To disable TV commentary, press and hold the Volume Up button on your remote for a few seconds, or look for a dedicated 'AD' button to toggle it off instantly. If that doesn't work, the narration is either your TV's built-in screen reader (Voice Guide or TalkBack) or the program's Audio Description track, both are turned off in different places.
What is the 'Commentary' on My LED TV?
When your TV suddenly starts narrating every menu option, button press, or on-screen action, you're likely hearing one of two distinct accessibility features. The first is a screen reader, often called Voice Guide (on Samsung), Audio Guidance (on LG), or TalkBack, which reads aloud the text and menus you navigate on the TV itself. The second is Audio Description (AD), also known as Descriptive Video Service (DVS) or Secondary Audio Program (SAP), which is a separate audio track that narrates the visual elements of a show or movie, such as actions, gestures, and scene changes, during natural pauses in dialogue. Knowing which one you're hearing is the key to silencing it quickly, because the screen reader is disabled in the TV's main settings, while Audio Description is usually controlled by the program's audio options or the device you're watching through.
Quick Fix: Use the Remote Control Shortcut
The absolute fastest way to silence that voice is often a hidden shortcut on your remote, so try this before digging through menus. If you have a Samsung Smart Remote, press and hold the Volume Up (+) button for 2 seconds or longer to open the Accessibility Shortcuts menu, then toggle Voice Guide off. On many other TV brands, look for a dedicated 'AD' or 'DVS' button, often found on the remote's side or bottom row, and press it once to instantly disable the descriptive narration track. This method works best when you accidentally enabled the feature via a remote button press and want to reverse it without navigating through layers of settings.
Disable the TV's Voice Guide in the Settings Menu
If the shortcut didn't work or you're not sure which feature is talking, you'll need to turn off the TV's built-in screen reader through the main settings menu. This is the most reliable way to stop the TV from reading every menu item aloud.
- Press the Home or Menu button on your remote to open the TV's main interface.
- Navigate to Settings (usually a gear icon) and select it.
- Go to All Settings (if available), then select General or General & Privacy.
- Scroll down to Accessibility and press OK.
- Select Voice Guide Settings (on Samsung) or Audio Guidance (on LG), then toggle the feature to Off.
On LG TVs, the exact menu path is: Settings (gear icon) → All Settings → General → Accessibility → Audio Guidance, then toggle it off. Note that menu layouts can vary slightly depending on your TV's webOS version or model year, so if you don't see the exact wording, look for similar terms like "Screen Reader," "Narration," or "TalkBack."
Turn Off Audio Description (SAP) on a Program
If the voice only talks during a show or movie, not while you're navigating menus, you're dealing with Audio Description, which is a separate audio track that must be changed within the program itself, not the TV's main settings. While the show is playing, press the Settings or Audio button on your remote to open the quick settings bar. Look for an option labeled Audio Description, Descriptive Audio, or SAP (Secondary Audio Program), and switch it to Off or select the standard audio track instead. On many streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube, this option is found under the audio/subtitle icon (usually a speech bubble) during playback, choose "English [Original]" or "English [Audio Description]" and pick the version without "AD" or "Descriptive."
Check Your Cable Box or Streaming Device Settings
If you're using a cable or satellite set-top box, DVR, or an external streaming stick (like Roku, Fire TV, or Apple TV), the Audio Description or SAP setting on that device often overrides your TV's settings. This is a critical troubleshooting step because many people waste time changing TV settings when the narration is actually coming from the external device. To fix this, pick up the remote for your cable box or streaming device, not your TV remote, and do the following:
- Press the Menu or Home button on that device's remote.
- Navigate to Settings → Audio or Accessibility.
- Look for Audio Description, SAP, or Descriptive Audio and set it to Off.
- On some cable boxes, you may need to press the Info or Options button while watching a channel and select "Audio Language" or "SAP" from the pop-up menu, then choose "English" instead of "English with AD."
Remember that the setting on your TV remote won't affect an external device's audio track, so always check the device that's actually sending the signal to your TV.
Troubleshooting: Why Is the Voice Still Talking?
If you've followed all the steps above and the narration persists, there are a few more things to check before giving up. First, even if you turned off Voice Guide in the main settings, some TVs have a separate Accessibility Shortcuts voice that remains enabled, go back to the Accessibility menu and make sure the "Shortcut" or "Quick Settings" voice is also turned off. Second, check for firmware updates, as manufacturers often fix audio bugs that cause narration to turn itself back on; go to Settings → Support → Software Update → Update Now. If the voice still won't stop, a factory reset (Settings → General → Reset) should be your last resort, but make sure you note your picture and network settings first, as this will erase all preferences. In rare cases, the narration might be enabled at the broadcast level by the TV station itself, so try switching to a different channel or streaming app to confirm the issue is resolved.
