OneDrive Lets You Hear Your Files On-The-Go

Key insights

• Copilot in OneDrive now lets users generate audio overviews of Word documents, PDFs, and Teams meeting transcripts, making it easy to listen to your files like a podcast.


• The feature offers two listening styles: Summary Style, which provides a clear, professional summary with one narrator, and Podcast Style, which uses a casual two-person conversation for a more engaging experience.


• A floating, draggable audio player allows you to listen while multitasking or on the move, improving productivity and accessibility for users who prefer audio content or have visual impairments.


• This update uses advanced AI-powered text-to-speech technology from Copilot to summarize and adapt tone based on the chosen style, creating natural and dynamic audio playback directly within OneDrive.


• The feature is fully integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem—including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Copilot Notebooks—enabling seamless access across popular productivity tools.


• User customization options are expanding soon to let you tailor audio length and speaker voices. The rollout started for commercial users in May 2025, with plans for wider availability in upcoming months.

Microsoft OneDrive’s New Audio Overview Feature: A Closer Look

Microsoft has unveiled a significant update to OneDrive, introducing the ability for users to listen to their files much like a podcast. This new feature, powered by the latest Copilot in OneDrive update, allows users to generate audio overviews of Word documents, PDF files, and Teams meeting transcripts. The update aims to make content consumption more accessible and engaging, especially for those who prefer audio formats or need to multitask.

According to Ami Diamond, an expert in Microsoft technologies, this advancement is part of a broader effort to reimagine productivity in an increasingly digital and mobile world. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Microsoft is transforming how users interact with their documents, moving beyond traditional reading to immersive listening experiences.

How the Audio Overview Works

The core function of this feature is the AI-driven creation of audio summaries. When users open a supported file in OneDrive, they can simply click the Copilot button and select “Generate Audio Overview.” From there, they are offered a choice between two distinct listening styles: Summary Style and Podcast Style.

Summary Style delivers a concise narration, focusing on the key points in a professional tone. In contrast, Podcast Style utilizes a two-person dialogue format, making the experience feel more conversational and dynamic. The floating, draggable audio player ensures that listeners can continue working on other tasks while absorbing document content hands-free.

Benefits and Tradeoffs for Users

One of the primary advantages of this technology is its support for multitasking and improved accessibility. Users who have visual impairments or simply prefer to listen rather than read can now engage with important information in new ways. Furthermore, the dual-mode listening approach caters to both those who want quick summaries and those who appreciate a more relaxed, conversational recap.

However, there are tradeoffs to consider. While the AI-generated summaries are efficient, they may not always capture the full nuance or depth of the original documents. Some users might find that the conversational Podcast Style, though engaging, adds informal commentary that could detract from the seriousness of certain business content. Balancing brevity, accuracy, and engagement remains a challenge as Microsoft refines this technology.

Technology Behind the Scenes

The feature relies on advanced text-to-speech capabilities and Copilot’s natural language processing to transform written content into audio. The system not only reads documents but also interprets and emphasizes key points, adapting the tone based on the selected style. This contextual awareness is a step above basic text-to-speech tools, offering a more tailored and human-like listening experience.

Initially, the rollout targets commercial users of OneDrive, with plans to expand to other Microsoft 365 applications like Outlook and Teams by June 2025. This seamless integration into the Microsoft ecosystem ensures that users can access the feature across various productivity tools without additional setup.

Challenges and Future Possibilities

While the innovation sets a new standard for document engagement, challenges persist. Ensuring the AI’s accuracy in summarizing complex documents and maintaining the privacy of sensitive information are ongoing concerns. Additionally, user control over audio length and speaker customization is still developing, which could impact how broadly the feature is adopted.

Looking forward, Microsoft’s commitment to expanding customization options—such as adjusting the number of speakers or the depth of summaries—promises to further enhance user agency. As organizations increasingly rely on digital collaboration, features like audio overviews may redefine how knowledge is shared and retained in the workplace.

Conclusion: A New Era for Content Consumption

In summary, Microsoft’s “Listen to Your Files Like a Podcast” update marks a significant leap in productivity and accessibility within the Microsoft 365 suite. By blending AI-powered narration with flexible listening options, OneDrive is helping users consume information on their own terms. As this feature continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it shapes the future of workplace communication and digital content engagement.

With the rollout beginning in May 2025, users can look forward to a more personalized and engaging way to interact with their files—whether they are catching up on meeting notes or reviewing critical documents on the go.

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