“Copilot’s Read Aloud” is a super handy accessibility feature that allows you to listen to your favorite articles. For times when you wish to give some rest to your beloved eyes while dealing with long articles, it comes into play. While this accessibility tool works reliably, there are times when it goes for a full toss and starts misbehaving.
At times, it doesn’t play audio. At other times, it simply refuses to activate inside apps and browsers. To help you fix the problem, I’ve jotted down the 8 best tips and tricks to fix Copilot Read Aloud not working in Windows 11. Keep reading to…
How to Fix Copilot Read Aloud Not Working in Windows 11 Like a Pro
So, what causes this Copilot issue to crop up? Well, it typically arises due to factors like incorrect system settings, audio device conflicts, outdated apps, or disabled accessibility permissions. In this guide, I’m going to address all these loopholes to bring the generative AI back on track.
1. Check If Your PC’s Sound Output Is Muted or Misconfigured
It’s worth pointing out that the Read Aloud feature won’t work if your audio output device is muted or set incorrectly. Therefore, make sure to check if your PC’s sound output is muted or misconfigured, as it may be spoiling your game.
- Just open the Quick Settings panel and ensure your speakers or headphones are selected as the active output device.
- Now, increase the volume level manually so Copilot can play audio without being blocked by low output settings.
2. Restart Windows Audio Services
If system audio services crash or fail, Read Aloud will not produce any sound.
- To get going, press Windows + R to launch the Run dialog > type services.msc, and restart Windows Audio, Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, and Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
- Restarting these services allows you to refresh the core audio engine responsible for text-to-speech playback.
3. Enable Read Aloud Voice Settings in Windows
Note that Copilot uses Windows’ built-in TTS (Text-to-Speech) voices. If these are disabled or corrupted, the feature won’t be able to activate.
- On your PC, head over to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Narrator’s voice and make sure a valid voice is selected.
- Now, download a new voice pack if needed to restore missing TTS components on your PC.
4. Update Copilot and Microsoft Edge
It’s also important to mention that Copilot currently runs inside Edge for many users, and outdated versions can break audio features.
- To begin, launch the Microsoft Edge app and go to the Menu button (triple-dot icon) > Help & Feedback > About Microsoft Edge, and install available updates.
- Keep in mind that updated builds contain performance fixes and new speech APIs required for Read Aloud.
5. Reset Edge Browser Settings
Be warned that misconfigured browser extensions, corrupted cache, or custom flags may prevent Read Aloud from working.
- On your PC, launch Microsoft Edge > Menu button at the top right > choose Settings > Reset Settings.
- Click Restore settings to their default values and confirm.
- This resets all internal browser components without deleting your saved data and restores Read Aloud functionality.
6. Check App Permissions for Microphone and Audio
Some apps deny audio playback permissions, which may indirectly block Read Aloud in Copilot.
- Navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > App permissions > Microphone and Audio.
- After that, ensure system apps, browsers, and Copilot have the required permissions to play sound.
7. Update Windows 11 to the Latest Version
Read Aloud takes advantage of Windows speech services to work efficiently. As a result, it may malfunction due to outdated system builds.
- Fire up the Settings app > Windows Update and install pending updates.
- New updates include patches for TTS, Edge integration, and Copilot features.
8. Repair or Reset Copilot (If Installed as an App)
Still unable to resolve this issue? Should the issue persist, try repairing or resetting Copilot on your PC. If you are using the standalone Copilot app and its files are corrupted, Read Aloud may crash silently.
- Head into the Settings app > Apps > Installed apps.
- Then, find Copilot > hit the triple-dot icon next to the app > Advanced options.
- Choose Repair first to fix missing files, and use Reset only if repairing doesn’t restore the feature.
Wrapping up..!
And that’s about it! Copilot’s useful Read Aloud feature relies on several system components, including Windows audio services, speech engines, and browser integrations. When any of these fail, the feature may stop responding or produce no sound at all. By applying the solutions above, you can systematically fix audio conflicts, restore required speech settings, repair browser files, and update the system to ensure full compatibility.
