Read Aloud Not Working in Word? Fix It Now

If Read Aloud has stopped working in Microsoft Word for Windows, the fix is usually a quick settings change, an update, or a check of your internet connection and default voice. This guide walks you through the most common causes and the exact steps to get it speaking again.

What Is Read Aloud in Word?

Read Aloud is a built-in text-to-speech feature in Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 and Office 2019 or later) that reads your document out loud. It highlights each word as it is spoken, which helps with proofreading, editing, and listening to long documents. Unlike the older Speak feature (which only reads selected text), Read Aloud reads from the cursor position to the end of the document or until you pause it. It uses the voices installed on your Windows system, often the same ones used by Narrator or Cortana.

Why Read Aloud Stops Working

There are several reasons why Read Aloud might be grayed out, silent, or unresponsive. Most fall into one of these categories:

Outdated Word or Windows: Older builds may have bugs that were later fixed in updates.
Missing or corrupted voice files: The text-to-speech engine on Windows may be broken or not installed.
Internet connection issues: Some voices (especially the more natural-sounding neural voices) require an online connection.
Add-in conflicts: A third-party add-in can interfere with Word’s built-in features.
Hardware acceleration or graphics driver problems: In rare cases, the highlighting animation can cause a crash.
File corruption: The specific document you are opening may be damaged.

Quick Fixes to Try First

Before diving into deeper troubleshooting, try these three things—they solve most cases:

Close and reopen Word. A simple restart clears temporary glitches.
Restart your computer. This resets the audio service and any stuck processes.
Check your audio output. Make sure your speakers or headphones are plugged in and the volume is not muted. Also, check that Windows is not routing audio to a different device (like a Bluetooth speaker that is off).

If those do not work, move on to the more specific steps below.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

Follow these steps in order. After each one, test Read Aloud again (select some text, then go to the Review tab and click Read Aloud).

Update Word and Windows. Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now in Word. Then check Windows Update in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Install all pending updates and restart.
Repair Office. Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, right-click Microsoft 365 or Office, and choose Change. Select Quick Repair first; if that fails, use Online Repair (requires internet).
Check installed voices. Go to Settings > Time & Language > Speech. Under “Voice selection,” you should see at least one voice. If none are listed, click Add voices and install a language pack (e.g., English (United States)).
Reinstall the voice. In the same Speech settings, if a voice is listed but not working, remove it and add it again.
Run the audio troubleshooter. In Windows, go to Settings > System > Sound > Troubleshoot (or “Troubleshoot sound problems”). This can fix audio driver issues.
Disable add-ins. In Word, go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, select COM Add-ins and click Go. Uncheck any non-Microsoft add-ins, restart Word, and test.
Repair the specific document. If only one document fails, try copying its contents into a new blank document. Or use File > Open, select the file, click the arrow next to Open, and choose Open and Repair.

How to Choose the Right Voice and Speed

Once Read Aloud is working, you can customize it. Click Read Aloud (under the Review tab) to open the playback controls. Click the gear icon (Settings) to adjust:

Voice selection: Choose from the voices installed on your system. Microsoft David, Zira, and Mark are common English voices. For more natural voices, you may need to install additional language packs or use online voices (if available).
Reading speed: Use the slider to slow down or speed up the narration. The default is usually 1x.

Common Problems and Their Specific Fixes

Here are a few specific issues and how to resolve them:

Read Aloud button is grayed out: This usually means the feature is not supported in your version of Word. It requires Microsoft 365, Office 2019, or later. Check your version under File > Account.
Read Aloud starts but no sound: The voice may be missing. Go to Windows Speech settings and ensure a voice is installed. Also, try switching to a different voice in Read Aloud settings.
Read Aloud reads the wrong language: The voice used depends on the language of the text. If your document is in English but a different voice is used, install the correct English language pack in Windows.
Read Aloud stops after a few seconds: This can be due to a network issue if you are using an online voice. Try switching to an offline voice (like Microsoft David) in Read Aloud settings.
Read Aloud crashes Word: Try disabling hardware acceleration: File > Options > Advanced, scroll to “Display,” and check “Disable hardware graphics acceleration.” Restart Word.

Alternatives to Read Aloud

If Read Aloud still does not work, you have other options within Word and Windows:

Speak (older feature): In Word, add the “Speak” command to the Quick Access Toolbar. It reads only selected text, but it uses the same Windows voices and may work when Read Aloud fails.
Narrator: Windows’ built-in screen reader can read any text on screen, including Word documents. Press Windows key + Ctrl + Enter to start or stop it.
Third-party text-to-speech tools: Many free and paid tools can read text aloud, but they are not integrated with Word. Use them as a fallback if you need to listen to a document immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Read Aloud not showing up in my Word?

Read Aloud is only available in Microsoft 365 and Office 2019 or later. If you have an earlier version (like Office 2016), you will not see the button. Check your version under File > Account. If you have a supported version but the button is missing, try repairing Office or updating it.

Can I use Read Aloud without internet?

Yes, but only with the offline voices that come with Windows (like Microsoft David). The more natural-sounding neural voices often require an internet connection. To force offline mode, go to Read Aloud settings and choose a voice that does not say “Online” or “Neural.”

How do I change the voice in Read Aloud?

Click Read Aloud to open the controls, then click the gear icon. Under “Voice selection,” pick from the dropdown list. If you want a different language, you must install that language pack in Windows first (Settings > Time & Language > Speech > Add voices).

Why does Read Aloud read my document in the wrong language?

Word automatically detects the language of your text and uses a matching voice if available. If the text is in English but it is reading in another language, check that your document’s language is set correctly (Review > Language > Set Proofing Language). Also, ensure the correct voice is installed in Windows.

Does Read Aloud work in Word for the web or mobile?

Read Aloud is available in Word for the web (in a browser) and in the mobile apps, but the troubleshooting steps differ. On the web, it relies on your browser’s text-to-speech. On mobile, it uses the device’s built-in voices. If it fails there, check your device’s accessibility settings.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for Read Aloud?

Yes, after you start Read Aloud, you can use Ctrl+Shift+Space to play or pause. To start it, there is no default shortcut, but you can assign one in Word’s customize keyboard settings (File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Customize, then find Read Aloud).

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →