Use a screen reader to save a document in Word

Use Word with your keyboard and a screen reader to save your documents locally or in a shared location, and save them in a different file format. 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.

Need instructions on how to save a Word document, but not using a screen reader? See Save your document to OneDrive in Word or Convert or save to PDF.

In this topic

• Save a document locally
• Add an online save location
• Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint
• Turn off AutoSave
• Turn on AutoSave
• Save a document as a PDF

Save a document locally

To save the changes you have made to a document, if AutoSave is not enabled, press Ctrl+S.

You can also rename the document, save it in another file format, or save it to another location.

1. To save the document with another name or in another location or file format, press Alt+F, A.
2. To select the save location, press the Tab key once, then press the Down arrow key until you hear the location you want.
3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Enter file name here," and type the name you want.
4. Press the Tab key. You hear: "Save as type Word document star dot docx."
5. If you want to change the file type, press Spacebar, and then press the Down arrow key until you hear the file type you want. To select, press Enter.
6. Press the Tab key until you hear "Save button," and then press Enter.

Add an online save location

OneDrive is available immediately when you start using Word, but you might need to add a SharePoint site manually before you can save there.

1. To add a save location, press Alt+F, A, A. With Narrator, you hear: “Saving features, selected, add a place.” With JAWS, you hear: “Add a Place tab.”
2. Press Y, 2 to select the SharePoint site option and then press Enter.
3. When prompted, type the email address you use with your SharePoint site, and then press Enter.
4. When prompted, type your password, and then press Enter.

The site is now available in the Save As dialog box in Word.

Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint

Before you can, for example, share a document via OneDrive or SharePoint, you need to save it to one of those locations.

1. Open the document you want to share.
2. To open the Save As menu, press Alt+F, A. You hear: “Save As.”
3. Press the Tab key to move to the Save As pane.
4. To move to a OneDrive or SharePoint site in the Save As list, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the site you want, and then press Enter. The focus changes to the folder list for the site you selected.
5. Browse to the folder location that you want and press Enter to open the Save As dialog box. The focus moves to the File Name field.
6. In the File Name field, type or edit the name of your document.
7. Press the Tab key until you hear "Save button," and then press Enter.

After your document has been saved to a shared location, you can invite others to work on it.

Turn off AutoSave

If you don't want to save your document automatically to OneDrive or SharePoint, press Alt+1.

Turn on AutoSave

To automatically save your document to OneDrive or SharePoint, turn on AutoSave.

1. Press Alt+1. You hear: "How do I turn on AutoSave."
2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the cloud location you want, and press Enter.
   If you hear a notification that a file with the same name already exists in the selected location, type a new name for the document, and press Enter.

Save a document as a PDF

Save your document as a PDF, so you can share it using multiple channels.

1. To open the Save As menu, press Alt+F, A. You hear: “Save As.”
2. Press the Tab key to move into the Save As pane.
   The dialog box suggests the same location where you have saved your Word documents previously, on your PC or in an online location. For instructions on how to change the location, refer to Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint.
3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Save as type, Word document, star dot docx," and then press Spacebar. A list of supported file types opens.
4. In the list, press the Down arrow key until you hear "PDF," and then press Spacebar. You hear: "Save as type, PDF."
5. Press the Tab key until you hear "Save button," and then press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to insert and change text in Word

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Word

Keyboard shortcuts in Word

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Word

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Word

What's new in Microsoft 365: Release notes for Current Channel

Use Word for the web with your keyboard a screen reader to download your document from OneDrive to your PC or rename a document. 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.

Need instructions on how to download a copy of a Word document to your device, but not using a screen reader? See Download a copy of a Word for the web document to my computer.

In this topic

• Download a copy of a document to your computer
• Save a document to another location
• Rename a document

Download a copy of a document to your computer

Word for the web automatically saves all your work to your OneDrive folder in the cloud. The changes you make in the copy of your Word for the web document on your computer won't affect the original version in OneDrive. You can download your document as a Word, PDF, or ODT file.

1. Open the Word for the web document you want to download.
   For instructions on how to open and sign in to Word for the web and how to open a document, refer to the sections "Open Word for the web and sign in" and "Open a recent document" in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Word.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To download a copy of the document in Word format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, C.
   • To download a copy of the document in PDF format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, P.
   • To download a copy of the document in ODT format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, T.

   You hear: "Dialog, Microsoft Word for the web." The focus is on the Download button.

3. Press Enter to select. The dialog box closes. You hear "Notification text. What do you want to do with," followed by the document name.

4. Press Alt+Windows logo key+N. You hear: "Open button."

5. Press the Tab key until you hear "Save button," and then press Enter. The file is downloaded to the Download folder on your computer.

Save a document to another location

1. In your document, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, A. The Save As dialog box opens.
2. The focus is placed on the Name field of the Save As dialog box. Type a new file name if needed.
3. Press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear “Save to another folder button,” and then press Spacebar to open the folder selection dialog box.
4. To select a new location to save the file to, press the Tab key until you hear the name of the folder you want, or “New folder.” When you hear the option you want, press Spacebar. If you selected “New folder,” type a name for the new folder, then press the Tab key until you hear "Create button," and then press Enter.
5. Press the Tab key until you hear “Save button,” and then press Spacebar to save the document.

Rename a document

1. In your document, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, R. The Rename dialog box opens. The focus is on the Name text field.
2. Type a new file name.
3. Press the Tab key until you hear “OK button,” and then press Spacebar to rename the file.

See also

Use a screen reader to insert and change text in Word

Use a screen reader to check spelling and grammar in Word

Keyboard shortcuts in Word

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Word

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Word

What's new in Microsoft 365: Release notes for Current Channel