How to Use Text to Speech in Outlook Easily? (Quick Guide)
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Summary: Fed up with looking at your mailbox endlessly? Find out how Outlook’s Text-to-Speech function permits you to listen to your emails at the touch of a button. The article shows you how to use text to speech in Outlook, the way to work with Read Aloud, enables you to adjust voices, and improves your work efficiency. So, start saving your time and using your eyes less in no time – begin to listen to your email messages instead of reading them!
Notable Reasons to Use Text to Speech in Outlook
- Process emails while working on something else, making your time at work much more productive.
- Give your eyes a break from reading emails all the time and grant them some time off, especially during prolonged work periods.
- Listen to drafts read aloud in real time and get rid of strange phrases, misspellings, and different grammatical mistakes.
- Provide visually impaired people with better written communication by making verbal communication.
- Stay updated on vital information while you are on the go, going down the street or doing something.
- Set up speed of playbacks and the type of voice according to your preferences.
How to Use Text to Speech in Outlook? (Step-by-Step)
- Open your email: Start Outlook and locate the email message you want to read by clicking on it and opening the content in the reading panel.
- Home tab: Click the Home option in the top menu bar.
- The Read Aloud icon: Search for and click the icon of a loudspeaker (the Read Aloud button) in the toolbar.
- Make use of the floating toolbar: After being activated, along with audio playback output, the small floating playback console would pop up on your device’s screen which will allow you to Play/Pause, Rewind/Forward to another paragraph or stop the narration.
- Change speech settings: Click on the Settings gear symbol to make changes in the reading speed through the sliding tool available or choose a different narrator from among those who are on the list.
Note: You can also press the Ctrl + Alt + Space keys of your keyboard in order to activate or deactivate the Read Aloud function in Outlook. If there is an issue with the application systems that prevent the launch, even after using this option, you may refer to our instructions in this article: Fix Outlook is Having Trouble Starting
Top Benefits of Using Text to Speech in Outlook
- Listen to emails without using your hands and do other physical jobs while gaining more efficiency in your day.
- Let your eyes get a breather from long hours of looking at screens while doing some extensive administrative tasks.
- Detect awkward expressions, typing errors, and grammar mistakes at once by listening to hearing your own documents read.
- Make written communication accessible to anyone with visual handicap or reading difficulties.
- Stay on track with important notifications, even when you are on the go, doing some errands, exercise, or on your commute.
- Customize a listening experience by changing speed of the text and voice of the speaker according to your personal preferences.
- Decrease mental fatigue by switching between visual reading and listening throughout the day.
Wrap Up!
Acquiring the skills of using the text-to-speech capability in Outlook proved to be a simple but efficient approach of managing one’s inbox on daily basis. Using tools such as Read Aloud in the process enables one to do various things at the same time, save one’s eyes from fatigue, and check his/her drafts efficiently. Audio functionality provides one with the possibility of listening to the letters while traveling or giving a break to one’s tired eyes. All it takes is a little effort to set these shortcuts in your everyday tasks, and then you can enjoy comfortable work. Want your eyes to have a break?
Commonly Asked Queries
Q: What is the procedure for enabling text-to-speech in Outlook?
To listen to a selected text or message, just select the message or text to read and click on the Read Aloud option in the Home tab.
Q: Is there a keyboard command that I can use for active text-to-speech on Outlook?
Yes, you have the option to activate text-to-speech using the keyboard commands Ctrl + Alt + Space.
Q: What is the procedure for modifying the voice and speed of text-to-speech on Outlook?
You can simply click the gear icon on the Read Aloud pop-up toolbar to modify the voice speed and choose the voice.
Q: What should I do if I do not see the Read Aloud feature on my Outlook menu?
In case you do not find this feature, you can always make changes in Quick Access Toolbar to add it, or you can check for the updates of Microsoft Office.
Q: Will Outlook allow me to track the words being read using the text-to-speech function?
Yes, you can track each and every word and line in real-time as it gets outputted in speech in Outlook for an easy readability.
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