Can You Use an Ivona Voice in Word Immersive Reader?
Question details
The user wants to know how to enable and use a third-party Ivona text-to-speech voice within the Immersive Reader feature of Microsoft Word.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to customize the voice for reading documents aloud in Word using a previously installed Ivona voice package.
- Observed behavior
- The installed Ivona voice works perfectly in Windows Narrator but does not appear in the voice selection dropdown menu within Word's Immersive Reader.
Verify that your Ivona voice packages are correctly installed on your system and functioning with standard Windows features like Windows Narrator before troubleshooting Office applications.
Use Windows Narrator as an Alternative to Immersive Reader
Since Immersive Reader does not officially support third-party voices, using Windows Narrator allows you to read Word documents with your preferred Ivona voice.
Microsoft Word's Immersive Reader is currently restricted to using built-in Microsoft voices and does not natively integrate with third-party text-to-speech engines like Ivona.
However, because the Ivona voice integrates with standard Windows accessibility features, you can bypass Word's limitation by utilizing Windows Narrator to read your document.
Press the Windows key, type 'Narrator', and open the Narrator app settings from the search results.
In the 'Personalize Narrator's voice' section, open the voice dropdown menu and select your installed Ivona voice.
Open your document in Microsoft Word and use Narrator keyboard shortcuts (such as Caps Lock + Down Arrow) to begin reading the text with the Ivona voice.
Contact Harpo Support for Integration Guidance
Reach out to the provider of the Ivona voice for any custom installation procedures or patches that might enable compatibility with Office apps.
Experience Seamless Document Management with WPS Office
If you are frustrated by the rigid limitations of Microsoft Word's settings, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative with extensive document viewing and editing capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Immersive Reader only show a few voices?
Immersive Reader is designed to use the default native voices provided by Microsoft and the installed Windows language packs. It does not automatically import external, third-party text-to-speech engines like Ivona.
Can I add new native voices to Microsoft Word?
Yes, you can add new native voices by navigating to Windows Settings > Time & Language > Speech, and adding a new speech voice package. These official Microsoft voices will usually appear in Word after you restart the application.
Is there a way to force Word to recognize third-party voices?
Currently, there is no official procedure or built-in setting within Microsoft Word to force Immersive Reader to recognize third-party voices. You must rely on system-wide screen reading tools like Windows Narrator as a workaround.
