Read Aloud Function on Microsoft Edge Doesn't Work Anymore

Question

Read Aloud Function on Microsoft Edge Doesn't Work Anymore

Victor A 15

Beforehand it would read bodies of text normally right when I selected the option but now it takes forever to "load" and doesn't read anything. I've tried restarting my HP laptop, checked for updates, checked Edge and nothing. This feature was super useful since it let me do other things while studying to keep me from getting distracted or allow me to multitask, it practically got me through my first semester. The only reason I can think of for this not working would be a restart I did on my computer recently.

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5 answers

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Answer 1

If the Read Aloud feature in Microsoft Edge is not functioning as expected, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

Check for Updates: Ensure that Microsoft Edge is updated to the latest version, as updates often include bug fixes and improvements.
Clear Cache: Sometimes, clearing the browser cache can resolve issues with features not working correctly. You can do this by going to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data.
Restart Edge: Close and reopen Microsoft Edge to see if that resolves the loading issue.
Check Voice Settings: Ensure that the voice settings for Read Aloud are configured correctly. You can access this in the Settings under Languages.
Try Different Voices: Sometimes, switching to a different voice can help if one specific voice is having issues.
Feedback Mechanism: If the problem persists, consider using the feedback mechanism in Edge to report the issue, as this can help Microsoft address it in future updates.

If none of these steps work, it may be worth checking if there are any specific issues reported by other users in forums or support pages.

References:

Answer 2

Francisco Montilla 30,710 Independent Advisor

Hello,

Does this infinite loading happen regardless of the voice profile you currently have selected?

Open the Read Aloud bar and click the Voice Options. Try switching from your current selection to a basic local voice like Microsoft David or Microsoft Zira, rather than the ones marked as Natural or Online. Let me know if it starts reading with those or if it remains stuck.

Victor A 15 Reputation points

2026-01-23T04:32:59.59+00:00

After switching voices I was able to get it sort of working. As of now it can read normally again which is a relief. However, when opening PDFs on separate tabs it turns the entire tab transparent grey with the words it reads being highlighted in their original shade. This wasn't a thing beforehand and isn't ideal since I can't select the parts I want it to read anymore. If you know anything I can do to fix the PDF problem, please feel free to reach out. Hopefully that can be fixed but thank you so much for helping me. I've been struggling for an hour and stressing all day over this. I can't thank you enough :)
Francisco Montilla 30,710 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-01-23T19:27:19.1466667+00:00

Glad to hear the audio is back! That grey overlay usually means a feature called Line Focus is enabled.

While Read Aloud is running on the PDF, look for a button labeled Reading Preferences in the toolbar at the top. It is usually distinct from Voice Options. Click that and check if Line Focus is toggled on. Turning it off should restore the normal view and let you select text again.
Victor A 15 Reputation points

2026-01-26T21:38:34.0466667+00:00

I'm not sure where to look, here's what my page looks like:
Douglas A. Sabahstar 0 Reputation points

2026-05-08T13:05:32.0766667+00:00

Thank you Mrs. Montilla, this was most helpful. For those who may be having the similar issue of being unable to change your voice option, I found that Wi-Fi is turned off then on it forces that option. Best of luck!

Answer 3

Drew - 810

If not using Immersive Reader or without using it, there is the Read Aloud button in the URL bar OR Ctrl+Shift+U. With it there are no voice choices, it's basically 'plug-n-play', really.

That said and now to the OP:

#1. Can usually ignore the AI gen replies.

Tested this, on your behalf and it worked perfectly fine and as per normal.
Please check that everything is fully and truly current.

There are no 'settings' to account for it.

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Answer 4

ba arg 1

not works for me too - top bar is appears but no voice is heared btw: i have same question button not works too... pece of crp

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Answer 5

Sometimes it seems to be an issue with volume output to the mixer from Edge.

What I noticed was wjem Read Aloud wasn't functioning in Edge, it wasn't in the Wolume Mixer (Right cliek on the Sound icon inthe taskbar if you've not used it before or search within Settings - it comes up in Apps). However playing a file with some audio, say a video, and then selecting Read Aloud, worked.

So as a workaround, if you open a tab for any video provider, play some video with audio, then reload your original page, Read Aloud may start working.

I've reproduced this with Windows 11 OS Build 26200.873, Edge (Version 150.0.4078.48 (Official build) (64-bit))..

Summary: not quire sure how you fix it, but this is a workaround: open a video file with audio/audio file in a nother tab and play it. Reload your "to be read" page, and then retry Read Aloud. This may also enable voice selection whcih was greyed out when muted.