Use a screen reader to share your screen in Microsoft Teams

Use your keyboard and a screen reader to start and stop sharing your desktop, a PowerPoint presentation, Microsoft Whiteboard, or a program window in a Microsoft Teams for Windows meeting. We have tested it with JAWS and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll also learn how to give control of your shared content or screen to someone else and to zoom in to the shared content.

In this topic

• Share your desktop, a program window, or Microsoft Whiteboard
• Share a PowerPoint presentation
• Give control to shared content
• Request control to shared content
• Take control of a shared PowerPoint presentation
• Zoom in to shared content

Share your desktop, a program window, or Microsoft Whiteboard

Screen reader navigation

Focus navigation

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Open sharing options button, and press Enter.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To share your entire desktop, press the Tab key until you hear "Desktop list," and then press Enter.
   • To share a program window, press the Tab key until you hear: "Share window list." Press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the program window you want to share, and press Enter.
   • To share a Microsoft Whiteboard, press the Tab key until you hear "Share Microsoft whiteboard," and press Enter.

3. To stop sharing, press Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar to access the screen sharing toolbar. Then press the Tab key repeatedly until you reach the Stop presenting button, and press Enter.

Virtual navigation

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, press B or Shift+B until you reach the Open sharing options button. Press Enter.

2. Do one of the following:

   • With NVDA, to share your entire desktop, press L until you hear "Desktop list," and then press Enter.
     With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Desktop list," and then press Enter.
   • With NVDA, to share a program window, press L until you hear "Share window," and press Enter. Then press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the program window you want to share, and press Enter.
     With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Share window," press the Down arrow key until you hear “List box," and then press Enter. Press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the program window you want to share, and press Enter.
   • With NVDA, to share a Microsoft Whiteboard, press L until you hear "Share Microsoft whiteboard," and press Enter.
     With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear "Share Microsoft whiteboard," press the Down arrow key until you hear "List box," and then press Enter.

3. To stop sharing, press Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar to access the screen sharing toolbar. Then press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Stop presenting button, and press Enter.

Share a PowerPoint presentation

If you're sharing a PowerPoint file, the participants can move around to different slides without interrupting the main presentation. They can also sync their view back to the presenter's view.

Screen reader navigation

Focus navigation

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Open sharing options button, and press Enter.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To share a PowerPoint presentation that you've worked on recently, press the Tab key until you hear: "Share a PowerPoint presentation." Press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the presentation you want to share, and then press Enter.
   • To browse for more PowerPoint presentations, press the Tab key until you hear "Browse PPT files," and press Enter. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the file location and press Enter. Find your file in the selected location, and press Enter.

3. To stop sharing, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Stop presenting button, and press Enter.

Virtual navigation

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, press B or Shift+B until you reach the Open sharing options button. Press Enter. You hear: "Desktop list."

2. Do one of the following:

   • With NVDA, to share a PowerPoint presentation that you've worked on recently, press L until you hear: "Share a PowerPoint presentation." Press Enter. Press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the presentation you want to share, and then press Enter.
     With JAWS, press the Down arrow key until you hear: "Share a PowerPoint presentation." Press the Down arrow key until you hear "List box," and press Enter. Press the Down or Right arrow key until you hear the presentation you want to share, and then press Enter.
   • To browse for more PowerPoint presentations, press B until you hear "Browse PPT files," and press Enter. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the file location and press Enter. Find your file in the selected location, and press Enter.

3. To stop sharing, press B or Shift+B until you reach the Stop presenting button, and press Enter.

Share system audio

Share your system audio to meeting participants through Microsoft Teams. You can use it to play a video or audio clip as part of a presentation. When you share content, all your system audio, including notifications, will be included in the meeting. For more information on sharing system audio, refer to Share sound from your computer in a Teams meeting or live event.

You can start sharing your system audio when you're selecting the item you want to share from the share tray or when you're already sharing content.

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, do one of the following

   • If you're in the sharing options tray selecting the item to share, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Include system audio check box. To fill the check box and share your system audio, press Spacebar.
   • If you're already sharing content, press Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar, press the Tab key until you hear "Include system audio," and press Enter.

Give control to shared content

If you want another meeting participant to change a file, help you present, or demonstrate something, you can give control to that person. You will both be in control of the sharing, and you can take back control anytime.

1. In a meeting or call, press Shift+Ctrl+Spacebar to move to focus to the screen sharing toolbar. You hear: "Give control." Press Spacebar. A list of the meeting participants opens.
2. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the person you want to give the control to, and press Enter.
   Microsoft Teams sends a notification to that person to let them know you’re sharing control. While you’re sharing control, they can make selections, edits, and other modifications to the shared screen.
3. To take the control back, press Shift+Ctrl+Spacebar to move to focus to the screen sharing toolbar. Press the Tab key until you hear "Cancel control," and press Enter.

Request control to shared content

If you'd like, for example, to demonstrate something on the presenter's device or change a file, you can request control of the shared content. The person currently sharing content is notified that you're requesting control, and they can approve or deny the request.

Screen reader navigation

Focus navigation

1. In a meeting or call, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Request control," and press Enter. The person currently sharing content receives a notification that you're requesting control and needs to approve the request before you can take control.
   If the presenter is sharing a PowerPoint presentation, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Take control," and press Enter.
   Once your request has been approved, you hear: "Stop control." You now have control of the shared content, and you can make selections, edits, and other modifications to the shared screen.
2. To stop controlling the shared content, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Stop control," and press Enter.
   If you controlled a PowerPoint presentation, the presenter needs to take back the control from you.

