Install Language and Speech Packs in Windows 11

Windows 11 allows you to customize your operating system by adding optional language features such as speech recognition, text-to-speech voices, handwriting recognition, and typing tools. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to find, download, and install these optional language and speech packs using the Windows 11 Settings app.

How to Add a New Language with Speech Features

  1. Press Windows Key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings menu.
  2. Select Time & language from the left navigation pane.
  3. Click on Language & region on the right side of the window.
  4. In the Preferred languages section, click the Add a language button.
  5. Type the name of your desired language into the search bar. Look for the icons next to the language name to confirm that it supports Text-to-speech, Speech recognition, or Handwriting.
  6. Select the language and click Next.
  7. Under Optional language features, check the boxes for Speech recognition, Text-to-speech, and any other desired capabilities.
  8. Click Install to begin downloading the language and its associated speech packs.

How to Add Speech Packs to an Existing Language

If you already have a language installed and only need to add speech or handwriting packages:

  1. Open Settings and navigate to Time & language > Language & region.
  2. Locate the language in the Preferred languages list, click the three dots (…) next to it, and select Language options.
  3. Scroll down to the features section.
  4. Locate Speech or Handwriting and click the Download button next to the feature.

How to Configure Speech Settings and Voices

Once your speech packs are installed, you can configure your default input and output settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Time & language > Speech.
  2. Under Speech language, use the dropdown menu to choose the primary language you speak to your device.
  3. Under Voices, select your preferred text-to-speech voice and adjust the voice speed using the slider.
  4. If you plan to use speech-to-text with non-native accents, check the box next to Recognize non-native accents for this language.