Narrator voices suddenly stopped working

[ravensergio]

Hi. Today I noticed suddenly that Narrator voices stopped working. I have this error in log when I try to select them in Text To Speech in Windows (SAPI)

[error] TTS init: voice 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\TokenEnums\NaturalVoiceEnumerator\MicrosoftWindows.Voice.en-GB.Ryan.1' cannot be initialized: 
Local TTS speak failed, with TTS error code = EMBEDDED_TTS_ERROR_WRONG_DECRYPTION_KEY. Wrong embedded speech synthesis model key.

[error] TTS init: voice 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Speech\Voices\TokenEnums\NaturalVoiceEnumerator\MicrosoftWindows.Voice.en-US.Jenny.2' cannot be initialized: 
Local TTS speak failed, with TTS error code = EMBEDDED_TTS_ERROR_WRONG_DECRYPTION_KEY. Wrong embedded speech synthesis model key.

Every voice I had installed failed. I also tried manually adding voice (unzip msix) but same outcome.
EDGE Online voices still work, but I would like the offline voices, since the online gave me issues in apps before. Is it on my side, or Microsoft just changed something?
Also, if this is installed, Windows Narrator wont open anymore.
This was not an issue yesterday, I tried restarting pc, install/uninstall the voices and [NaturalVoiceSAPIAdapter].. nothing works. Thank You.

• Edition Windows 11 Pro
• Version 23H2
• OS build 22631.5335
• Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22700.1081.0

[gexgd0419]

Microsoft has recently updated the voice packs, and it's quite possible that the decryption key is changed as well.

Keep in mind that Microsoft has not yet allowed third-party apps to use those voices freely, so there's no guarantee that these kind of workarounds will work forever.

If you can find older versions of the voice packs and unzip them, they should work as usual.

[ravensergio]

Thanks for responding.
I am sad that I just used the official ones, now is too late I think. I cant find older ones in web archives etc.
If someone would be kind enough and have access to Sonia(en-GB) and Jenny (en-US) at least, or some English speaking ones that works still in unpacked mode, please advise me.
EDIT:
I found 2 in older backup ( I had Macrium Reflect backups) so I have Jenny and Sonya that still works locally. I just copied the files from "X\Program Files\WindowsApps" ( from a Reflect backup- i mounted the image then I went there)
Older file example - MicrosoftWindows.Voice.en-GB.Sonia.1_1.0.3.0_x64
Newer that doesnt work - MicrosoftWindows.Voice.en-GB.Sonia.1_1.0.4.0_x64

So Yes, it seems that these newer wont work anymore sadly.

[ravensergio]

I sure can , no problem, but I wont leave a link to direct download here since idk if it is allowed unless @gexgd0419 says OK, so idk how You would get them.

[AlizeeFR]

I'm having the same issue. I used the adapter because only the Natural voices (not the online ones) would work in OneNote or Windows applications because OneNote and other windows apps only work with OneCore voices or something like that. I don't know how to get around that or have an offline version. Is there any plan to fix this in a future patch? I used this to study a lot because it made the OneNote and microsoft word speech features tolerable for TTS to make note-taking more accessible

[gexgd0419]

I think that Microsoft is actively changing the decryption key to prevent this kind of "abuse" of those voices.

Maybe I can find the new key by some way, but then Microsoft could just keep changing the keys, and this repo would risk being taken down.

I'd suggest using an older version of the voice packs at this moment.

[rigormortis01]

hopefully a link to the 1.0.3 version of the voices will be allowed, as I used to also use the sonia voice as well for applications, but my windows updated and i now have the 1.0.3 version :(
edit never mind a google search found it :P 1.0.3 def works again, thanks for heads up

[gexgd0419]

Links to an older but working version of the voices have been added to the Narrator natural voice download links page.

[TheNutLord]

Links to an older but working version of the voices have been added to the [Narrator natural voice download links] page.

That's why he's the GOAT, THE GOAT

[ghfromhougang]

The older versions ver 1.0.1.0 have stopped working also. Tried testing with the TtsApplication, getting "Speak error" message

[gexgd0419]

@ghfromhougang You can check the log file for the error detail. Click "Open log & cache folder" in the installer.

Also note the following:

• If you installed the MSIX file directly, the system may still automatically update the voices to the latest version. You should either turn off automatic update in Microsoft Store, or unzip the MSIX file to a folder and specify the local voice path.
• The local voice path is the parent folder of all the voice folders, even if you are only going to use one voice. For example, if you unzipped the Jenny MSIX file to D:\Voices\Jenny, the local voice path should be D:\Voices. Also D:\Voices\Jenny should contain the actual voice files such as AppxManifest.xml, instead of having yet another folder level.

[ghfromhougang]

@gexgd0419 How to unzip the MSIX file to a folder and specify the local voice path? By design, the installation path of an MSIX package cannot be changed

[ravensergio]

How to unzip the MSIX file to a folder and specify the local voice path? By design, the installation path of an MSIX package cannot be changed

@ghfromhougang Best to uninstall if You have those voices in STORE- add remove programs- uninstall voices You have.
Then use WinRar/Winzip to open the MSIX- EXTRACT in a folder (don't double click msix just open it with an archiver like WinRar)..lets say "MicrosoftWindows.Voice.en-US.Jenny.1_1.0.8.0_x64__cw5n1h2txyewy.Msix"-->extract in JennyUS folder .
Do the same with others You need, each in its folder(SONIA etc).
Then put all the extracted ( NOT msix) folders in a folder named "Voices" for example, or whatever u like.
You will have finally the folder:
--Voices (with subfolders):
-----Jenny
-----Sonia
-----OtherVoices
Point the installer to that folder (Voices) like in this pic..Install..DONE.

[conradRz]

@ravensergio I had done just that, and Balabolka does not pick up the new voices and the testing TtsApplication.exe app returns

Other voices, e.g. Zira Pro work just fine

It's a new install, as in I only came across this github repo today. Log files attached for @gexgd0419

EdgeVoiceListCache.json
log.txt

Reboot did not help. Windows 10

[sensoryapphouse]

If autoupdates are set in the Microsoft Store then the "working" voices seem to be automatically updated the with new voices. Apart from turn off autoupdates - any suggestions on how to stop this working?