Use a screen reader to apply a theme or add images to forms and quizzes in Microsoft Forms

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

Use Microsoft Forms with your keyboard and a screen reader to customize your forms and quizzes. We have tested it with Narrator in Microsoft Edge and JAWS and NVDA in Chrome, but it might work with other screen readers and web browsers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to jazz up your forms and quizzes with themes, color, and images.

Notes: 

In this topic

Add a theme

Applying a theme changes the background and outline of a form or quiz. You can select one of the predesigned images or colors or you can design your own theme. For instructions, go to Add a customized theme.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add a theme, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Style button, and then press Enter. The themes menu opens.

  2. Press the Tab key until you reach the theme you want to use, and then press Enter to select and apply it.

  3. To exit the theme menu, press Esc.

Add a customized theme

In a customized theme, you can use your own image from your computer or OneDrive, or you can upload an image from the internet. You can even customize the theme color. Just use the hexadecimal value of a color to define the exact shade you want to use.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add a customized theme, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Style button, and then press Enter. The themes menu opens.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Customized theme," and then press Enter.

  3. To upload an image for your theme, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload image," and then press Enter. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, press Enter. Then press the Tab key until you hear "Search, edit," type your search words, and then press Enter to search. Press the Tab key until you find the image you want to use, and then press Enter.

    • To use an image from your computer, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload," and then press Enter. The WindowsOpen dialog box opens. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Enter.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, press the Tab key until you hear "OneDrive," and then press Enter. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Enter.

  5. To define the color you want to use, press the Tab key until you hear "Customize color," and then press Enter. Type the color hex code you want. For example, type 7FFFD4 for apple green.

  6. To exit the theme menu, press Esc.

Add an image to a form or quiz question

Use an image with your form or quiz questions to help the respondents understand the context.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add an image to a question, press the Tab key until you reach the question, and then press Enter.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Insert, paste, or drag media," and then press Enter. You hear: "Insert image."

  3. Press Enter. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, press Enter. Then press the Tab key until you hear "Search, edit," type your search words, and then press Enter to search. Press the Tab key until you find the image you want to use, and then press Enter.

    • To use an image from your computer, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload," and then press Enter. The WindowsOpen dialog box opens. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Enter.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, press the Tab key until you hear "OneDrive," and then press Enter. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Enter.

  5. The image is added to the right side of the question. The focus returns to the form or quiz. To add alt text to the image, press the Tab key until you hear "Edit," and then press Enter. Press the Tab key until you hear "Alternative text for screen readers," and then press Enter. Type the alt text. To exit the text field, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab once.

See also

Use a screen reader to create a new form in Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to create a new quiz in Microsoft Forms

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use Microsoft Forms with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader, in Safari to customize your forms and quizzes. You'll learn how to jazz up your forms and quizzes with themes, color, and images.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • This topic assumes that you are using the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, go to VoiceOver Getting Started Guide.

In this topic

Add a theme

Applying a theme changes the background and outline of a form or quiz. You can select one of the predesigned images or colors or you can design your own theme. For instructions, go to Add a customized theme.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add a theme, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Style button, and then press Return. The themes menu opens.

  2. Press the Tab key until you reach the theme you want to use, and then press Return to select and apply it.

  3. To exit the theme menu, press Esc.

Add a customized theme

In a customized theme, you can use your own image from your computer or OneDrive, or you can upload an image from the internet. You can even customize the theme color. Just use the hexadecimal value of a color to define the exact shade you want to use.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add a customized theme, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you reach the Style button, and then press Return. The themes menu opens.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Customized theme," and then press Return.

  3. To upload an image for your theme, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload image," and then press Return. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, press Return. Then press the Tab key until you hear "Search, edit text," type your search words, and then press Return to search. Press the Tab key until you find the image you want to use, and then press Return.

    • To use an image from your computer, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload," and then press Return. The macOS File Browser opens. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Return.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, press the Tab key until you hear "OneDrive," and then press Return. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Return.

  5. To define the color you want to use, press the Tab key until you hear "Customize color," and then press Return. Type the color hex code you want. For example, type 7FFFD4 for apple green.

  6. To exit the theme menu, press Esc.

Add an image to a form or quiz question

Use an image with your form or quiz questions to help the respondents understand the context.

  1. In the form or quiz where you want to add an image to a question, press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you reach the question, and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  2. Press the Tab key once, and then press Return. You hear: "Image button, Media select."

  3. Press Return. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, press the Tab key until you hear "Search, edit text," type your search words, and then press Return to search. Press the Tab key until you find the image you want to use, and then press Return.

    • To use an image from your computer, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload," and then press Return. The macOS Open dialog box opens. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Return.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, press the Tab key until you hear "OneDrive," and then press Return. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then press Return.

  5. The image is added to the right side of the question. The focus returns to the form or quiz. To add alt text to the image, press the Tab key until you hear "Edit," and then press Return. Press the Tab key until you hear "Alternative text for screen readers," and then press Return. Type the alt text. To exit the text field, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab once.

See also

Use a screen reader to create a new form in Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to create a new quiz in Microsoft Forms

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use Microsoft Forms with VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader, in Safari to customize your forms and quizzes. You'll learn how to jazz up your forms and quizzes with themes, color, and images.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • This topic assumes that you are using the built-in iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, visit Apple accessibility.

In this topic

Add a theme

Applying a theme changes the background and outline of a form or quiz. You can select one of the predesigned images or colors or you can design your own theme. For instructions, go to Add a customized theme.

  1. If you're adding a theme to a form, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add a theme.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe left until you reach the Style button, and then double-tap the screen. The themes menu opens.

  4. Swipe right until you reach the theme you want to use, and then double-tap the screen to select and apply it.

  5. To exit the themes menu, scrub the screen back and forth with two fingers.

Add a customized theme

In a customized theme, you can use your own image from OneDrive or you can upload an image from the internet. You can even customize the theme color. Just use the hexadecimal value of a color to define the exact shade you want to use.

  1. If you're adding a customized theme for a form, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add a customized theme.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe left until you reach the Style button, and then double-tap the screen. The themes menu opens.

  4. Swipe right until you hear "Customized theme," and then double-tap the screen.

  5. To upload an image for your theme, swipe right until you hear "Upload image," and then double-tap the screen. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  6. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Bing, Search," and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your search words. Swipe left until you hear "Done," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Search," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you find the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen. Swipe left until you hear "Add," and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from the photo library on your phone, swipe right until you hear "Upload," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Photo library," and then double-tap the screen. Navigate to the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, swipe right until you hear "OneDrive," and then double-tap the screen. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then double-tap the screen.

  7. To define the color you want to use, swipe right until you hear "Customize color," and then double-tap the screen. Double-tap the screen and use the on-screen keyboard to type the color hex code you want. For example, type 7FFFD4 for apple green.

  8. To exit the themes menu, scrub the screen back and forth with two fingers.

Add an image to a form or quiz question

Use an image with your form or quiz questions to help the respondents understand the context.

  1. To add an image to a form or quiz question, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add the image.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe right or left until you hear the question you want, and then double-tap the screen.

  4. Double-tap the screen. You hear: "Insert, paste, or drag media." Double-tap the screen twice.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, swipe right until you hear "Image search," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Bing, Search," and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your search words. Swipe left until you hear "Done," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Search," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you find the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen. Swipe left until you hear "Add," and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from the photo library on your phone, swipe right until you hear "Upload," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Photo library," and then double-tap the screen. Navigate to the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, swipe right until you hear "OneDrive," and then double-tap the screen. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then double-tap the screen.

The image is added to the right side of the question. The focus returns to the form or quiz.

See also

Use a screen reader to create a new form in Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to create a new quiz in Microsoft Forms

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use Microsoft Forms with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, in Chrome to customize your forms and quizzes. You'll learn how to jazz up your forms and quizzes with themes, color, and images.

Notes: 

  • New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

  • This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Android screen reader, TalkBack. To learn more about using TalkBack, go to Android accessibility.

In this topic

Add a theme

Applying a theme changes the background and outline of a form or quiz. You can select one of the predesigned images or colors or you can design your own theme. For instructions, go to Add a customized theme.

  1. If you're adding a theme to a form, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add a theme.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe left until you reach the Style button, and then double-tap the screen. The themes menu opens.

  4. Swipe right until you reach the theme you want to use, and then double-tap the screen to select and apply it.

  5. To exit the themes menu, swipe down-then-left.

Add a customized theme

In a customized theme, you can use your own image from OneDrive or you can upload an image from the internet. You can even customize the theme color. Just use the hexadecimal value of a color to define the exact shade you want to use.

  1. If you're adding a customized theme for a form, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add a customized theme.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe left until you reach the Style button, and then double-tap the screen. The themes menu opens.

  4. Swipe right until you hear "Customized theme," and then double-tap the screen.

  5. To upload an image for your theme, swipe right until you hear "Upload image," and then double-tap the screen. The image picker opens. You hear: "Image search."

  6. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Edit box, Search," and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your search words. Swipe left until you hear "Done," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Search button," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you find the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen. Swipe left until you hear "Add," and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from the photo library on your phone, swipe right until you hear "Upload," and then double-tap the screen. Navigate to the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, swipe right until you hear "OneDrive," and then double-tap the screen. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then double-tap the screen.

  7. To define the color you want to use, swipe right until you hear "Customize color," and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type the color hex code you want. For example, type 7FFFD4 for apple green.

  8. To exit the themes menu, swipe down-then-left.

Add an image to a form or quiz question

Use an image with your form or quiz questions to help the respondents understand the context.

  1. If you're adding an image to a form question, switch to the desktop version as instructed in the "Switch to the desktop version" section in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. Open the form or quiz where you want to add the image.

  3. In the form or quiz, swipe right or left until you hear the question you want, and then double-tap the screen.

  4. Swipe right until you hear "Insert media," and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Insert, paste, or drag media." Double-tap the screen twice.

  5. Do one of the following:

    • To search for an image online, swipe right until you hear "Image search," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Edit box, Search," and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your search words. Swipe left until you hear "Done," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Search button," and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you find the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen. Swipe left until you hear "Add," and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from the photo library on your phone, swipe right until you hear "Upload," and then double-tap the screen. Navigate to the image you want to use, and then double-tap the screen.

    • To use an image from OneDrive, swipe right until you hear "OneDrive," and then double-tap the screen. Your OneDrive folders are displayed. Navigate to the image you want, and then double-tap the screen.

The image is added to the right side of the question. The focus returns to the form or quiz.

See also

Use a screen reader to create a new form in Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to create a new quiz in Microsoft Forms

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms

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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