Read Aloud Voices in WORD (they disappeared)

Anonymous
2021-11-30T00:39:13+00:00

After upgrading my laptop to Windows 11, I tried Read Aloud in Word. To my surprise there were several voice options that were not there when I was using Windows 10. Then, after a week of using it to proofread my manuscript, I rebooted my laptop (something I do regularly to ensure updates) and the Read Aloud was ****. I tried to change back to the good voice and there were only the standard three voices (David, Zira, Mark). I worked with Microsoft support, who reinstall my Office 19 twice before finally saying there were only the three voices and I had to live with it.

Was I in some weird twilight zone for a week and not in the real world? What happened to my good Read Aloud voice? and how can I get it back?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T13:57:20+00:00

    If everyone with this problem tries to resolve it through the Microsoft Customer Feedback account [Microsoft Customer Feedback <feedbk@microsoft.com>] that's feedbk at microsoft dot com. I've written several times and gotten some response (no solution, though they did say on the last one that my problem has been solved which, of course, it wasn't). If enough people complain officially to them (not through this user forum), maybe they'll get the hint that customers are dissatisfied.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T13:51:37+00:00

    The email address above was removed for Microsoft's privacy. (??) maybe this will go through.

    Microsoft Customer Feedback <feedbk@microsoft.com> feedbk at microsoft dot com

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T13:14:16+00:00

    Your comment succinctly summed up what everyone is complaining about! How if only MS will do something about it. How do we get through to them?

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T10:39:48+00:00

    I thought I would help clarify things here as I believe we are all having the same problem. The issue is the limited voice options in word and other office programs (like outlook). When we use the text to voice function we use to see all different voices but now it is just 'male' and 'female', like so:

    This is despite a language pack being installed that does have many other voices that we want (see this screen shot from the settings):

    The solution seems simple, Microsoft should release an update for office that allows users to make use of ALL of the voices that are installed in Windows - at present, Office limits the options that are available.

    Please do this!

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-06-28T03:47:42+00:00

    My problem is similar but different. I had an upgraded version voice of the new "male female" voices. It was sudden and sporadic. Occasionally, I would get the decent "female" voice, then it would switch to a very smooth version which blew my mind. It sounded VERY human. I can't tell if the document needs to focus on a section of the writing to "polish" or whatever it needs to get the best voice, but the two switch from paragraph to paragraph and even between pauses on the same sentence without me touching ANY settings. What's going on???

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