This article is for people with visual or cognitive impairments who use a screen reader program such as Microsoft's Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with the 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 home or Fixes or workarounds for recent office issues.
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based hub for colleagues to work together. Use Microsoft Teams with your keyboard and a screen reader to explore and navigate the main views and elements, and to move between views and functions of the Teams app.
Need instructions on how to get started with Microsoft Teams, but not using a screen reader? See Sign in and get started with Teams.
Note
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft 365.
In this topic
Cycle through the main screen elements
Focus navigation
To cycle through the Microsoft Teams screen elements, press Ctrl+F6 to move between the different screen regions. The screen contains the following main elements:
- The main content area in the center of the screen. The main content area consists of a list pane and a content pane. For instructions on how navigate inside this element, go to Navigate inside a view.
- The vertical toolbar on the far left on the screen. The screen reader announces "App bar." To navigate inside the toolbar, press the Up or Down arrow key. The screen reader announces the buttons as you move. From the toolbar, you can switch to another view or to an installed app.
- The horizontal menu bar at the top of the screen, which contains the Back and Forward buttons, and the search field.
To cycle through the horizontal menu bar, the vertical toolbar, the list pane of the main content area, and finally the content pane of the main content area, press Ctrl+F6.
Virtual navigation
Note
In NVDA this is called the browse mode. In JAWS it is called the virtual cursor mode.
To cycle through the Microsoft Teams screen elements with JAWS, press R to move between the different screen regions. With NVDA, press D. The screen contains the following main elements:
- The main content area in the center of the screen. The main content area consists of a list pane and a content pane. For instructions on how navigate inside this element, go to Navigate inside a view.
- The vertical toolbar on the far left on the screen. The screen reader announces "App bar." To navigate inside the toolbar, press the Up or Down arrow key. The screen reader announces the buttons as you move. From the toolbar, you can switch to another view or to an installed app.
- The horizontal menu bar at the top of the screen, which contains the Back and Forward buttons, and the search field.
To cycle through the horizontal menu bar, the vertical toolbar, the list pane of the main content area, and finally the content pane of the main content area with JAWS, press R. With NVDA, press D.
Navigate to a view
Activity view
The Activity view contains activity feeds that contain a summary of everything that's happened in the team channels you follow or a summary of your recent activity.
Press Ctrl+1 to open the Activity view. The focus is on the listing option menu in the list pane.
Note
The number ‘1’ signifies the sequential position of the Activity app within the app bar. This position may vary depending on the individual setup.
Chat view
The Chat view lists your recent messages. You can browse the messages list, and open a message to write a reply, read a whole conversation, start a call, or share a file in a chat. You can also check a contact's details and start a private chat. Press Ctrl+2 to open the Chat view.
Note
The number ‘2’ signifies the sequential position of the Chat app within the app bar. This position may vary depending on the individual setup.
The Teams and Channels view. When you select this view, the list pane shows a hierarchical list of all teams you are a member of, and the channels created under each team. The most recently viewed channel is opened in the content pane. In this view you can join, create, or manage teams, add members to teams, or create and follow channels. For instructions on how to create and modify teams, go to Use a screen reader to create and modify teams in Microsoft Teams. For instructions on how to use channels, go to Use a screen reader to create or follow a channel in Microsoft Teams.
Note
By default, Teams will show chats and channels in the combined list view. To know more, go to Basic tasks using a screen reader in the new chats and channels experience.
Calendar view
The Calendar view lists your upcoming meetings. You can browse upcoming meetings, join an online meeting, or schedule a meeting.
Press Ctrl+3 to open the Calendar view. You hear "Calendar grid." The focus is on the Today section in the list pane.
Note
The number ‘3’ signifies the sequential position of the Calendar app within the app bar. This position may vary depending on the individual setup.
Calls view
In the Calls view, you can call your contacts directly from Microsoft Teams. You can also browse your call history and check your voice mail.
Press Ctrl+4 to open the Calls view.
Note
- The number ‘4’ signifies the sequential position of the Chat app within the app bar. This position may vary depending on the individual setup.
- The Calls feature is available in certain regions only.
Navigate inside a view
Each view contains a main content area in the center of the screen. This area has been divided into a list pane and a content pane. The contents of each pane depend on the selected view.
When you select a view, the focus moves to either the list pane or content pane as described in Navigate to a view. To navigate between the list and content panes, press the Tab key, Shift+Tab, or Ctrl+F6.
List pane
The list pane is on the left side of the main content area. You can browse and select items and display them in detail in the content pane on the right. For example, in the Chat view, select a chat in the list pane, and the entire chat is displayed in the content pane. Depending on the selected view, you can also schedule a meeting or join a team.
- To enter a list, press the Tab key or the Down arrow key until you hear the first item in the list.
- To browse the items in a list pane, press the Up or Down arrow key. The screen reader announces the item details or buttons as you move.
- To select an item in a list and display its details in the content pane, press Enter.
Content pane
The content pane is on the right side of the main content area. You can access the content of the item selected in the list pane. Depending on the selected view, you can also add channels and tabs, start a call, and type a message. The content pane also contains a tabs row on the top of the pane to organize the team assets, for example, to posts, shared files, or organizational info.
To navigate in the content pane:
Focus navigation
- Go to the Microsoft Teams channel window in which you want to navigate the page. To navigate to the tabs row, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear the currently selected tab, for example, "Posts." To move to another tab, press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear the tab you want to select, and then press Enter.
- To enter the content pane main area, press the Tab key until you hear the latest item in the area, such as the latest message in a conversation.
- To navigate inside a content pane, press the Tab key, or the Up or Down arrow key. The most recent content is in the bottom of the pane.
- To navigate inside a calendar in the content pane, press Ctrl+4 and then press the Tab key or Shift+Tab to move between the top tool bar, calendar options tool bar, and the calendar body. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate inside a day in a calendar and the Left and Right arrow keys to move between days.
Virtual navigation
Note
In NVDA this is called the browse mode. In JAWS it is called the virtual cursor mode.
Go to the Microsoft Teams channel window in which you want to navigate the page. To navigate to the tabs row with JAWS, press R or Shift+R until you hear the name of the team. Press the Up arrow key until you hear currently selected tab, for example, "Posts." With NVDA, press D or Shift+D instead. To move to another tab, press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear the tab you want to select, and then press Enter.
To enter the content pane main area with JAWS, press R until you hear the latest item in the area, such as the latest message in a conversation. With NVDA, press D instead.
To navigate between headings inside a content pane, press H or Shift+H. The most recent content is in the bottom of the pane.
A conversation is organized into the following heading levels:- Heading level 2: The name of the channel
- Heading level 3: Date separators within the conversation
- Heading level 4: The individual messages in this conversation
- Heading level 5: Replies to a message, or the reply field
To navigate inside a calendar in the content pane, press Ctrl+4 and then press the Tab key or Shift+Tab to move between the top tool bar, calendar options tool bar, and the calendar body. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate inside a day in a calendar and the Left and Right arrow keys to move between days.
Enable the JAWS virtual cursor
Recent versions of JAWS no longer have the virtual PC cursor mode set as default for Microsoft Teams. For more information on the JAWS virtual cursor, go to Use Microsoft Teams with the JAWS virtual cursor.
- With JAWS running, open Microsoft Teams.
- Press the SR key+6 to open the JAWS Settings Center window. The focus changes to the Search box in that window.
- In the Search box, type use virtual PC.
- Press the Tab key once to move the focus to the list of search results. You hear "Use virtual PC cursor," followed by the current setting of the virtual PC cursor option. If the current setting is "Unchecked," press Spacebar to select the Use virtual PC cursor check box.
- Press the Tab key until you hear "Ok button," and press Enter.
Customize the app bar
You can add your favorite apps to the app bar and use them inside Microsoft Teams. This way you can quickly work with, for example, OneNote without leaving Microsoft Teams and your conversations there. You can also unpin any of the default Microsoft Teams views from the app bar.
Add an app to the app bar
- Press Ctrl+F6 until you hear "App bar," press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "More added apps," and press Enter to open the menu. The focus moves to the search field.
- Start typing the name of the app you want to add, for example, OneNote. When you stop typing, you hear "Apps list updated," followed by the number of search results and the name of the currently selected app.
- Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse the search results. When you find the right app, press Enter to finish adding it to the app bar. You can now open the app within Microsoft Teams using the app bar.
Tip
If you later want to remove the app from the app bar, navigate to the app in the app bar and press Shift+F10. Then press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear "Uninstall," and press Enter. When the confirmation dialog box opens, press Enter again.
Unpin a default view from the app bar
If you find you seldom use some of the Microsoft Teams default views, such as Calls, you can unpin them from the app bar. The views are not deleted permanently, and you can pin them back whenever you want.
- Press Ctrl+F6 until you hear "App bar," and press the Up or Down arrow key until you find the view you want to unpin.
- Press Shift+F10 to open the menu. Use the Down arrow key until you hear "Unpin menu item." Press Enter.
Tip
If you later want to return the view to the app bar, first add the view as instructed in Add an app to the app bar. Then navigate to the app in the app bar, and press Shift+F10. You hear "Pin." Press Enter.
See also
Use a screen reader to chat in Microsoft Teams
Use a screen reader to search for a conversation, person, or file 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
What's new in Microsoft 365: Release notes for Current Channel
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.