Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Calendar
Applies ToCalendar for Windows 10

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 Calendar for Windows 10 with your keyboard and a screen reader to explore and navigate the different views 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: 

In this topic

Navigate the main view and screen elements

To navigate through and inside the Calendar main view and screen elements:

  • Press F6 or Shift+F6 to cycle the focus through the regions of the main view.

  • Press the Tab key or Shift+Tab to move the focus within a region.

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

The main view contains the following regions: navigation pane on the left side of the view and the main content area on the right.

Navigation pane

The navigation pane is located on the left side of the main view. It contains the following elements:

  • The Navigation button for expanding and collapsing the navigation pane.

  • The New event button for adding a new calendar event.

  • The date picker for picking the focus of the main content area.

  • The calendars menu for picking individual calendars to view in or filter out of the main view.

  • The Add calendars button for adding additional calendars to the calendars menu.

  • Navigation tabs for launching other applications, and the Settings button for opening the Settings pane, where you can edit all Calendar settings.

To navigate in the navigation pane and the Settings pane, use the Tab key and arrow keys to find the item you want, and press Enter to select it. To close the Settings pane, press Esc.

Main content area

The current calendar in the main content area shows the currently selected date, and any events contained within. The main content area contains the following subregions:

  • Grid view of the calendar dates and events.

  • Top menu bar containing the Search field, and the Go forward and Go back buttons for moving the grid view forward and backward.

  • Top right menu bar containing the Go to today button, buttons for changing to the Day, Week, and Month view, and the Show menu for additional options.

To navigate between the subregions, press F6 (forward) or Shift+F6 (backward). To navigate inside each subregion, press the Tab key (forward) or Shift+Tab (backward) until you hear the option you want, and press Enter to select it.

Note: Depending on the size of your Calendar window, the Search field might be a button instead. For best results, press Alt+Spacebar, X to maximize the Calendar window.

Move between the Calendar and Mail apps

  1. To move from Calendar to Mail, press Ctrl+1.

  2. To move back to Calendar, in Mail, press Ctrl+2.

See also

Use a screen reader to schedule events in Calendar

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Mail

Keyboard shortcuts in Calendar

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Calendar

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

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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