Virtual navigation

1. In a meeting or call, press the B or Shift+B until you hear "Request control," and press Enter. The person currently sharing content receives a notification that you're requesting control and needs to approve the request before you can take control.
   If the presenter is sharing a PowerPoint presentation, press B or Shift+B until you hear "Take control," and press Enter.
   Once your request has been approved, you hear: "Stop control." You now have control of the shared content, and you can make selections, edits, and other modifications to the shared screen.
2. To stop controlling the shared content, press the B or Shift+B until you hear "Stop control," and press Enter.
   If you controlled a PowerPoint presentation, the presenter needs to take back the control from you.

Take control of a shared PowerPoint presentation

Screen reader navigation

Focus navigation

1. In a meeting or call where the presenter is sharing a PowerPoint presentation, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Take control," and press Enter.
   The presenter is notified that you have the control of the presentation.
2. To stop controlling the shared PowerPoint presentation, the original presenter needs to take back the control from you.

Virtual navigation

1. In a meeting or call where the presenter is sharing a PowerPoint presentation, press B or Shift+B until you hear "Take control," and press Enter.
   The presenter is notified that you have the control of the presentation.
2. To stop controlling the shared PowerPoint presentation, the original presenter needs to take back the control from you.

Zoom in to shared content

You have several options to zoom in or out in the shared content:

• To use keyboard shortcuts to zoom in or out, press Ctrl+Plus sign (+) or Ctrl+Minus sign (-).
• If you're using a trackpad, you can pinch out and in on your trackpad to zoom in or out.
• If you're using a mouse, press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and scroll up or down with the mouse wheel to zoom in our out.

See also

Use a screen reader to join a meeting in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to schedule a meeting in Microsoft Teams

Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Teams

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams

Use Microsoft Teams on the web with your keyboard and a screen reader to start and stop sharing your entire screen, an application window, a PowerPoint presentation, or a Whiteboard while in a meeting. We have tested it with Narrator, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow the common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll also learn how to take control of the presentation being shared.

In this topic

• Share your screen
• Take control of a PowerPoint presentation
• Zoom in to shared content

Share your screen

You can access the sharing options through the share button. Once you’ve selected the button, the options for sharing your entire desktop, a window, a PowerPoint file, or a whiteboard open below.

1. While in a meeting in Microsoft Teams, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Open sharing options button, and then press Enter.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To share your desktop or an application window, press Enter. The Share your screen dialog box opens. The dialog box contains the Your Entire Screen and Application Window tabs. If you’re using the Chrome browser, you also have the Chrome Tab tab. To navigate to the first tab, press the Tab key once. To move to the following tabs, press the Right arrow key. When you hear the tab you want to select, press the Tab key once and then use the Down arrow key to navigate to the applicable option. To start sharing, press Enter.

   • To share a PowerPoint presentation that you've worked on recently, press the Tab key until you hear: "Share a PowerPoint presentation." Press the Right arrow key until you hear the presentation you want to share, and then press Enter.

     Note

     When you're sharing a PowerPoint file, the participants can move between the slides without interrupting the main presentation. They can also sync their view back to the presenter's view. If you don't want people to independently navigate through a PowerPoint file you're sharing, press the Tab key until you reach the Prevent participants from moving through shared presentation on their own button, and press Enter.

   • To browse for more PowerPoint presentations, press the Tab key until you hear "Browse PPT files," and press Enter. Press the Down or Up arrow key to navigate to a location and press Enter to select. Find your file in the selected location, and press Enter.

3. To select a whiteboard, press the Tab key until you hear: “Share Microsoft whiteboard.” To share, press Enter. To share another whiteboard, press the Right arrow key until you find the one you want, and then press Enter.

4. To stop sharing, do one of the following:

   • To stop sharing your entire screen or an application window, press and hold the Alt key and press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear: “teams.microsoft.com is sharing your screen.” Then press Tab or Shift+Tab key until you reach the Stop sharing button, and press Enter.
   • To stop sharing a browser tab, press Alt+Shift+A, and then press Enter.
   • To stop sharing a PowerPoint presentation or a whiteboard, press the Tab key until you reach the Stop presenting button, and press Enter.

Take control of a PowerPoint presentation

To help with a PowerPoint presentation, an attendee can take control of the presentation in the meeting. Both the organizer and the attendee can be in control of the sharing, and both can take back control anytime.

1. To take control while another person is sharing a PowerPoint presentation, press the Tab key until you hear "Take control," and press Enter.
2. While you have control, you can navigate the slides back and forward. To move to the Navigate back and Navigate forward buttons, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. To select, press Enter. The screen reader focus stays on the button you just selected, so to keep changing the slides just press Enter.

Zoom in to shared content

You have several options to zoom in or out in the shared content:

• To use keyboard shortcuts, press Ctrl+Plus sign (+) or Ctrl+Minus sign (-).
• If you're using a trackpad, you can pinch in and out on your trackpad.
• If you're using a mouse, press and hold Ctrl+Alt on your keyboard and scroll up or down with the mouse scroll wheel.

See also

Use a screen reader to join a meeting in Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to schedule a meeting in Microsoft Teams

Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Teams

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Teams