Use a screen reader to create a poll in Outlook
Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook.com Microsoft Forms Microsoft Forms Pro Outlook Mail for Windows 10

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.

Use Outlook with your keyboard and a screen reader to create and add a Microsoft Forms poll to an email message. We have tested it with Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers and browsers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll also learn how to check the poll results straight from your email.

Notes: 

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Create a poll

You can create a new poll straight from an Outlook email message.

  1. Sign in to your Microsoft Forms account as instructed in the section Open and sign in to Microsoft Forms in Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms.

  2. In the Outlook email message you're composing, press Alt+N, P, and then 1. The Poll pane opens.

  3. Press Spacebar. You hear: "Microsoft Forms, input your question." Type the poll question.

  4. To add the first answer option, press the Tab key once. You hear: "Please enter a name for this option, edit, option 1." Type the option text. To add the second answer option, press the Tab key until you hear "Please enter a name for this option, edit, option 2," and type the option.

  5. To add additional answer options, press the Tab key until you hear "Add option," press Enter, and type the option. Repeat this step for all additional answer options you want to add.

  6. If you want to allow the responders to select multiple answers, press the Tab key until you reach the Multiple answers button, and press Spacebar.

  7. When your poll is ready, press the Tab key until you hear "Next, button," and press Enter. The preview of the poll is displayed.

  8. To insert the poll into your email message, press the Tab key until you hear "Add to email," and press Enter. For the respondents within your organization the poll will be shown in the body of the email. The respondents outside your organization will get a link that directs them to vote in a browser.

  9. You can now add the respondents' email addresses, any additional message you have for them, and send the email.

    The poll question is automatically added as the subject of your message. Your email address is added to the Cc field.

    You will receive a copy of the email. Keep this email if you want to use Outlook to check the responses.

Check the responses

You can check the responses directly from Outlook. Alternatively, you can review the responses in Microsoft Forms. For instructions, go to Use a screen reader to check and share your form or quiz results in Microsoft Forms.

  1. Go to and open the copy of the email that you received after sending the email with the poll.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "View results," and press Spacebar.

  3. To read the results from the top of the message with Narrator, press the SR key+R. With JAWS and NVDA, press the SR key+Down arrow key.

  4. To refresh the results, press the Tab key until you reach the Refresh button, and press Spacebar.

See also

Use a screen reader to format your email text in Mail

Use a screen reader to check and share your form or quiz results in Microsoft Forms

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Forms

Use a screen reader to create a poll in Outlook for Mac

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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