Use a screen reader to add or remove distribution group members in the Exchange admin center

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 the Exchange admin center (EAC) with your keyboard and a screen reader to add members to or remove members from a distribution group. We have tested it with Narrator in Microsoft Edge and with JAWS in Chrome, but it might work with other screen readers and web browsers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.

Notes: 

In this topic

Add a member

  1. On the EAC dashboard, press the Tab key until you hear: “Left navigation hamburger, expanded.” If you hear "Collapsed" instead of "Expanded," press Spacebar to expand the menu before continuing.

  2. Press the Tab key once. You hear the item currently selected in the left navigation pane. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "Recipients, expanded," and press Spacebar.

  3. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Groups," and press Enter. A list of the available distribution groups opens to the right of the navigation pane.

  4. Press the Tab key until you hear "Toolbar, tab," followed by the name of the tab currently in focus. To switch to another tab, with JAWS, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the tab you want. With Narrator, use the Right or Left arrow key to navigate to the right tab. To select and open the tab, press Enter.

  5. To find the group you want to edit, do one of the following:

    1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Groups list," press the Down or Up arrow key until you find the group you want to edit, and then press Enter.

    2. To search for the group, press the Tab key until you hear: "Command bar, Add a group." With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Search," followed by the selected tab name, for example, "Distribution list." With Narrator, press the Right arrow key until you hear "Search," followed by the selected tab name, for example, "Distribution list." Type the name of the group, and press Enter. Press the Tab key until you hear the details of the group, and press Enter.

  6. The details pane opens. You hear the name of the selected group. Press the Tab key until you hear the name of the currently selected tab, for example, "General." With JAWS, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear: "Members." With Narrator, press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear: "Members." To select and open the Members tab, press Enter.

  7. Press the Tab key until you hear "View all and manage members," and press Enter. You hear: "Back button."

  8. Press the Tab key until you hear "Command bar, Add members," and press Enter. The Add members pane opens.

  9. Press the Tab key until you hear "Search box to search for members," type the name or email address of the person you want to add to the group, and press Enter.

  10. To navigate to the search results table, press the Tab key until you hear "Select member," followed by the details of the member in focus. If this member is the one you want to add to the group, press Spacebar. Otherwise, press the Down arrow key until you hear the details of the right member, and then press Spacebar to select. You hear: "Selected."

  11. To select additional members, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Clear text," and press Enter. Type the name or email address of the next person you want to add to the group, press Enter, and then repeat step 10.

  12. To add the selected members to the distribution group, press the Tab key until you hear "Add," and press Enter.

  13. When you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "Close button," and press Enter. The focus returns to the list of the available distribution groups.

Remove a member 

  1. On the EAC dashboard, press the Tab key until you hear: “Left navigation hamburger, expanded.” If you hear "Collapsed" instead of "Expanded," press Spacebar to expand the menu before continuing.

  2. Press the Tab key once. You hear the item currently selected in the left navigation pane. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "Recipients, expanded," and press Spacebar.

  3. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Groups," and press Enter. A list of the available distribution groups opens to the right of the navigation pane.

  4. Press the Tab key until you hear "Toolbar, tab," followed by the name of the tab currently in focus. To switch to another tab, with JAWS, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the tab you want. With Narrator, use the Right or Left arrow key to navigate to the right tab. To select and open the tab, press Enter.

  5. To find the group you want to edit, do one of the following:

    1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Groups list," press the Down or Up arrow key until you find the group you want to edit, and then press Enter.

    2. To search for the group, press the Tab key until you hear: "Command bar, Add a group." With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Search," followed by the selected tab name, for example, "Distribution list." With Narrator, press the Right arrow key until you hear "Search," followed by the selected tab name, for example, "Distribution list." Type the name of the group, and press Enter. Press the Tab key until you hear the details of the group, and press Enter.

  6. The details pane opens. You hear the name of the selected group. Press the Tab key until you hear the name of the currently selected tab, for example, "General." With JAWS, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear: "Members." With Narrator, press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear: "Members." To select and open the Members tab, press Enter.

  7. Press the Tab key until you hear "View all and manage members," and press Enter. You hear: "Back button."

  8. Press the Tab key until you hear "Group member list," and then press the Down arrow key until you hear "Select group member," followed by the details of the member you want to remove from the group. The member in focus is selected automatically. To select additional members, press and hold the Ctrl key, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of a member you want to remove from the group, and then press Spacebar.

  9. When you have selected the members you want to remove from the distribution group, press the Tab key until you hear "Command bar, Add members," press the Right arrow key until you hear "Remove members," and then press Enter.

  10. You're prompted to confirm the removal. Press the Tab key until you hear "Yes," and press Enter.

  11. When you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "Close button," and press Enter. The focus returns to the list of the available distribution groups.

See also

Keyboard shortcuts in the Exchange admin center

Use a screen reader to add a new mail contact in the Exchange admin center

Use a screen reader to add a new room mailbox in the Exchange admin center

Use a screen reader to add a new equipment mailbox in the Exchange admin center 

Use a screen reader to create a new distribution group in the Exchange admin center

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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