimes override an individual game’s settings. If the console narrator is active, it can be triggered by games like Forza Horizon 5, causing the voice to reappear.

Using the Power Menu Shortcut

The fastest way to check and disable the system narrator is with a controller shortcut. Press and hold the Xbox button on the controller for a few seconds. This brings up the power menu, which displays options to turn off the console or controller. A prompt at the bottom of this screen often indicates that the Narrator can be toggled by pressing the Menu button. If the system narrator is on, pressing the Menu button here will turn it off. A confirmation, often spoken by the narrator itself, will announce its deactivation.

Navigating Through Console Settings

For a more thorough check, you can go through the full console settings menu.

1. Press the Xbox button on the controller to open the guide.
2. Navigate to the far right to your profile icon and select “Settings.”
3. In the Settings menu, go to the “Accessibility” section in the left-hand panel.
4. Select “Narrator” from the list of options.
5. On the Narrator screen, ensure the main checkbox to turn the feature on is unchecked.

This screen also provides options to adjust the narrator’s voice and speed, but the main goal is to uncheck the “Narrator on” box. After disabling the system narrator, fully quit and restart Forza Horizon 5 to see if the problem is resolved.

Advanced Troubleshooting for a Persistent Narrator

During the game’s launch period in November 2021, the narrator issue could be particularly stubborn. Even with both in-game and system-level settings turned off, the voice would sometimes return. This behavior suggested a software bug where the game failed to correctly read the setting’s state. In such cases, a few more advanced steps can be attempted.

Toggling the Settings On and Off

A common troubleshooting method for software is to force it to re-evaluate a setting by turning it on and then off again. This can sometimes clear a stuck or corrupted state.

• In-Game: Return to Forza Horizon 5’s Accessibility settings. Turn the “Screen Reader,” “Voice Chat Text-to-Speech,” and “Voice Chat Speech-to-Text” options back to “On.” Save the changes. Then, immediately go back into the same menu and set them all to “Off” again. Save the changes one more time before quitting and restarting the game.
• System-Level: Perform the same action for the Xbox Narrator. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator and turn the Narrator “On.” Exit the settings menu. Then, return and turn it “Off” again. Restart the game to see if this has forced the setting to stick.

Checking for Game Updates

If none of these solutions work, the issue is likely a bug within the game code that requires an official patch from the developer, Playground Games. Developers often release frequent updates after a major game launch to address bugs and stability issues. You can manually check if an update is available for Forza Horizon 5.

1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
2. Select “My games & apps” and then “See all.”
3. In the left-hand menu, navigate down to “Manage” and select “Updates.”

This screen will show any available updates for your installed games. If an update for Forza Horizon 5 is listed, installing it may contain a fix for the persistent narrator. If no update is available, the only remaining course of action is to wait for the developer to release a patch that addresses the problem.