Use a screen reader to read or add speaker notes and comments in PowerPoint

Use PowerPoint with your keyboard and a screen reader to add and read speaker notes in your PowerPoint presentation. We've 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. You'll learn how to use speaker notes to add reminders or talking points for the presenter, and use comments to give your colleagues feedback about their presentations.

In this topic

• Add speaker notes
• Read speaker notes
• Add a comment
• Read comments

Add speaker notes

Add speaker notes in your presentation to tell a story to your audience beyond the slide content. You can use the speaker notes as private reminders of the slide content, too.

1. To display the Notes pane, in the Normal view, press Alt+W, P, N.
2. On the slide where you want to add notes, press F6 until you hear: "Slide notes."
3. Type your notes.
4. To exit the Notes pane, press F6.

Read speaker notes

You can hear whether a slide has notes and listen to the notes.

1. In the Normal view, press F6 until you hear: "Thumbnails."
2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the title or number of the slide and its position in the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: “Has notes.”
3. To display the Notes pane, press Alt+W, P, N.
4. Press F6 until you hear “Slide notes,” and then press the SR key+R to listen to the note.

Add a comment

You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, reviewing someone else's work.

If you want to comment on a specific piece of text or an object, select it first. To find out how to select in PowerPoint using keyboard shortcuts, refer to Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations.

1. On a slide, in the Normal view, when you hear a piece of text or an object you want to comment on, press Alt+R, C. The Comments pane opens.
2. Type your comment and press Ctrl+Enter to save it.
3. To exit the Comments pane, press Esc.
4. To close the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P.

Read comments

You can hear whether a slide has comments and listen to the comments.

1. In the Normal view, press F6 until you hear: "Thumbnails."
2. Press F6 and the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the title or number of the slide and its position in the list of slides. If there are comments on the slide, you hear: “Has comments.”
3. To open the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P. You hear: “Comments on slide.”
   If the Comments pane is already open, press F6 or Shift+F6 until you hear: "Comments on slide."
4. Press the SR key+Right or Left arrow key to move through the comments. Your screen reader reads the comments as you land on them.
5. To close the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P.

See also

Use a screen reader to add and format text in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to save your presentation in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to show your presentation with PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

Use PowerPoint for the web with your keyboard and a screen reader to add and read speaker notes or comments in a presentation. 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 use speaker notes, to add reminders or talking points for the presenter, and use comments to give your colleagues feedback about their presentations.

In this topic

• Add speaker notes
• Read speaker notes
• Add comments
• Read comments

Add speaker notes

Add speaker notes in your presentation to tell a story to your audience beyond the slide content. You can use the speaker notes as private reminders of the slide content, too.

1. To display the Notes pane, in the Normal view, press Alt+Windows logo key, W, P, N.
2. On the slide where you want to add notes, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear: "Slide notes."
3. Type your notes.
4. To exit the Notes pane, press Ctrl+F6.

Read speaker notes

You can hear whether a slide has notes and listen to the notes.

1. In the Normal view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the number of a slide and its position in the list of slides.
2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse through the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: “Has notes.”
3. To display the Notes pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, W, P, N.
4. Press Ctrl+F6 until you hear “Slide notes,” and then press the SR key+R to listen to the note.

Add comments

You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, reviewing someone else's work.

1. On a slide, in the Normal view, when you hear a piece of text or an object you want to comment on, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, C, 1. The Comments pane opens. You hear: "@mention or comment, edit."
2. Type your comment. You can press Enter to start a new line.
3. To save the comment, press the Tab key until you hear "Post," and then press Enter.
4. To exit the Comments pane, press Ctrl+F6.
5. To close the Comments pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, P, P.

Read comments

You can hear whether a slide has comments and listen to the comments.

1. In the Normal view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the number of a slide and its position in the list of slides.
2. Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse through the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: “Has comments.”
3. To open the Comments pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, P, P. You hear: “Comments pane.”
   If the Comments pane is already open, press Ctrl+F6 or Ctrl+Shift+F6 until you hear: "Comments pane."
4. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Comment card." Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move between comment cards, and the Left and Right arrow keys to move through the comments within each card. Your screen reader reads the comments as you land on them.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to add and format text in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to show your presentation with PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint