AppleTV: Can Voiceover's volume be controlled?

By sockhopsinger, 5 May, 2015

Forum
tvOS and Apple TV Apps

Hello to you AppleTV people out there. I have a quick question. As you know when watching content on AppleTV, the volume levels can differ significantly from item to item. However, one thing is always constant, that being the loud, grating voice of Samantha or whatever robotic demon infests the interior of each and every AppleTV. This is really bad when you have to raise the volume a lot for items on Netflix or MLB.TV and probably others. So, please have some good news for me? Is there a way to lower her volume? After all, I'm sure the good people of Morocco don't need to know when I am changing items on my AppleTV in the United States. Thanks a lot. ... Scott

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Comments

By Tim Noonan on Friday, May 22, 2015 - 22:59

Unfortunately you can't adjust the Voiceover volume on the Apple TV, all you can do is set up the accessibility menu so you can long-press home and turn it off while watching a show.

Thanks for reminding me to send a note to Apple Accessibility requesting this feature.

By sockhopsinger on Friday, May 22, 2015 - 22:59

Thanks for the reply. I too will need to send a note to the Accessibility team. Why this hasn't already been implimented I don't know.

By Dave Nason on Friday, May 22, 2015 - 22:59

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

I too must send them a note. It's insanely loud compared to the general volume.

By Stacy on Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 22:59

Has this been fixed yet? Oh my gosh it is so loud! For apps like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video which have native screen reader support the screen reader is way too loud Netflix works great because it lets VoiceOver settings work as they were custom izedby the user… Please tell me there is a fix or a setting…

By That Blind Canuck on Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 22:59

I don't know if it can still be done today, but I was able, a little while ago, to lower the VoiceOver volume on my Apple TV 4th Gen. If memory serves me right, I think you can, if it isn't there already, add the VoiceOver volume to the rotor, and when you are on the home screen, turn the rotor on your Apple TV remote until you land on volume, then swipe up or down on the touch surface of the remote to raise or lower the volume.

Again, I am not sure if with the recent version of TV OS, if this is still possible, but I don't see why it wouldn't.

HTH!

OK let me clarify…
Of course you can customize voiceover volume for the most part… No problem there but and this is a big butt… Insert Sir Mix-A-Lot joke here…
Some apps such as YouTube and Amazon Prime Video override VoiceOver settings to a default screen reader mode where the volume is way too loud and The Voice is slow down… I am sure these fine app developers are trying to be helpful but by removing the customers customization functionality a voiceover screen reader is way too loud and the voice is slow and can’t be customize… Is this not obvious to more people? When you are using voiceover with Apple TV when you turn on YouTube the screen reader gets way too loud and you can’t turn it down… Please someone help! Apple? I have called you and you said that you would fix this more than a year ago…
Most apps are fine and let The users voiceover customizations stay and work well but for a few major apps like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video the default screen reader kicks in and that screen reader is way too loud and cannot be turned down let me know if I need to clarify the issue any further…

By sockhopsinger on Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 22:59

At the time of this posting, over three years ago, Voiceover volume was not yet able to be controlled by the roter. Now, that is not a problem. As the previous poster said, dealing with apps from Google like Youtube and Youtube.tv, and also from Amazon, like Amazon video, is a major headache. Mostly, it is because of the volume. The truth is that all of these apps have all taken a major leap backwards in accessibility. However, as this post is focused on volume, I will only state what an idiotic thing it was to change the app so completely that a supplemental, far inferior, screenreading program was implemented.

By That Blind Canuck on Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 22:59

My previous post only refers to applications that allow the native TV OS VoiceOver voice to be used. My tip will not work with apps who overwrite the native VoiceOver and use their own built-in screen reader.

I agree that Apple should take a stronger stance and not allow these apps to do this. These apps can certainly be developped in a way that usess the TV OS native VoiceOver. Heck, if Netflix can do this, there is no reason why Amazon and YouTube can't do it either. I too find it frustrating when these companies, in an effort to make things more accessible, make things worst. I do appreciate that they are at least trying, but to develop your app to use a seperate screen reader then the one already built in to the operating system, well is just plainly stupid.

This is the reason that I've not installed these two apps as I was annoyed and frustrated trying to use them and just gave up after a long time.

By Unregistered User (not verified) on Thursday, November 22, 2018 - 22:59

Only work around I've found is using my Harmony 890 universal remote. Trick it to think it's viewing TV with a receiver/amp doing audio. Only annoying thing is my TV menu pops up every other time I push menu on the Harmony. The TV thinks it's talking to it. Push menu again and it goes away. https://8ballpool.onl/ , https://googlehangouts.ooo/ , https://omegle.onl/
BUT, pretty bad miss for Apple to not have their remote do volume. I'm a Mac purist, but seriously guys, no volume? Figure it out.

By zespol netpix on Thursday, November 22, 2018 - 22:59

Seems like my remote is just broken? The volume buttons control the tv volume, the menu up and down buttons work for resetting the remote and / or the apple tv but i can’t control anything in the actual apple tv interface. It’s also fully charged. Any more tips?

By Roxann Pollard on Thursday, November 22, 2018 - 22:59

There was a new control added to the remote rodor a couple of updates ago. It's called Follow Focus. Set your rodor to this control and suddenly the remote performs like it should. If the remote isn't set to this control, who whole Apple TV environment is one big frustration.

HTH