Overview
The Microsoft Immersive Reader is a free tool built into Word, OneNote, Outlook, Office Lens, Microsoft Teams, Forms, Flipgrid, Minecraft Education Edition, and the Edge browser. It offers an alternative way to engage with content, having been designed as a tool to enhance and focus reading and writing skills. It does not replicate and cannot replace the full features and functionality of a screen reader.
Immersive Reader has a Read Aloud function, a picture viewer for individual words, and user controls for such items as:
- Column width
- Page color
- Line focus
- Text Spacing
- Syllables
Immersive Reader supports multiple languages and also offers a translation feature, which can be used to translate individual words, or the entire document (it also works with the Read Aloud function).
Get Started
You access the Immersive Reader via different routes depending on the software you’re using. See below for instructions for where to find the Immersive Reader in common Middlebury platforms. If you are not finding the Immersive Reader when following these instructions, we recommend you first make sure you are updated to the current version of the software.
Note: If you are offline (not connected to the internet), you may not be able to access Immersive Reader. Microsoft has an Offline Extension you can download to allow access in that case.
The Immersive Reader icon is an image of a book with a audio/speaker symbol in front of it:
Immersive Reader in MS Word
On a Mac: Click the View menu and select Immersive Reader.
On a Windows device and/or for Middlebury’s Office 365 suite: Click the View menu and select Immersive Reader. If you do not see an option for Immersive Reader in your View menu, look for the Learning Tools option.
Immersive Reader in other Microsoft Products
Immersive Reader on Flipgrid
You can access Immersive Reader from multiple areas within Flipgrid. Look for the Immersive Reader icon on these pages:
- Topic prompt
- Video transcripts
- Discovery Library
- Text feedback
- Mixtapes
Immersive Reader on Canvas
Immersive Reader is available as a trial feature in Canvas. If you are interested in exploring Immersive Reader in Canvas, please contact DLINQ.
Note that Immersive Reader in Canvas only currently works with Canvas Pages (it is not available for assignments, quizzes, discussion boards, announcements, external tools, or any other areas of Canvas), so it’s use in Canvas is extremely limited at this time.
How do I use the Microsoft Immersive Reader when viewing a page as an instructor?
Need help?
For technical support for Microsoft Immersive Reader, search the ITS Knowledge Base or submit a help ticket here.
For pedagogical support for Microsoft Immersive Reader, schedule a consultation with a DLINQ team member.