Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Teams

In this topic

• Install, open, and sign in to Microsoft Teams

• Join an existing public team

• Change your status

• Find and read new messages in a channel

• Post messages to channels

• Edit messages

• Delete messages

• Enable notifications for a conversation

• Use the Search field commands

• Check if you're a team owner or member

• Sign out of Microsoft Teams

Install, open, and sign in to Microsoft Teams

Join an existing public team

1. In Microsoft Teams, press Command+3 to access the Teams view.

2. Press the Tab key to move to Join or create a team, and press Return.

3. Press the Right arrow key to navigate through the available teams. When you hear the team you want to join, press Return.

   You're added to the team, and the team is added to your list of teams on the Teams view.

Change your status

1. In Microsoft Teams, press Command+E to go to the Search field.

2. Type one of the following commands:

   • To set your status to available, type /available and press Return.

   • To set your status to away, type /away and press Return.

   • To set your status to busy, type /busy and press Return.

   • To set your status to do not disturb, type /dnd and press Return.

   • To set your status to appear offline, type /offline and press Return. When appearing offline, you still receive notifications if anyone messages you, but you are able to work in Microsoft Teams while appearing invisible to others.

Find and read new messages in a channel

1. In Microsoft Teams, to access the latest messages, press Command+1. The Activity view opens.

2. Press the Tab key until VoiceOver reads the latest message in your feed. To hear the previous message, press the Up arrow key. To go back to the next message, press the Down arrow key.

Post messages to channels

1. On the Posts tab, press C. The focus moves to the message compose box.

   Tips: 

   • To expand the compose box and access more editing options, press Command+Shift+X.

   • The box is automatically collapsed when the message is sent, but you can also press Command+Shift+X again to collapse it.

2. Type your message.

   Tips: 

   • You can add attachments or even emoji, stickers, or memes to your message. To navigate to the emoji and stickers menus, press the Tab key once, and then press the Right arrow key until you hear the menu you want to open. Press Return to open the menu, and type what you want to search for, or press the Tab key to go straight to the gallery. To navigate the options in the gallery, use the Right or Left arrow keys. To select, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

   • To make sure team members see the message, you can press Command+Shift+I in the compose box to mark the message as important. You hear: "Block quote style removed." Important messages are labeled Important! in the channel, and appear as notifications in the Activity Feed for team members.

3. To send the message, press Command+Return.

   Tip: When the compose box is not expanded, you can send a message by just pressing Return.

For more information on how to write group and private messages and attach files, images, emoticons, stickers, and memes, refer to Use a screen reader to chat in Microsoft Teams.

Edit messages

You can edit messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to edit, and press Return.

2. Press Return again to open the message menu. You hear: "Like."

3. Press the Tab key once. You hear: "More options." Press Return to select.

4. Press the Control+Option+Right arrow key until you reach the Edit button, and press Control+Option+Spacebar.

5. You can now edit your message text or add emojis or attachments, for example. Once you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "Send button, Done," and press Return.

6. To return the focus to the message, press Esc.

Delete messages

You can delete messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to delete, and press Return.

2. Press Return again to open the message menu. You hear: "Like."

3. Press the Tab key once. You hear: "More options." Press Return to select.

4. Press the Control+Option+Right arrow key until you reach the Delete button, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to delete the message.

Enable notifications for a conversation

When notifications are enabled for a conversation, replies to the conversation will appear in the Activity Feed. Notifications are automatically enabled for conversations that you have started or replied to.

1. Go to the first message in the conversation you want to enable notifications for, and press Return. You hear: "Like, menu item."

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "More options," and press Return to select.

3. To enable notifications, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Turn on notifications," and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

Use the Search field commands

In Microsoft Teams you can use the Search field to quickly do things by entering commands.

1. To go to the Search field, press Command+E.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Type / to open the list of available commands. Navigate the list using the Up and Down arrow keys until you hear the command you want and press Enter to select it.

