Read Aloud intermittently working for users on Monthly Enterprise Channel Version 2511 (Build 19426.20260) Status: Open

Question

I've found that users on the Monthly Enterprise Channel Version 2511 (Build 19426.20260) using the Read Aloud feature are having it stop in between sentences intermittently in O365 apps.

It's now super buggy and either works but then stops or just doesn't work at all.

It works seamlessly in Edge and on users in our business who are on the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Version 2508 (Build 19127.20484).

Is anyone else having the same issue?

Answer 1

Dear @AndyLee_551,
Thank you for sharing these details.

Based on further review, I can see that multiple users are reporting the same Read Aloud behavior on Microsoft 365 Apps Monthly Enterprise Channel, Version 2511 (Build 19426.20260). Since the issue does not occur in Microsoft Edge or on the Semi‑Annual Enterprise Channel, this suggests the behavior may be related to an interaction between Read Aloud and recent changes introduced in this specific Monthly Enterprise update.

At this time, there is no local configuration change that consistently resolves the issue. While we wait for a future update that may improve this behavior, as a temporary workaround, users can use Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge, where the feature continues to work reliably.

Additionally, I strongly encourage affected users to submit feedback directly from Word (Help > Feedback > Report a problem). This helps the product team review real‑world impact and prioritize improvements.

Thank you for your patience and for helping improve the experience by reporting this behavior.

Answer 2

Dear @AndyLee_551,
Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. Based on your description, I understand the Read Aloud feature in Microsoft Word starts reading but stops unexpectedly or becomes unresponsive for users on Microsoft 365 Apps Monthly Enterprise Channel (Version 2511, Build 19426.20260). At the same time, the same content reads correctly in Microsoft Edge, and users on Semi‑Annual Enterprise Channel (Version 2508, Build 19127.20484) do not experience this behavior.

To better understand the impact, could you please help confirm:

Does Read Aloud stop silently (no message), or do you see any notification or prompt when it stops?

When it stops, does clicking Play resume reading, or does it require restarting Read Aloud or Word?

Does the issue occur with long documents only, or also with short text / a few paragraphs?

Does it happen when reading selected text only, or when reading the entire document?

Are affected users signed in with the same Microsoft 365 tenant, or multiple tenants?

Does the behavior change if users sign out and sign back in to Word?

Are users using the same Windows version and language pack?

Does the issue persist after a full device restart, or only after Word has been open for some time?

Are users using headsets or external audio devices, or does it also occur with system speakers?

Your detailed response will help us diagnose and investigate the issue more efficiently.

I truly appreciate your patience and understanding. If I misunderstood what you’re looking for, feel free to let me know or share a screenshot. I’d be happy to help further!

I'm looking forward for your reply. Thank you for your cooperation.