Fix Microsoft Word Read Aloud Not Playing Through Bluetooth Headphones
Question details
The user needs Microsoft Word's Read Aloud audio to route through connected Bluetooth headphones rather than the computer's built-in speakers.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Using the Read Aloud accessibility feature in Microsoft Word while Bluetooth headphones are connected.
- Observed behavior
- Audio from Word's Read Aloud feature plays through the computer speakers, even though other applications successfully output sound through the Bluetooth headphones.
Ensure your Bluetooth headphones are fully charged, properly paired to your Windows PC, and confirmed to be working with other applications before modifying advanced audio settings.
Adjust App-Specific Sound Settings in Windows Volume Mixer
Use the Windows Advanced Sound Options to manually assign Microsoft Word's audio output to your Bluetooth headphones instead of the computer speakers.
Windows allows you to set specific audio inputs and outputs for individual applications. If Word was previously assigned to the speakers or is stuck on a generic default profile, it will ignore your primary system audio device. Adjusting the Volume Mixer resolves this conflict.
Click on the Windows Start menu, select the gear icon to open Settings, and navigate to System > Sound.
Scroll down the Sound settings page to the 'Advanced sound options' section and click on 'App volume and device preferences' (or 'Volume mixer' in Windows 11).
Locate 'Microsoft Word' in the list of active apps. Click the Output device dropdown next to it and change the selection from 'Default' to your connected Bluetooth headphones.
If the headphones still do not output sound, click the 'Reset to Microsoft recommended defaults' button at the bottom or top of the Volume Mixer page, then select your headphones again.
Use WPS Writer's Text-to-Speech Feature
If you continue experiencing complex audio routing bugs in Microsoft Word, switch to WPS Office. It provides a highly compatible and easy-to-use Text-to-Speech tool that natively respects your system's default audio devices.
- 1. Open Your Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file.
- 2. Select the Text: Highlight the specific text you want to be read aloud, or place your cursor at the beginning of the document.
- 3. Activate Text to Speech: Navigate to the 'View' tab on the top ribbon menu and click on the 'Text to Speech' button.
- 4. Listen and Adjust: The document will instantly play through your active default audio device (like your Bluetooth headphones). You can use the on-screen toolbar to pause, stop, or change the voice speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word play through speakers when my Bluetooth headphones are set as the system default?
Windows 10 and 11 allow individual applications to be assigned distinct audio output devices in the App Volume Mixer. If Word was previously assigned specifically to your speakers, it overrides the overall system default device until manually changed.
Will I need to configure the Windows Volume Mixer every time I connect my headphones?
No. Once you assign Microsoft Word's output device to your specific Bluetooth headphones in the Volume Mixer, Windows remembers this preference. When the headphones disconnect, audio automatically routes back to your available speakers.
Why doesn't Microsoft Word show up in the Windows Volume Mixer?
Applications only appear in the Windows Volume Mixer while they are actively playing or requesting audio. You must start the Read Aloud feature in Word first, and then open the Volume Mixer to see Word listed and adjust its output.