   • If you know the command you want to use, type the command in the Search field, such as /dnd for setting your status to do not disturb, and then press Enter.

Check if you're a team owner or member

1. In Microsoft Teams, press Command+3 to go to the Teams view.

2. Press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to enter the list pane.

3. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the team you want, and then press Spacebar.

4. Press the Down arrow key once to move to the Manage team option, and press Return.

5. Press the Tab key and type your name.

6. Press the Tab key until you hear the Name header, and then press the Down arrow key. VoiceOver reads your information, including your role in the team.

Sign out of Microsoft Teams

1. In Microsoft Teams, press Command+E to go to the Search field. Press the Tab key once, and then press Return.

2. The menu opens. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the sign out option, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to sign out.

See also

Use a screen reader to create and modify teams in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to search for a conversation, person, or file in Microsoft Teams

Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams

Video: What is Microsoft Teams?

In this topic

• Install and open Microsoft Teams for the first time 

• Sign in to Microsoft Teams

• Find and read new messages in a channel

• Post messages to channels

• Edit messages

• Delete messages

• Change your availability status

• Sign out of Microsoft Teams

Install and open Microsoft Teams for the first time 

1. If not already installed on your phone, download and install the Microsoft Teams app from App Store.

2. On your phone, navigate to the home screen where the app is, swipe right until you hear VoiceOver announce it, and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Account field, text field, Sign-in address," and double-tap the screen.

4. Use the on-screen keyboard to type the email address you want to sign in with. When done, swipe right until you hear "Go," and double-tap the screen.

5. You hear "Sign in, Cancel, button," and your organization's sign-in page opens. Swipe right until you hear "Password," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your password. When done, swipe right until you hear "Go," and double-tap the screen.

6. The app asks for your permission to use the microphone for calls. To allow, swipe right until you hear "OK, button," and double-tap the screen.

   Microsoft Teams opens on the Activity view.

Sign in to Microsoft Teams

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app on your phone.

2. Swipe right until you hear "Account field, Sign-in address," and double-tap the screen.

3. Use the on-screen keyboard to type the email address you want to sign in with. When done, swipe right until you hear "Go," and double-tap the screen.

4. You hear "Sign in. Cancel, button," and your organization's sign-in page opens. Swipe right until you hear "Password," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your password. When done, swipe right until you hear "Go," and double-tap the screen.

   Microsoft Teams opens on the Activity view.

Find and read new messages in a channel

1. In Microsoft Teams, to move the focus to the app bar, tap the screen with four fingers near the bottom of the screen. You hear: "More tab."

2. Swipe left until you hear "Activity," followed by the number of unread items, if any. Double-tap the screen. The Activity view opens.

3. To move the focus to the top of the screen, tap the screen with four fingers near the top of the screen.

4. To browse to the activity feed, swipe right. VoiceOver announces the latest activity as you move.

5. To open a conversation, when on the message you want, double-tap the screen. To read a new message, swipe right until VoiceOver reads the message for you.

6. To close the conversation, tap the screen with four fingers near the top of the screen, swipe left until you hear "Back button," and double-tap the screen.

Post messages to channels

Communicate with your team through messages in team channels. You can also flag a message as important. Important messages show an Important! label in the channel, and appear as notifications in the Activity Feed for team members.

1. Go to the channel where you want to post a message, and make sure the Posts tab is selected. Tap the screen with four fingers near the bottom of the screen. You hear: "New post." Double-tap the screen. You hear: "Type a new message".

2. Type the message using the on-screen keyboard. To go to the keyboard, swipe right until you hear: "Q."

3. If you want to mark the message as important, swipe left or right until you hear "Format," and double-tap the screen. You hear: "Important, unselected." Double-tap to select. You hear: "Important, selected."

4. When done, swipe left or right until you hear "Send, button," and double-tap the screen to send.

For more information on how to write group and private messages and attach files, images, emoticons, stickers, and memes, refer to Use a screen reader to chat in Microsoft Teams.

