Edge Canary's Read Aloud tool now opens Copilot Vision instead of reading text — a surprising change that could frustrate accessibility-focused users

The Immersive Reader tool was introduced in 2020 when Microsoft made the switch to the new Chromium-based Edge web browser that we're still using today. Since then, it has largely remained the same, delivering a focused view akin to an ebook that's easier on the eyes.

Immersive Reader includes a Read Aloud function, which does exactly what its name suggests. As it stands now, you click the "Read aloud" button and a customizable voice begins reading what's on the page. It's an accessibility function that many can't live without, and I use it often when I want to "read" an article while my eyes are busy with something else.

In January, X user and regular Windows sleuth Leopeva64 noticed that Immersive Reader had been renamed to "Reading Mode" in context menus and the Edge tooltip in Edge Canary.

Now, as discovered once again by Leopeva64, Immersive Reader (now apparently named Reading Mode) has another change on the way. In the Edge Canary build — an unstable version of Edge used to test experimental features — clicking the "Read aloud" button in the redesigned, Copilot-infused toolbar no longer immediately begins the digital dictation as expected.

Instead, clicking "Read aloud" now launches Copilot Vision. In the demo video provided, a Copilot Vision overlay pops up at the bottom of the window and greets the user by name, as usual. From there, I suspect that you'll need to use voice commands in order to get Copilot Vision to read the content.

You can already use Copilot Vision on webpages within Edge via the Copilot sidebar. Testing it out this morning, it's largely a lesson in frustration. Attempting to get Copilot Vision to read an article word-for-word is seemingly impossible; it'd much rather give you a synopsis.

Employing Copilot Vision manually on an article loaded into the Immersive Reader feature in my public Edge release results in an error. Copilot says the page isn't supported or can't read it due to security issues.

Proper Copilot Vision integration that actually works with the renamed Reader Mode is assumedly on the way if these changes have been made in the Canary build, but you never know these days.

Whereas most of the Copilot- and AI-focused changes to Edge haven't really annoyed me too much, this one just seems unnecessary. I had no issues with the Read Aloud tool that's still available in public Edge releases, and the fact that I may now have to launch Copilot to use it is certainly irksome.

This week, I wrote about how Mozilla is adding a one-stop AI kill switch to its Firefox browser in the next update, and how I yearn for something similar in Edge. You can absolutely disable most AI features in Edge, but they're spread out over several Settings locations that aren't always easy to find.

Are you a fan of this experimental change to Edge Canary? Hope it will arrive in public channels? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments section!

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