A apparatus and process for reading data from non-volatile storage includes applying a read compare signal to a selected data memory cell of a NAND string, applying a first set of one or more read pass voltages to unselected data memory cells at both ends of the NAND string and applying a second set of one or more read pass voltages to unselected data memory cells between both ends of the NAND string and on both sides of the selected data memory cell. The second set of one or more read pass voltages are all higher than the first set of one or more read pass voltages.