How to Use Read Aloud in Microsoft Word (Listen to Text)

Learn how to use Read Aloud in Microsoft Word to listen to your text. We will also look at how to change the reading speed and the voice. Plus, learn how to use Read Aloud with Immersive Reader.

This tutorial was recorded in Word for Microsoft 365 for PC. These steps also apply to Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac (a.k.a., Word for Mac), Word 2024, Word 2021, and Word 2019.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:38 How to Use Read Aloud
01:47 Interesting Fact About Read Aloud Accents
02:38 Use Read Aloud with Immersive Reader

📝 Companion Blog Post/Transcript for this Video
=========================================
How to Use Read Aloud Microsoft Word (Listen to Text)

💻 Related Resources
==================
How to Use Microsoft Word (Playlist)

How to Use Word for Mac (Playlist)

Thank you for watching!

#microsoftword #wordformac #writing

All Rights Reserved © 2025 Erin Wright

[SweetAesthete]

This changed everything for me in writing my novel. I told my husband it has me so invested now that I can’t wait to find out what happens next, but I’m the one writing the dang thing! Haha

[AbuBakar_]

Not just a skilled copy editor... you sound like a professional voice-over artist too! 👍👍 0:04

[juanpinpol]

Here is a solution for those with windows who are unable to access a variety of voices. For example, James. If we select the read aloud option from inside the word document, we only get in the magnifier the male and female options, but if we dont select that, and instead we use the combination of keyboards keys: "windows + key" then the magnifier > settings, will be offering us a variety of voices to choose from. In other words. The magnifier inside words only gives us the male and female options. But the independent magnifier does give us the option of many voices to choose from. Why this? I think they forgot to implement the code in the independent magnifier, into the magnifier in word365?

[grayukuk]

Is it possible to get TTS to work on MS Publisher?

[TheRealBootz]

how do you get it to sound natural, my read aloud voices sound robotic. but on my work computer it sounds like an actual person

[karenbergmann]

This is a great editing tool! However, text not showing on the document is being read, like ghost text. I am able to delete and retype a few characters and the ghost text deletes, but some will not delete and is still picked up by Read Along. Have you found this issue with any of your Word Documents?

[deeechols]

Can you give the instructions for Read Aloud for MS Office 2010?

[ryanadearmond]

Is there a way to get any selected text to read aloud? Not just in Microsoft, like in Chrome?

[lorenzoarteaga]

I have a natural voice reader for Windows but I can't enable it on Word.

[josephinehimmel]

Is there a way to record the Read Aloud to add it to a video?

[GayleneCorben]

I set my proofing language to Australian. However, I'm still getting an American accent.

[kevincaruthers]

Sounds too robotic.
Guess I'll have to buy third party software to get natural sounding voices.