Office Apps Crashing

Fix Word Read Aloud Stopping or Crashing in Certain Documents

Natalie Taylor Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where the Microsoft Word Read Aloud feature unexpectedly stops or crashes when reading specific parts of long documents.

How to Fix Word Read Aloud Stopping or Crashing

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Using the Read Aloud feature to listen to a long document that contains complex formatting elements like tables, fields, or section breaks.
Observed behavior: Read Aloud stops or crashes unexpectedly when moving between sections, scrolling, or reaching specific words in particular files, but functions correctly in other documents.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure you have saved a backup copy of your document and verify that your computer's audio drivers are functioning correctly with other applications.

Solution 1Recommended

Isolate Content and Fix Document Corruption

Identify the specific formatting elements causing the crash by transferring content into a fresh document.

Often, document-specific crashes during Read Aloud are triggered by hidden formatting corruption, complex nested tables, or broken section breaks. By copying the text into a new document in smaller chunks, you can isolate the exact paragraph causing the failure.

Switch to Print Layout

Open the problematic document, navigate to the View tab on the ribbon, and select Print Layout. Test if the Read Aloud feature works better in this standard view.

Copy a Section of Text

Highlight a small section of text leading up to where the crash usually occurs, right-click, and select Copy.

Paste into a New Document

Go to File > New to create a blank document, then paste the copied text into it.

Test Read Aloud

Go to the Review tab in the new document and click Read Aloud. If it reads successfully, repeat the process with the next chunk of text until you identify the table, field, or paragraph that triggers the crash.

Isolate Content and Fix Document Corruption

Manual Reformatting: Once you find the problematic section, you may need to type it out manually in the new document instead of pasting it, which leaves the corrupted formatting behind.

Solution 2

Update Word and Disable Add-ins

Ensure the software is up-to-date and that no third-party add-ins are interfering with the Read Aloud engine.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Use WPS Office to Read Your Documents Flawlessly

If Microsoft Word continues to crash while using Read Aloud, try WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight alternative offering highly compatible document processing and its own robust tools, ensuring you can review long documents without unexpected interruptions.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite on your computer.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the .docx file that was causing issues in Microsoft Word.
3. Review Your Text: Navigate through your document seamlessly utilizing WPS Writer's highly stable rendering engine.

Free to download and use with a lightweight installation package.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.docx, .doc).Stable document viewing and processing capabilities for long files.Familiar user interface for a seamless, zero-learning-curve transition.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word Read Aloud crash only on certain documents?

Crashing in specific files is usually caused by document-level corruption, complex nested tables, damaged section breaks, or unrecognized fields that the Text-to-Speech engine struggles to process.

Does the document view affect the Read Aloud feature?

Yes, Read Aloud can sometimes behave unpredictably in Web Layout or Draft view. Switching to Print Layout (View > Print Layout) often resolves playback interruptions.

Can a corrupted user profile cause Read Aloud to stop working?

While less common, a corrupted Windows user profile or outdated audio drivers can interfere with Text-to-Speech. However, if the issue happens exclusively in specific files, it is generally a formatting or document corruption problem.

How do I automatically repair a corrupted Word document?

You can try using the built-in repair feature by going to File > Open, browsing for the file, clicking the small arrow next to the Open button, and selecting 'Open and Repair'.

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