MS Word Read Aloud voice changes tone

There are only 2 options available on the mobile app. The female option voice was changed for what appears to be no good reason at all. Now we're stuck with weird reading voice girl.

Yes the issue for me is the mobile app as well. I was able to change my language preference to Canadian English in Windows 11, and that Read Aloud voice is decent. But the preference hasn’t carried over to the mobile app. Stuck with weird reading voice girl is right.

I guess the bottom line is that Read Aloud is (whether MS acknowledge it or not) still a beta feature, Not Ready for Prime Time, so some bugs are to be expected. This is unfortunate, but certainly the whole concept of the feature is a very complex one.

Thank you so much for the help and transparency, Suzanne! I know they play around with these things. As someone else mentioned, this might have even leaked through a patch. Not sure if you can speculate, but do you suppose it’s possible they’re beta testing the voice to gauge for consumer reaction?

I was having the same issue, but when I turned off this option, the female voice no longer switched during paragraphs. Maybe it will work you all too.

I'm also a novelist who listens as a form of proofing. Just today, the female voice changed. Such emotion! How do I return to a flatter voice? We are not imagining the change.

I was having the same issue, but when I turned off this option, the female voice no longer switched during paragraphs. Maybe it will work you all too.

Thank you for this. Unfortunately my issue is now that the voice is stuck in Valley Girl. It’s not going back and forth any longer and I have no option to select a different female voice. But I appreciate you trying to help!