How to install more voices to Windows Speech?

Question

I downloaded another TTS pack from Microsoft Speech Platform - Runtime Languages (Version 11), but in the speech properties this pack doesn't show up.

The image bellow lists all packs installed, which came by default in my Windows 8 installation.

But it is not supported on windows 8, so how can I install more packs?

Solution 1

Just use the tutorial on this page:

!!!WARNING!!!

This involves manual edits to your registry. If you mess it up, don't blame me. Do at your own risk.

Step 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Install the Speech Platform v11

a) go here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27225
b) click "Download"
c) select the "x64_SpeechPlatformRuntime\SpeechPlatformRuntime.msi"
d) run the installer (duh :P)

Step 2: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get the alternate voices

a) go here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224
b) click "Download"
c) select the voice files you want. They are the ones that have "TTS" in the file name. 

There are 6 English (all female). I have not listened to the other languages, so I dont know how they sound. GB_Hazel and US_ZiraPro are IMO the better sounding voices.

MSSpeech_TTS_en-CA_Heather
MSSpeech_TTS_en-GB_Hazel
MSSpeech_TTS_en-IN_Heera
MSSpeech_TTS_en-US_Helen
MSSpeech_TTS_en-US_ZiraPro
MSSpeech_TTS_en-AU_Hayley

d) run the installers for each (duh :P)

Step 3: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Extract the registry tokens

a) Open Regedit
b) Under - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech Server\v11.0\Voices - right click the "Tokens" folder and export. Save this file to your desktop as voices1.reg so it will be easy to find later.
b) Under - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Speech Server\v11.0\Voices - right click "Tokens" and again export it, again to the desktop. Call it voices2.reg.

Step 4: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit the voices1/2 files

a) open Voices1.reg in Notepad.
b) press "cntrl + H"
c) enter \Speech Server\v11.0\ into the "Find What" field
d) enter \Speech\ into the "Replace With" field
e) click "Replace All"
f) Save File
g) Repeat a-f with the Voices2.reg file

Step 5: --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merge the new Registry files into your registry

a) double click to "run" both Voices1.reg and Voices2.reg
b) Click "Yes" when it prompts

You should now have access to the new voices in Voice Attack, and in the Windows TTS options menu.

This process may also work with other voice packs.

Solution 2

You might be installing 32-bit voices that are unavailable when using the 64-bit Speech Properties dialog that you normally see on 64-bit Windows.

Try using the 32-bit dialog by invoking %windir%\sysWOW64\speech\SpeechUX\SAPI.cpl.

Solution 3

Add new language in Control panel and then download language pack in there.

Comments

[Admin]

That page states that those are only language data files, most likely for MS SAPI developers. Third party voices/TTS engines seem to be much larger downloads, but TBH I've never tried any besides the 2 L&H voices for XP that MS provided as free downloads.

[Admin]

Also want to know how to add German to this.

[Admin]

I didn't realized that Windows finally can speak so many languages!

[Admin]

Here is an answer that directly addresses this: superuser.com/questions/1020849/…

[David]

Welcome to Superuser! This answer is a little short on detail, could you please expand it a little? Thanks

[Ivan Ičin]

This is for Windows 8.1 - first 2 steps needed windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/add-language-keyboard . There are almost identical language settings in desktop Control Panel for both Windows 8 and 8.1

[fixer1234]

External links can break or be unavailable, in which case your answer would have no value. The link should be used for attribution and further information but the essential points should be included in your answer.

[ADTC]

ZiraPro sounds so much more natural than Robotic Anna but it doesn't work when I click the Speech button in Microsoft Word. When I choose Hazel, it reads as Anna. When I choose ZiraPro, it's completely silent. Both voices read the preview text in Control Panel's "Text to Speech" options properly.

[DmitryBoyko]

Your URL is not working. The exported Registry for has many things. Please, tell us certanly what do we have to change. Thank you!

[DmitryBoyko]

Yeah... And I am wondering if voices microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27224 are 32 bit or 64bit? Because they are not visible under the norma 64 bit console as well as 32 bit console... So wtfisit...

[harrymc]

@Peretz: Try Dimio's Tools. This link also contains additional information that could be useful. If you are into Visual Studio, see this program to list the installed TTS voices.

[detective0922]

To prevent typo's, I've created a PowerShell to do the registry stuff:

[Antony]

Great hack! For the longest time I couldn't even get this to work, and now TTS works flawlessly! Thank you!!

[Antony]

I should add that this works on English language on English OS (tested on Windows 10). However, if I tried other languages like "Microsoft Server Speech Text to Speech Voice (zh-TW, HanHan)," it doesn't seem to work as an exception is thrown.

[Dheeraj Vepakomma]

Tried this with ZiraPro and Hazel. The voices are listed in the Control Panel. However when I try to preview the voice, I get an error: "This voice cannot be played."

[Menasheh]

Does this work in windows 10?

[Robbie Dee]

@DheerajV.S. Are you sure you installed Speech Platform v11?

[carbontracking]

For info, I tried this on Windows 7 Enterprise but only did the first part of step 3=>b i.e. concerning the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech Server\v11.0\Voices and it worked perfectly. Thanks a million / Colm

[geisterfurz007]

This is exactly what I was looking for to change TTS language in discord. Maybe this comment will as well help people to find this in google (and if it only is my, it was worth it). Thanks for this answer!

[Anton Andreev]

It works on Windows 10 x64. I installed the voices and they were detected by RTVoice speech synthesis for Unity 3D.

[Riccardo]

Doesn't work for me on Windows 10, the voice is listed in TTS cpanel but when selected I get an error

[ashleedawg]

Worked on Windows 7 Home 64-bit once I uninstalled x86_SpeechPlatformRuntime downloaded x64_SpeechPlatformRuntime and repeated the steps. (30 mins total for minimal voice improvement.) Thanks for posting anyhow!+

[user]

How to get to this page?

[SIslam]

So many broken links are present in the post! BTW thanks.