How to Make Text in Microsoft Word Talk

Microsoft has added a feature to Microsoft Word 2010 that allows it to utilize a speech synthesizer to "speak" words aloud through your computer's sound card. Using this feature, those with eyesight problems can get a helping hand when creating documents, as the text-to-speech feature can read documents to you and make it immediately evident when you have made a typing error. Enable this feature if you need to make Word 2010 more accessible for yourself or someone else with difficulty seeing text.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Word 2010

Instructions

1. Launch Microsoft Word 2010. Click the blue "File" tab in the upper-left corner of the screen, and then click "Options."

2. Click "Quick Access Toolbar" on the left side of the menu.

3. Click the drop-down menu under "Choose commands from," and select "Commands Not in the Ribbon."

4. Click "Speak" in the column on the left side of the window, and then click the "Add" button.

5. Click "OK." You should now see a new button at the top of the window. When you hover the mouse over it, Word 2010 displays the words "Speak selected text."

6. Highlight the text that you would like Microsoft Word to speak by clicking and dragging with the mouse. Alternatively, press "Ctrl" and "A" simultaneously to highlight the entire document.

7. Click the "Speak selected text" button to have Word speak the text aloud. The synthesized voice can't be changed.