Read aloud in powerpoint

Fletcher, Ann E1 (CON-TravelCell) 0 Reputation points
2026-09-07T14:33:05.34+00:00

How can you get it to read aloud in PowerPoint so that I can listen rather than look and read....

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Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For business | Windows
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  2. Marcin Policht 106.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-09-07T14:42:49.39+00:00

    You can add the hidden Speak command to the Quick Access Toolbar.

    Open PowerPoint and look at the very top-left corner of the window for the Quick Access Toolbar, next to the Save and Undo icons. Click the small drop-down arrow at the end of the toolbar and select More Commands.

    In the window that opens, find the Choose commands from box near the top and change it to All Commands. Scroll down the alphabetical list until you find Speak. Select Speak, click Add, and then click OK.

    To use the feature, highlight or select the text on your slide that you want to hear. Then click the new Speak speech-bubble icon on the Quick Access Toolbar. PowerPoint will read the selected text aloud. Click the Speak icon again to stop.

    Alternatively, you can use Windows Narrator if you want a system-level reader that can read information from the screen. Press Windows Key + Ctrl + Enter to turn Narrator on or off.

    If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

    hth

    Marcin

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  3. AI answer

    2026-09-07T14:33:19.37+00:00

    In PowerPoint on Windows, there are two built-in ways to have text read aloud:

    1. Use Speak for selected text
      • Add Speak to the Quick Access Toolbar:
        1. Select Customize Quick Access Toolbar.
        2. Select More Commands.
        3. In Choose commands from, select All Commands.
        4. Scroll to Speak, select it, then select Add.
        5. Select OK.
      • Then select a word or block of text in the presentation and select the Speak icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.
    2. Use Immersive Reader
      • Select text, one or more text objects on a slide, or one or more slides.
      • On the View tab, select Immersive Reader.
      • Or right-click the text, object, or slide and select Open in Immersive Reader.
      • In Immersive Reader, select Play to have the text read aloud.

    Difference:

    • Speak reads only the text selected.
    • Immersive Reader opens the content in a reading view and can read it aloud with additional reading preferences.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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