How to Fix Read Aloud Isn't Available in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word's Read Aloud feature allows you to free your hands or help when you have difficulties reading the screen. But sometimes you may receive an error message: "The read feature is not available because some factors prevent it from starting". This article will help you diagnose and resolve this issue.

The "Read aloud" function can read all or part of the document, making it easier to proofread or multi-task processing. You can use it in the Immersive Reader (another tool for listening to Word documents) or alone.

How to solve the unavailable "read" function in Word

This error may be caused by a corrupt add-in, outdated Microsoft Office, or missing language packs. The following methods can help you solve this problem:

Method 1: Run Microsoft Word in Safe Mode

1. Press Win R to open the Run window.
2. Enter winword.exe /safe and press Enter .

Word will boot in safe mode, disabling all third-party add-ins. Check whether the "Read" function is working properly. If it works, try the next step to remove the problematic add-in.

Method 2: Remove the corrupted add-on

1. Open Word documents in a regular way.
2. Click the File button in the upper left corner.
3. Select the option and switch to the Add-in tab in the menu on the left.
4. Select the COM add-in and click Go .
5. Uncheck all add-ins and press OK to save changes.

6. Reopen Word and enable add-ins one by one to find out the problematic add-ins.

Disabling or removing add-ins can fix the problem that the Reading feature in Word does not work.

Method 3: Update Microsoft Word

1. Open Microsoft Word normally.
2. Select a file from the top toolbar.
3. Select an account and click Update options in the right pane.
4. Select Update Now .

After the update is complete, check if the problem has been resolved.

Method 4: Reset Microsoft Word

Before performing the following steps, back up the registry keys to avoid problems with the computer due to incorrect deletion.

1. Press Win R to open the Run window.
2. Enter regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Office > 1x.0 > Word . (x represents the version of Microsoft Word.)

4. Right-click on the Word key and select Delete from the context menu. Then restart the computer to apply the changes completely.

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How to use the Reading feature in Word

The Read Aloud feature is only available for Microsoft 365, Office 2019, and Office 2021. If you are using one of these versions, follow the following guide to use the Read Aloud feature:

Switch to the Review tab on the toolbar to find Read aloud. Then click the corresponding button to play, pause, stop, or switch to another section.

You can also change the Read Aloud settings using the keyboard:

• Ctrl Alt Spacebar : Start reading aloud.
• Ctrl Spacebar : Play or pause reading.
• Ctrl Left Arrow Key : Jump to the beginning of the current paragraph.
• Ctrl Right arrow key : Jump to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Summarize

You may encounter various problems when using a computer. If you receive an error message that "The read feature is not available because some factors prevent it from starting" you can try the above method to resolve it.

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