How to Use Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge

Start and close the “Read Aloud” feature in Microsoft Edge

There are a few ways to start Read Aloud. The right-click menu 🖱️ and the keyboard shortcut are the quickest.

1. Open a web page or PDF in Edge.
2. Right-click an empty area of the page and choose Read aloud. You should hear the voice start, and a toolbar appears below the address bar.
3. Or press Ctrl+Shift+U instead of using the menu. If nothing happens, click once on the page first so the keyboard focus is in the tab and not in the address bar.

Pressing the same keys again stops playback whenever you want.

You have three ways to stop the voice:

• Press Ctrl+Shift+U again to stop playback.
• Click Pause on the toolbar to halt the voice temporarily. Click it again to resume from the same spot.
• Click Close to exit the feature entirely. The toolbar disappears.

You can also start the tool from the main menu:

1. Click the three dots for Settings and more in the top-right corner of Edge.
2. Select More tools, then click Read aloud. In some Edge versions the entry sits directly in the main menu, so look there first if you do not see it under More tools.
3. Check that the Read aloud toolbar appears below the address bar and the page starts being read.

Read selected text

You do not have to listen to the whole page. To hear only part of it, follow these steps:

1. Highlight the paragraphs you want with your mouse.
2. Start Read Aloud with the shortcut, the menu or the right-click option. Edge reads just the selected text.
3. Look below the address bar. A toolbar appears there, and you can use it to pause, resume, skip paragraphs, or close the feature at any time.

If Edge reads the whole page instead of your selection, close Read Aloud, select the text again, and right-click the highlighted text to start from there.

The Read aloud toolbar handles pausing, continuing, skipping between sections, and closing the utility. It also has a voice options button, which opens the settings for changing the narrator and the reading speed.

1. Click the voice options button on the toolbar.
2. Pick a narrator from the Voice list. Voices marked as natural sound the most human.
3. Move the speed slider to read faster or slower. The change takes effect right away, so you can adjust it while the page is being read.
4. Adjust the volume with your computer's volume control or the volume mixer. This does not change the other settings.

Your voice and speed choices are remembered the next time you use Read Aloud.

Conclusion:

• The "Read Aloud" feature in Microsoft Edge is a valuable tool for people with difficulty reading or who prefer audio content.
• This feature allows users to have web pages, PDFs, and eBooks read out loud with natural-sounding voices.
• Users can adjust the reading speed, voice, and volume, making it a customizable experience.
• Following the simple steps, users can easily start and close the "Read Aloud" feature in Microsoft Edge and read the selected text on web pages.
• The post also includes helpful images to guide users through the process, ensuring a seamless experience.
• Users can refer to the provided Microsoft.com link for further customization and additional features.