Edit messages

You can edit messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to edit.

2. Once on the message, swipe right until you hear "Message options," and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Edit message," and double-tap the screen.

4. You can now edit the message. Use the on-screen keyboard to modify the text. You can also add an emoji or insert an attachment, for example.

5. Once you're done, tap at the top of the screen with four fingers, swipe right until you hear "Done," and double-tap the screen.

Delete messages

You can delete messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to delete.

2. Once on the message, swipe right until you hear "Message options," and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Delete message," and double-tap the screen.

4. You're prompted to confirm the deletion. Swipe right until you hear "Delete," and double-tap the screen. The message is deleted.

Change your availability status

1. In Microsoft Teams, tap the screen with four fingers near the top of the screen. You hear: "More menu." Double-tap the screen to select.

2. Swipe right until you hear your current availability status, and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear the status you want, and double-tap the screen to select and apply it.

   Note: You can set your status as Appear Offline. When appearing offline, you still receive notifications if anyone messages you, but you are able to work in Microsoft Teams while appearing invisible to others.

4. To exit the menu, swipe left until you hear "Close the More menu," and double-tap the screen.

Sign out of Microsoft Teams

1. In Microsoft Teams, tap the screen with four fingers near the top of the screen. You hear: "More menu." Double-tap the screen to select.

2. Swipe right until you hear "Settings," and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Sign out," and double-tap the screen.

4. A Sign out confirmation dialog opens. Swipe right until you hear "Sign out," and double-tap the screen to finish signing out.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with files in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to search for a conversation, person, or file in Microsoft Teams

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams

Video: What is Microsoft Teams?

In this topic

• Install and open Microsoft Teams for the first time

• Sign in to Microsoft Teams

• Find and read new messages in a channel

• Post messages to channels

• Edit messages

• Delete messages

• Change your availability status

• Sign out of Microsoft Teams

Install and open Microsoft Teams for the first time

1. If not already installed on your phone, download and install the Microsoft Teams app from Play Store.

2. On your phone, navigate to the home screen where the app is, swipe right until TalkBack announces the app, and double-tap the screen to open.

3. The sign-in screen opens. Swipe right until you hear "Sign in, button," and double-tap the screen.

4. Use the on-screen keyboard to type the email address of the account you want to sign in with. When done, swipe right to move to the Sign in button, and double-tap the screen.

5. Your organization’s sign-in page opens. Swipe right until you hear "Edit box," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your password. When done, swipe right until you hear “Sign in, button,” and double-tap the screen.

6. The Welcome to Microsoft Teams page opens. To hear the page contents, swipe right. To move to the next page, swipe left with two fingers. When you reach the last page, swipe right until you hear “Got it, button,” and double-tap the screen.

   Microsoft Teams opens on the Activity view.

Sign in to Microsoft Teams

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app on your phone. If you've signed in previously on the same device, that sign-in account is already filled in and TalkBack announces it.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To accept the suggested account, swipe right to the Sign in button, and double-tap the screen.

   • To change the account, swipe left until you hear "Sign in with another account," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to delete the suggested account, and type the one you want to sign in with. When done, swipe right to the Sign in button, and double-tap the screen.

3. If you have more than one account associated with your email, you may need to choose the account to use. Swipe right until you hear the account you want to use, and double-tap the screen.

4. Your organization’s sign-in page opens. Swipe right until you hear "Password, edit box," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your password. When done, close the keyboard, swipe right until you hear “Sign in, button,” and double-tap the screen.

   Microsoft Teams opens on the Activity view.

Find and read new messages in a channel

1. In Microsoft Teams, to go to the app bar at the bottom of the screen, swipe down-then-up. You hear: "More tab."

2. Swipe left until you hear "Activity tab," and double-tap the screen. The Activity view opens and your activity feed is displayed.

