Use a screen reader to read and reply to a meeting request in Outlook
Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016 Outlook for iOS 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.

Note: Outlook for Mac information on this topic is available here.

Use Outlook with your keyboard and a screen reader to read and respond to meeting requests. We have tested it with Narrator and JAWS, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to send quick responses straight from the Outlook Inbox message list, or open the request for more options, such as proposing a new meeting time.

Notes: 

In this topic

Reply to a meeting request from the Inbox message list

As meeting requests arrive to your Outlook Inbox folder, you can quickly accept, accept tentatively, or decline the meeting right there without having to open the request itself.

  1. In Outlook Inbox, use the Up and Down arrow keys to place the focus on the meeting request.

    To learn how to open and read the contents of the meeting request, go to Open, read, and reply to a meeting request.

  2. Press Shift+F10. The context menu opens, and Narrator announces: “Context menu, menu.” With JAWS, you hear: "Menu." To reply to the request, do one of the following:

    • To accept, press C, C, and then Enter.

    • To accept tentatively, press N, and then Enter.

    • To decline, press E.

  3. A Microsoft Outlook dialog box opens with the focus on the OK button. Do one of the following:

    • To edit the response before sending, press E, and then Enter. A Meeting Response email message opens, and the focus is in the message text field where you can type your response. When done, press Alt+S to send.

    • To send the response without editing, press S, and then Enter.

    • To choose not to send a response, press D, and then Enter.

    The selected action is carried out, the meeting invitation is deleted, and if accepted, the meeting is added to your Calendar.

Open, read, and reply to a meeting request

To access all reply options, such as proposing a new meeting time, open the meeting request.

  1. In Outlook Inbox, use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the Inbox items. When on the meeting request, press Enter to open it.

  2. The screen reader announces the title of the meeting request. To read the contents of the meeting invitation, press the SR key+R. To stop the reading, press Ctrl.

  3. To respond to the meeting request, do one of the following:

    • To accept, press Alt+H, C.

    • To accept tentatively, press Alt+H, J.

    • To decline, press Alt+H, N.

  4. When you hear “Menu, Edit the response before sending,” do one of the following:

    • To edit the response before sending, press E.

    • To send the response without editing, press S.

    • To choose not to send a response, press D.

    The selected action is carried out, the meeting invitation is deleted, and if accepted, the meeting is added to your Calendar.

Propose a new meeting time

  1. With the meeting request open in Outlook, do one of the following:

    • To accept tentatively and propose a new time, press Alt+H, P, T, T.

    • To decline and propose a new time, press Alt+H, P, T, D.

  2. A Propose New Time dialog box opens. To set the date and time you want to propose, press the Tab key until the screen reader announces the relevant field, such as "Meeting start date" or "Meeting start time," and type the new date or time (for example, "25Oct17" or "1230pm"). When done, press Alt+O.

  3. The dialog box closes and a New Time Proposed email message opens. The current meeting time and the new time you are proposing are shown below the message subject field. The focus is in the message body text field where you can type any additional response. When ready to send, press Alt+S. The email is sent, and you return to Inbox.

Check who's invited to a meeting

Once you've accepted a meeting request, you can check who else has been invited.

  1. In Outlook, press Ctrl+2 to go to Calendar.

  2. The focus is on today. To move between the events, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. When on the meeting you want, press Ctrl+O to open it.

  3. To go to Scheduling Assistant, press Alt+X.

  4. With Narrator, press the Tab key until you hear: "All attendees." With JAWS, press the Tab key until you hear: "List box." To hear the names of the invitees, press the Down arrow key.

Keep meeting requests in Inbox

Once accepted or declined, meeting requests are automatically moved to the Deleted Items folder. If you'd like to keep the meeting request emails in your Inbox, you can change the Outlook settings.

  1. In Outlook, press Alt+F, T, M to open the Mail options window.

  2. Press Alt+D twice. You hear: "Send messages, Delete meeting requests and notifications from Inbox after responding, checkbox checked."

  3. To remove the selection, press Spacebar. With Narrator, you hear: "Unchecked." With JAWS, you hear: "Not checked." Press Enter to save the setting and close the dialog box. You return to Outlook.

See also

Use a screen reader to schedule appointments or meetings in Outlook

Use a screen reader to set up your email account in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with the calendar in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Calendar

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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