# Really stupid question about Windows and startup tasks **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791 "2007-11-26T14:40:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/1 "2007-11-26T14:40:43Z")
I don’t know WTF I did, but for some reason whenever I login to my Windows machine at work now, the helpful Windows “narrator” pops up and insists on reading the contents of my screen to me. I can quit the narrator, but the little bastard comes back every time I login. Now I have no idea how to make him go away permanently. Help. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/2 "2007-11-26T14:51:12Z")
You’ve activated the Windows Narrator who is there to assist those users with poor vision. You can go to Start-\>All Programs-\>Accessories-\>Accessability-\>Narrator and see if there’s an option to turn it off. If not, go to Start-\>run then type “msconfig”. That will bring up a little box. Click on the Start-up tab and uncheck anything that looks like Windows Narrator. Hit OK. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/3 "2007-11-26T15:16:32Z")
[QUOTE=Flander] You’ve activated the Windows Narrator who is there to assist those users with poor vision. You can go to Start-\>All Programs-\>Accessories-\>Accessability-\>Narrator and see if there’s an option to turn it off. [/quote] There isn’t. > [@](#): > > If not, go to Start-\>run then type “msconfig”. That will bring up a little box. Click on the Start-up tab and uncheck anything that looks like Windows Narrator. Hit OK. Nothing there, either. Of course, items like ‘hkcmd’ and ‘ctfmon’ aren’t particularly descriptive. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/4 "2007-11-26T15:23:26Z")
Is there anything in Start\>Programs\>Startup? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/5 "2007-11-26T15:24:34Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Is there anything in Start\>Programs\>Startup? [/QUOTE] Nope, it’s empty. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/6 "2007-11-26T15:59:42Z")
On the Start menu: • Point to All Programs. • Point to Accessories. • Point to Accessibility. • Select Narrator. I’m not sure what to do next. Maybe uncheck all the boxes. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/7 "2007-11-26T16:00:07Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] There isn’t. Nothing there, either. Of course, items like ‘hkcmd’ and ‘ctfmon’ aren’t particularly descriptive. [/QUOTE] Playing around, I found this…type Win+U, or go to Start-\>all programs-\>accessories-\>accesability-\>Utility Manager. That will bring up a Utility Manager. It should say something like “Narrator is Running”. Select it, hit STOP" and uncheck any boxes that say Start automatically. Restart. Let us know if you computer is still talking to you. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/8 "2007-11-26T16:07:45Z")
[QUOTE=Flander] Playing around, I found this…type Win+U, or go to Start-\>all programs-\>accessories-\>accesability-\>Utility Manager. That will bring up a Utility Manager. It should say something like “Narrator is Running”. Select it, hit STOP" and uncheck any boxes that say Start automatically. Restart. Let us know if you computer is still talking to you. [/QUOTE] You are my hero! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-question-about-windows-and-startup-tasks/427791/9 "2007-11-26T16:08:42Z")
Sweet! I answered a GQ thread!