3. To move the focus to the top of the screen swipe-up-then-down. You hear: "Navigation button."

4. To browse to the latest activity feed, swipe right. TalkBack announces the latest activity as you move. New messages are announced, for example: "Unread," followed by the name of the sender, activity, channel name, timestamp, and position.

5. To open a conversation, when on the message you want, double-tap the screen. You hear: "Post." To read the new message, swipe right until TalkBack reads the message to you.

6. To close the conversation and return to your feed, swipe down-then-left.

Post messages to channels

Communicate with your team through messages in team channels. You can also flag a message as important. Important messages show an Important! label in the channel, and appear as notifications in the Activity Feed for team members.

1. Go to the channel where you want to post a message, and make sure the Posts tab is selected.

2. Swipe down-then-up. You hear: "New conversation." Double-tap the screen. The text field for typing a new message opens.

3. Double-tap the screen to open the on-screen keyboard, and type your message.

4. If you want to mark the message as important, swipe left or right until you hear "Open format message," and double-tap the screen. You hear: "Mark as important button." Double-tap to select. You hear: "Message marked as important."

   To return to typing your message, swipe left until you reach the text field.

5. When done, swipe right until you hear "Send message," and double-tap the screen.

6. To return to the list of teams and channels, swipe down-then-left to close the keyboard, then swipe down-then-left again.

For more information on how to write group and private messages and attach files, images, emoticons, stickers, and memes, refer to Use a screen reader to chat in Microsoft Teams.

Edit messages

You can edit messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to edit.

2. Once on the message, swipe right until you hear "Message options," and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Edit," and double-tap the screen.

4. You can now edit the message. Use the on-screen keyboard to modify the text. You can also add an emoji or insert an attachment, for example.

5. Once you're done, tap at the top of the screen with four fingers, swipe right until you hear "Send message," and double-tap the screen.

Delete messages

You can delete messages that you've posted to a channel.

1. In a channel, navigate to the message you want to delete.

2. Once on the message, swipe right until you hear "Message options," and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Delete," and double-tap the screen.

4. You're prompted to confirm the deletion. Swipe right until you hear "Delete," and double-tap the screen.

Change your availability status

1. In Microsoft Teams, swipe up-then-down. You hear: "Navigation button." Double-tap the screen to select.

2. Swipe right until you hear your current status, and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear the status you want, and double-tap the screen to select and apply it.

   Note: You can set your status as Appear Offline. When appearing offline, you still receive notifications if anyone messages you, but you are able to work in Microsoft Teams while appearing invisible to others.

4. To exit the navigation pane, swipe down-then-left.

Sign out of Microsoft Teams

1. In Microsoft Teams, swipe up-then-down. You hear: "Navigation button." Double-tap the screen to select.

2. Swipe right until you hear “Open Settings,” and double-tap the screen.

3. Swipe right until you hear “Sign Out, button,” and double-tap the screen.

4. A Sign Out confirmation dialog box opens. Swipe right until you hear “OK, button,” and double-tap the screen to finish signing out.

See also

Use a screen reader to search for a conversation, person, or file in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to like and save messages in Microsoft Teams

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams

Video: What is Microsoft Teams?

In this topic

• Open Microsoft Teams and sign in

• Join an existing public team

• Change your availability status

• Find and read new messages in a channel

• Post messages to channels

• Reply to a message

• Edit messages

• Delete messages

• Enable notifications for a conversation

• Open your files in the desktop app by default

• Use the Search field commands

• Check if you're a team owner or member

• Sign out of Microsoft Teams

Open Microsoft Teams and sign in

1. On your computer, open Microsoft Edge, and browse to https://teams.microsoft.com.

2. A sign-in page opens. If there are several accounts to choose from, press the Tab key to browse the options. To select, press Enter.

