Immersive Reader not working in OneNote [Fix]

If Immersive Reader is not working in OneNote on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, then this article is for you. The issue occurs when you click the Immersive Reader button under the View tab on OneNote and the window grays out, nothing happens at all, or you get an error indicating that the feature could not work and that you need to restart the app. Sometimes, OneNote only shows an ending loading icon with no progress.

The Immersive Reader is a Microsoft feature for its features, including OneNote for Windows 11 and Windows 10. The feature comes in handy for people who have learning disabilities or any users who enjoy reading out loud their notes.

Why is my OneNote Immersive Reader not working?

There are various possible causes for Immerse Reader not working in OneNote. For instance, an outdated OneNote app can trigger the Immerse Reader not to work properly. Other causes of the issue are device volume being disabled or not working, internet issues, unsupported language, or unsupported text or file format. Also, if your PC doesn’t meet the required specifications to run the latest OneNote version, the Immersive Reader will not work.

Fix Immersive Reader not working in OneNote

If the Immerse Reader is not working on your PC, it grays out when you click the button, it becomes unresponsive, or an error pops up for the feature failure, try the following solutions to fix the issue successfully:

Check if your PC volume is working
Confirm your language is supported
Check if the listening devices are working
Update OneNote
Delete OneNote cached files
Reset, uninstall, or repair OneNote

Let us now look at these solutions one by one in detail.

1] Check if your PC volume is working

If the Immerse Reader has issues or the app has highlighted the word but has no sound, Microsoft advises users to check their volume levels. If this is your case, exit OneNte Immersive Reader and then add volume on your PC or in listening devices like headphones, Bluetooth speakers, etc. Then, reopen the Immersive Reader and click Play to see if you can now listen to your audio notebook.

2] Confirm your language is supported

The Immersive Reader cannot support all languages, and it’s good to first counter-check if the language in your notes is one of them. To do this, follow the steps below:

On your OneNote app, go to File and select Options.
Locate and click on the Language option.
Check if the language in your notes is supported by OneNote or the Immersive Reader feature.
If the language is supported, you can follow the on-screen directions to install the language.

3] Check if the listening devices are turned on and working

External listening devices connected to your PC might sometimes be turned off or not connected well. Ensure your headphones or speakers are tuned in and working. There could be an issue with the wireless connection, which prevents smooth communication between Bluetooth speakers and your systems. You can go to the Sound Control Panel and ensure that the device is checked with a green mark. If not, right-click it and select Enable.

4] Update OneNote

An outdated OneNote app can have bugs, file issues, etc., which can cause Immersive Reader not to work well. To resolve this, update the app. Open OneNote and go to File > Account > Product Information > Update Options. Wait for the app to look for updates and install them on your PC.

5] Delete OneNote cached files

OneNote data files could be corrupted, incomplete, or outdated, and this can cause the Immersive Reader not to read your notes aloud. Clearing these files can fix the problem. Follow the steps below:

First, close the Windows OneNote app before you set off the process.
Press the Windows button + E on your keyboard to open File Explorer.
Go to the following file path:
```
C:\users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote\16.0
```
Ensure you replace USERNAME with the actual user name and version value at the end with the exact OneNote version on your computer.
Next, right-click on the folder and select Delete from the list of options.

Alternatively, you can put the following command in the Run dialog box and press enter to open the OneNote data file folder:

%localappdata%\microsoft\OneNote

Reopen OneNote and try to run the Immersive Reader. The app will reinstall the deleted files automatically once you launch it.

6] Reset, uninstall, or repair OneNote

OneNote could have incomplete installation files, incompatibility issues, temporary hitches, etc. that trigger Immersive Reader not to work. To fix this, repair and reset OneNote by following the steps below:

Open your Windows Settings app and click Apps.
Select Apps & Features and locate the OneNote app from the list.
Click on Advanced options or the three dots next to OneNote.
Click Repair to fix the app without losing its data.
If repairing doesn’t resolve the issue, you can select the Reset or Uninstall option.
You can redownload OneNote from the Microsoft Store or from the official website.

We hope one of the solutions works for you.

Read: How to uninstall Immersive Reader in Windows

Is Immersive Reader available in OneNote?

Immersive Reader is available and working in OneNote. It is also available in Word, Teams, Edge, and Outlook. This feature helps users listen to the text or notes in these apps. If Immersive Reader is not working, you might be using an incompatible version, or your mics or volume are not working. You can fix the issue using the solutions in this article.