Read aloud function not working properly using Outlook and Word Documents

Question

Read aloud function not working properly using Outlook and Word Documents

Panny Hadjioannou 0

Read aloud function not working properly using Outlook and Word Documents, keeps stopping

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

For both Word and Outlook, start with the built-in troubleshooting steps:

Make sure the app is signed in to the Microsoft 365 account.
Restart Word and Outlook.
If restarting does not help, sign out of Microsoft 365 in the app, then sign back in.
If neural voices are involved, confirm there is a stable internet connection.

For Outlook on the web, Read Aloud in the reading pane is currently not supported. Use View > Immersive Reader, then press Play at the bottom of the screen.

For Word, there is also a known issue where neural voices might be unavailable after updating to version 2604 (build 19929.20090). That issue is marked fixed and scheduled to be resolved in the next April build update.

If the problem is specifically that playback stops mid-sentence, one reported workaround is to add Read Aloud to the Quick Access Toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar.

References:

Answer 2

Kristen Tran 1,705 Independent Advisor

Hi Panny,

From what you've described, a few of the AI recommendations are worth trying first, such as confirming that you are signed in to your Microsoft 365 account, restarting Word and Outlook, signing out and back in, and ensuring that your internet connection remains stable while using online voices.

With that in mind, I'd like to suggest the following troubleshooting steps:

Sign out of your Microsoft 365 account in both Word and Outlook, then sign back in.
Fully close and reopen both applications.
Test Read Aloud using a different voice from the Read Aloud settings.
Try Read Aloud with a new Word document and a different email message to determine whether the issue occurs with all content or only specific files/messages.
Check for and install any available Microsoft 365 updates.

If the issue continues after these steps, could you please provide the following information:

Are you using classic Outlook or new Outlook for Windows?
Does the issue occur with all Word documents and emails, or only certain ones?
What Microsoft 365 version and build are installed? (Word > File > Account)
Does changing the Read Aloud voice make any difference?
Approximately how long does playback continue before it stops?

If you are using Outlook on the web, please note that Read Aloud directly from the reading pane is currently not supported. In that case, please open the message in Immersive Reader and use the Play button there instead.

I look forward to your update. The additional details above will help me determine whether the behavior is related to a specific Office build, voice service, document content, or another component of the Microsoft 365 installation.

Kind regards.

Kristen Tran 1,705 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-16T11:56:53.44+00:00

Hi Panny,

Have you had a chance to review the information provided? Any updates would be greatly appreciated.
Panny Hadjioannou 0 Reputation points

2026-09-16T12:59:59.2333333+00:00

Hi Kristen,

I tried all the steps mention below and the issue is still there.

The biggest issue is when using the classic Outlook but randomly with Word Documents.

I have tried on two different devices and both have the same issue.

I am not sure how to check which version of 365 I am using, but assume because Window is constantly updating that all apps are using the current version.

Kind Regards
Stefan Blom 352.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-16T13:09:37.2766667+00:00

I am not sure how to check which version of 365 I am using, but assume because Window is constantly updating that all apps are using the current version.

Start Word, and click File > Account. The version and build are listed on the right hand side of the screen.

You can update Office manually via File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.

Note that updating Windows will not update Office. (It used to be possible in the past with the older Windows Installer technology. Nowadays, most installations are using click-to-run technology.)
Kristen Tran 1,705 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-16T15:06:56.64+00:00
Hi Panny,

Thank you for the update and for confirming that the issue persists on two different devices.

Regarding how to check which version of Microsoft 365 you are using, you can follow the guidance provided by Stefan Blom. This will help determine whether the issue might be related to a specific Office build.

Since the behavior occurs in both classic Outlook and Word, there are a few additional troubleshooting steps that may help:

1/ Test Outlook and Word in Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts Office applications without add-ins, which can help determine whether a third-party add-in is interfering with Read Aloud.

Close Outlook and Word.

Press Windows key + R.

Type outlook /safe and press Enter.

Test the Read Aloud feature in Outlook.

Repeat the process using winword /safe and test Read Aloud in Word.

If Read Aloud works correctly in Safe Mode, the issue may be caused by an add-in. In that case, please try disabling COM add-ins by going to:

File > Options > Add-ins > Manage: COM Add-ins > Go

You can then re-enable the add-ins one at a time to identify whether a specific add-in is contributing to the issue.

2/ Run an Online Repair

Because the issue affects multiple Microsoft 365 applications, it may be worthwhile to repair the Office installation:

Open Control Panel.

Select Uninstall a program.

Select your Microsoft 365 or Office installation.

Choose Change > Online Repair.

Please note that Online Repair is more comprehensive than Quick Repair. You may be asked to sign in to Microsoft 365 again after the repair completes.

3/ Try a different Read Aloud voice

Within the Read Aloud controls, select the gear icon and choose a different voice under Voice Selection. In some cases, changing the voice can help determine whether the behavior is related to the text-to-speech service being used.

4/ Use Speak as a temporary workaround

As a temporary workaround, you can select a portion of text and use Speak Selected Text. Unlike Read Aloud, which reads continuously from the cursor position, Speak reads only the selected text and may provide more consistent playback while the issue is being investigated.

If the issue continues after completing the above tests, especially given that it occurs on multiple devices, I recommend contacting your organization's IT administrator and asking them to run the Classic Outlook Advanced Diagnostics tool and open a Microsoft support case. Providing the Office version/build information, diagnostic results, and the outcomes of the tests above will help Microsoft investigate the issue further.

Reference: Outlook crash or stop responding when used with Microsoft 365 - Exchange

Please let me know the results of these tests, along with the Microsoft 365 version/build information, and I'll be happy to continue assisting you.

Kind regards.
Kristen Tran 1,705 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-17T14:23:54.9366667+00:00

Hi Panny,

Have you reviewed the provided answer? Please let me know if there are any updates.