3. Your organization's sign-in page opens. To move between the options, press the Tab key. To select, press Enter.

4. To navigate to the password field, press Shift+Tab until you hear "Password," and type your password. When done, press Enter.

5. You hear, "Get Windows app." Press the Tab key until you hear, "Use the web app instead," and press Enter.

Join an existing public team

1. On opening the app, press Ctrl+Shift+3 to access the Teams view.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Join or create a team," and press Enter.

3. To check if the team you want to join is one of the suggested teams, press the Tab key until you hear: "Create a team." Press the Right or Left arrow key to browse through the suggested teams. If you find the team you want to join, press Enter. You are added to the team and it is added to your list of teams on the Teams view.

4. If the team wasn't in list of the suggested teams, you can search for a team to join. Press Shift+Tab until you hear: "Search." Type the name of the team you'd like to join, and press Enter. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Create a team." Then press the Right or Left arrow key to cycle through the search results. When you hear the team you want to join, press Enter.

Change your availability status

1. Press Ctrl+E to move to the Search field, and then press the Tab key. You hear: "Profile, app settings, and more."

2. Press Enter. You hear: "Change your status."

3. Press Enter to open the status options menu. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the status option you want, and press Enter to apply your selection. Your availability status is changed and the focus returns to the Profile and app settings menu item.

   Note: You can set your status as Appear Offline. When appearing offline, you still receive notifications if anyone messages you, but you are able to work in Microsoft Teams while appearing invisible to others.

Find and read new messages in a channel

When a new message arrives, your screen reader reads the text and message details. You can also browse for messages on a channel's Posts tab.

Post messages to channels

1. On the Posts tab, press C. The focus moves to the message compose box.

   Tips: 

   • To expand the compose box to access more editing options, press Ctrl+Shift+X. To collapse the box, press Ctrl+Shift+X again.

   • To make sure the team members see the message, press Ctrl+Shift+I in the compose box to mark the message as important. You hear: "Block quote style removed." Important messages show an Important! label in the channel, and appear as notifications in the Activity Feed for team members.

2. Type your message. You can also add attachments or even emoji, stickers, or memes.

3. To send the message, press Ctrl+Enter.

For more information on how to write group and private messages and attach files, images, emoticons, stickers, and memes, refer to Use a screen reader to chat in Microsoft Teams.

Reply to a message

Edit messages

You can edit messages that you've posted to a channel.

Delete messages

You can delete messages that you've posted to a channel.

Enable notifications for a conversation

When notifications are enabled for a conversation, replies to the conversation will appear in the Activity Feed. Notifications are automatically enabled for conversations that you have started or replied to.

Open your files in the desktop app by default

If you prefer to always open and edit your Word, PowerPoint, or Excel files in the desktop app instead of the web app or Microsoft Teams, you can change the default app.

Use the Search field commands

In Microsoft Teams, you can use Search field commands to quickly do things.

1. To go to the Search field, press Ctrl+E.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Type a forward slash (/) to open the list of available commands. To navigate the list, press the Up or Down arrow key until you reach the command you want, and press Enter to select it.

   • If you know the command you wish to use, type the command in the Search field, and press Enter.

Check if you're a team owner or member

Team owners have additional privileges, such as editing the team settings.

1. To access the Teams view, press Ctrl+Shift+3.

2. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate to the team you want to check.

3. Press Shift+F10 to open the More Options menu.

4. Press the Down arrow key until you hear: “Manage team.”

5. Press Enter. You hear: “Members.”

6. To search for yourself in the members list, press the Tab key to move to the search box and type your name.

7. Press the Tab key until you hear “Name,” and then press the Down arrow key. The screen reader reads your name, title, location, and role.

Sign out of Microsoft Teams

1. In Microsoft Teams, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Profile, app settings and more," and press Enter.

2. Press the Down arrow key repeatedly until you hear the sign out option, and press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to create and modify teams in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to search for a conversation, person, or file in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams

Video: What is Microsoft Teams?