Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail
Applies ToOutlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016 Outlook for iOS Outlook Mail for Windows 10 Outlook Web App

This article is for people who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Windows tools or features and Microsoft 365 products. This article is part of the Accessibility help & learning content set where you can find more accessibility information on our apps. For general help, visit Microsoft Support.

Use new Outlook with your keyboard and a screen reader to explore and navigate the different views in Mail and move between them. We have tested it with Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.​​​​​​​

Notes: 

  • To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft 365.

  • For the best user experience, we recommend turning the Reading Pane off and showing emails as Messages and not as Conversations.

In this topic

Navigate the main view and screen elements

When you open Mail in new Outlook, the main view is displayed. The focus is on the message list. To navigate through and within the main view and screen elements, do the following:

  • To move the focus through the screen elements, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

  • To cycle through the main regions of the screen only, press F6 to move forward and Shift+F6 to move backward. The focus moves through the regions in the following order:

    • Ribbon tabs

    • The left rail appbar

    • The navigation pane

    • The message list to the right of the navigation pane. It contains the list of messages and the quick access buttons for switching between the Focused and Other inboxes, and buttons for sorting and filtering your messages.

  • When the focus is on a button or selectable element, press Enter to perform the action or select the element.

Horizontal title banner

The horizontal title banner is at the top of the screen. It contains the Search field and a selection of buttons, for example, My Day and Notifications. You can also access your notifications and the app settings from the banner.

  • To move the focus to the title banner, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear with Narrator: "Banner, Search, edit." With JAWS, you hear: "Search, edit." With NVDA, you hear: "Search landmark."

  • To navigate the banner, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

Main regions

Ribbon tabs

Outlook Mail opens with the Home tab selected. The Home tab has buttons, for example, for creating a new mail or replying, forwarding, and moving mails.

  • To navigate to the row of ribbon tabs, press F6 or Shift+F6 until you hear "Ribbon tabs," followed by the currently selected tab.

  • To move between the ribbon tabs, press the Left or Right arrow key. To move to the options on the ribbon, do one of the following:

    • On the Home tab, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator: "Move and delete group, New mail, button." With JAWS, you hear: "Home, move and delete, New mail button." With NVDA, you hear: "Home property page, move and delete grouping, New mail menu button."

    • On the View tab, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator and JAWS: "Settings, view settings, button." With NVDA, you hear: "View property page, settings grouping, View settings button."

  • To navigate inside a ribbon tab, press the Left or Right arrow key.

    Note: With JAWS, you might need to turn off the virtual PC cursor first.

Left rail appbar

The Left rail appbar contains quick access buttons for switching between the Mail, Calendar, CopilotPeople, and the To Do  views and other Microsoft 365 apps such as Word and PowerPoint.

  • To move the focus to the appbar, press F6 or Shift+F6 until with Narrator you hear "Mail toggle button." With NVDA you hear "Left rail appbar navigation landmark, mail toggle button." With JAWS, you hear "Mail toggle button."

  • To navigate the app banner, use the Down or Up arrow key.

    Note: With NVDA, you might need to switch to focus mode first.

Navigation pane

The navigation pane is on the left of the screen, to the right of the vertical app banner. It contains the button for hiding and showing the navigation pane at the top and a list of email folders and groups below the button.

  • To move the focus to the navigation pane, press F6 or Shift+F6 until you hear: "Navigation pane."

  • If the focus is on the Show or hide folder pane button, press the Tab key once to get to the list of folders and buttons.

  • When on the folder list, use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the list of folders and groups. You hear the names of the folders as you move. Press Enter to open a folder.

Message list view

The message list contains the list of the messages in the selected folder. It also contains the quick access buttons for switching between the Focused and Other inboxes, and buttons for sorting and filtering your messages.

  • To move the focus to the message list, press F6 or Shift+F6 until you hear: "Message list."

  • To navigate the buttons and controls above the list of messages, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

  • To browse the list of messages, press the Down or Up arrow key. You hear the details of the message currently in focus.

To learn how to read and create emails, refer to Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook.

Switch between views

You can switch from the Mail view to the Calendar, CopilotPeople, or To Doview, or even to another Microsoft 365 app.

  1. Press F6 or Shift+F6 until with Narrator and NVDA you hear "Left rail appbar navigation," followed by your current view or app, for example, "Mail, toggle button." With JAWS, you hear "Left, dash, rail, dash, app," followed by your current view or app, for example, "Mail toggle button."

  2. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the view or app you want, and then press Enter.

    Note: With NVDA, you might need to switch to focus mode first.

Navigate to the app settings

You can customize your email, calendar, notifications, appearance, and privacy to improve your Outlook experience.

  1. Press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Settings, button," and then press Enter to open the Settings pane.

  2. Press the Tab key to select Accounts tab and then use the Downarrow key to browse the options available in the Settings pane.

  3. To navigate settings in a subtab, press the Tab key once to move the focus to the list of settings, then move between the settings by pressing the Tab key or Shift+Tab. To select settings, press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in an email in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with the calendar in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Make your Outlook email accessible to people with disabilities

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

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