How to Use Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge

Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge can read web pages out loud for you. It’s built in, easy to use, and works great whether you’re multitasking, want to give your eyes a break, or need help with accessibility. Here’s how to use it and make the most of its features.

Start Read Aloud on Any Web Page

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Navigate to a page with text—an article, blog post, or even a PDF.
3. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner.
4. Select Read aloud from the menu.

Edge will begin reading the page out loud from the top. A control bar appears at the top of the page.

Use the Read Aloud Controls

The control bar includes:

• Play/Pause: Start or stop the voice.
• Skip Back/Forward: Move to the previous or next paragraph.
• Voice Options: Change the voice and adjust the reading speed.

Click the gear icon to slow down or speed up the voice, or to choose from available voice types like Microsoft Aria or Guy.

Highlight and Start from a Specific Paragraph

If you don’t want to start at the top:

1. Scroll to the paragraph you want to hear.
2. Right-click anywhere in the text.
3. Select Read aloud from here.

Edge will begin reading from that spot.

Use Read Aloud in PDF Files

1. Open a PDF file in Edge.
2. Click the Read aloud icon in the toolbar at the top.
3. Edge will begin reading the text in the PDF, just like it does on web pages.

This is helpful for long documents, reports, or ebooks.

Change the Voice or Speed

1. While Read Aloud is active, click the Voice options button (a gear icon).
2. Use the dropdown to pick a different voice.
3. Adjust the Speed slider to make it faster or slower.

Some voices sound more natural than others, so try a few to find the one you like best.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Read Aloud

• Ctrl+Shift+U: Start or stop Read Aloud.
• Use the on-screen buttons for skip, play, or pause.

There’s no shortcut for changing voices—you’ll need to do that manually through the options.

Supported Content

Read Aloud works on:

• News sites and blogs
• Wikipedia pages
• PDFs
• Online textbooks and articles

It may not work well on pages with mostly images, complex layouts, or dynamic content (like Google Docs).

Use Read Aloud on iPhone or Android

1. Open the Edge app.
2. Navigate to the page you want to hear.
3. Tap the three-dot menu.
4. Tap Read Aloud.

The app will begin reading, and you’ll see simple playback controls at the bottom of the screen.

This works on most article-style pages and PDFs opened inside Edge.

Final Tip

Combine Read Aloud with Immersive Reader for a clutter-free reading and listening experience. Just click the book icon in the address bar (if available) to enter Immersive Reader, then start Read Aloud from there.

Did you find this article helpful? Let me know by dropping a comment below. If you have questions, ask them away.