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How to use Read aloud in Microsoft Edge

4 minute read · updated October 28, 2026

4 sources: 1 peer-reviewed research, 3 product documentation

In Microsoft Edge, select More (the three dots) > More tools > Read aloud, or press F9 to open Reading mode and choose Read aloud on its toolbar. Use Voice options on the toolbar to change the voice and speed, and select Pause or the X to stop.

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Read aloud makes Edge speak the text of a web page while you follow along. Microsoft describes it as a tool that reads the page with natural sounding voices, with controls for playback and speed.[1] It works well for long articles, instructions you want to hear before doing them, and pages you would rather listen to than read.

The quickest way: the More menu

Read the current page aloud

  1. Open the page in Microsoft Edge.
  2. Select More (the three dots) at the top right, then More tools > Read aloud.[1]
  3. Use the toolbar at the top of the page to play, skip to the next or previous paragraph, or open Voice options.
  4. In Voice options, change the voice, and slow down or speed up the reading pace.[1]
  5. Select Pause, or the X, to stop listening.

Read aloud inside Reading mode

Reading mode hides pop-ups and buttons and leaves the text and images, which means Read aloud has less clutter to read around.[1] If you do not see its icon in the address bar, you may need to switch it on first.

Turn on Reading mode and listen

  1. Select More > Settings > Appearance > Toolbar and turn on Reading mode.[1]
  2. On a supported page, select Reading mode in the address bar, or press F9.
  3. Select Read aloud on the Reading mode toolbar.
  4. For part of a page only, select the text, right-click, and choose Open selection in Reading mode.[1]

Settings worth trying

In Reading mode, select the Settings icon on the toolbar and choose Appearance settings. Microsoft lists Font, Font size, Column width (narrow to wide) and Theme.[1] A narrower column gives shorter lines, so it is worth trying two or three widths to see which you prefer.

If your Edge still shows Immersive Reader, look for Text preferences, which has Text size, Text spacing (more space between lines), Text column style and Page themes. Reading preferences has Line focus, which shows one, three or five lines at a time, plus Picture dictionary and Translate.[2] You can move the Line focus strip with the up and down arrow keys.[2]

Troubleshooting

  • No Reading mode icon in the address bar. The page may not be supported. Select some text, right-click, and open the selection in Reading mode (or Immersive Reader) instead.[1][2]
  • Edge asks for your microphone. Microsoft says Read aloud now includes Copilot so you can ask questions about the page by voice, and that this interactive part needs the microphone turned on.[1]
  • The voice or language you want is missing. Microsoft says extra text-to-speech languages and voices can be downloaded for Read aloud in Edge: in Windows, open Language & region settings, select Add a language, and look for the text-to-speech icon next to a language.[4]
  • Text is read in the wrong language. Try Translate in the Reading mode toolbar, which offers more than 70 languages.[1]

Quick answers

What is the keyboard shortcut for Read aloud in Edge?

Microsoft lists F9 to open Reading mode on supported pages, where you then choose Read aloud.[1]

Can Edge read only part of a page?

Yes. Select the text, right-click, and choose Open selection in Reading mode, then select Read aloud.[1]

How do I change the Read aloud voice in Edge?

Start Read aloud, then open Voice options on the toolbar to choose a different voice and change the speed.[1]

Review status

Source-checked, not expert-reviewed

Drafted with AI assistance. Each factual claim was checked against the source it links to on 2026-10-28. No clinician, psychologist or dyslexia specialist has reviewed this page. See the claims register.

Sources

  1. [1]Use Reading mode in Microsoft Edge. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  2. [2]Use Immersive Reader and reading mode in Microsoft Edge. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation
  3. [3]The effect of coloured overlays and lenses on reading: a systematic review of the literature. Griffiths PG, Taylor RH, Henderson LM, Barrett BT. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 36(5):519-544. doi:10.1111/opo.12316, 2016. Accessed 2026-10-28. Peer-reviewed research
  4. [4]Download languages and voices for Immersive Reader, Read Mode, and Read Aloud. Microsoft Support. Accessed 2026-10-28. Product documentation

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