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Use a screen reader to work with tasks in To Do

This article is for people with visual or cognitive impairments 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 To Do with your keyboard and a screen reader to organize your day. 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. You'll learn how to add tasks, give them due dates and set reminders, and make them recurring if they are something you need to remember frequently. You can also assign tasks in a shared list to specific people.

Notes: 

In this topic

Create a task

Create a new to-do item in one of your lists.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Lists." You hear the name of the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in. Press Enter to open the list.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add a task in," followed by the name of the list.

  4. Type a name for your task, for example, Buy groceries, and then press Enter. With Narrator and NVDA, you hear: "Task added." With JAWS, there is no audio cue.

Complete a task

When you are done with a task, mark it as completed.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Lists." You hear the name of the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to mark as completed. Press Enter to open the list.

  3. To move to the task list content, press the Tab key until you hear "List options, button," and then press the Tab key once more. You hear "Task," followed by the first task name.

  4. Use the Down and Up arrow keys until you hear the task you want to mark as completed.

  5. Press the Tab key once. With Narrator, you hear: "Complete task, tickbox unchecked." With JAWS and NVDA, you hear: "Complete task, checkbox not checked." Press Enter to mark the task completed.

    A sound cue confirms that you completed the task.

Tips: 

  • To mark a completed task as incomplete, repeat the steps 1 to 4 above, and then press the Tab key once. With Narrator, you hear: "Complete task, tickbox checked." With JAWS and NVDA, you hear: "Complete task, checkbox checked." Press Enter to mark the task as incomplete.

  • By default, both completed and uncompleted tasks are shown on your lists. To help you organize your lists, you can hide completed tasks. For instructions, refer to section "Show or hide completed tasks" in Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

Open the detail view

The detail view lets you edit the task and add additional information, such as notes and reminders.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Lists." You hear the name of the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to review details for. Press Enter to open the list.

  3. To move to the task list content, press the Tab key until you hear "List options, button," and then press the Tab key once more. You hear "Task," followed by the first task name.

  4. Use the Down and Up arrow keys until you hear the task you want, and then press Enter. With Narrator and NVDA, you hear "Details for task," followed by the task name. With JAWS, you hear: "Dismiss detail view button."

Tip: To close the detail view, press Esc.

Add a task to My Day

To add a task from another list to the tasks you want to complete today, add it to the My Day list. The My Day list is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add task to My Day," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a task from My Day, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove task from My Day," and then press Enter.

Rename a task

Use the detail view to quickly rename a task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Task title," followed by the name of the task.

  3. To delete the previous name, press Ctrl+A to select the name, and then press Delete.

  4. Type a new name for the task. The name is automatically saved.

Add a reminder

Use reminders to make sure you don't forget to complete your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Remind me button," and then press Enter.

  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to browse the reminder options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date & time, use the Tab key and arrow keys to define the date and time, and then press Enter to select. To set the reminder, press the Tab key until you hear "Save," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a reminder, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove reminder," and then press Enter.

Add a due date

Add a due date to help you meet deadlines for your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add due date," and then press Enter.

  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to browse the due date options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date, use the Tab key and arrow keys to define the date, and then press Enter to select. To set the due date, press the Tab key until you hear "Save," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a due date, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove due date," and then press Enter.

Add a repeating due date

If you have tasks that need to be done on a regular basis, you can set a repeating due date for them.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

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

  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to browse the recurrence options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Custom. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Custom, first enter how many times you want the task to be repeated in a selected time. Then press the Tab key once and then the Down arrow key until you hear the recurrence frequency you want. To set the recurrence frequency, press the Tab key until you hear "Save," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a repeating due date, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Never repeat," and then press Enter.

Add a file

To provide more context for a task, you can attach a file to it. For example, if your task is Print application form, you can attach the document to the task.

Note:  To Do supports all file types, but file attachments are limited to 25 MB per task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add file," and then press Enter. The Windows Open dialog box opens.

  3. Navigate to and select the file you want to upload from your computer. To move between the areas in the dialog box, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. To move within an area, use the arrow keys. To select, press Enter or Spacebar.

    The file is added and the focus returns to the detail view.

Tip: To remove a file, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear the file you want to delete. Press Shift+F10 or the Windows Menu key, and then press the Down arrow key until you hear: "Delete file." Press Enter. To confirm deleting the file, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete," and then press Enter.

Add a note

Notes are useful if you need to add more information about the task and keep the task name itself short. For example, if your task is Buy groceries, you can put the shopping list inside a note.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Add note."

  3. Type the text of your note. The note is saved automatically.

Search for tasks

Use the search feature to quickly find a task in your lists.

  1. To search for a task, press Ctrl+F. The focus moves to the Search field.

  2. Start typing a search word. Narrator and NVDA announce the number of results as you type. With JAWS, there is no audio cue.

  3. To move to the search results list, press the Tab key until you hear "More options, button," and then press the Tab key once more.

  4. To navigate the search results list, use the Down and Up arrow keys.

  5. To open the detail view for the currently selected result, press Enter.

Delete a task

You can delete a task, when you, for example, no longer need to keep track of it.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Delete task," and then press Enter.

  3. To confirm the deletion, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete," and then press Enter.

Assign a task

Use the detail view to assign a task in a shared list to a specific list member. Tasks assigned to you appear in the Assigned to Me list, which is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

Tip: You can only assign the task to somebody who has joined the shared list containing the task. To learn how to share a list, refer to section "Share a list" in Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Assign to" or the person it's currently assigned to, and then press Enter. With Narrator and JAWS, you hear "List members," followed by the name of a person in the member list. With NVDA, you hear "Assign to," followed by the name of a person in the member list.

  3. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the person you want to assign the task to, and then press Enter.

Tip: To unassign a task, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove assignment," and then press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to move tasks between or within lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to add steps and set importance to a task in To Do

Use a screen reader to show flagged emails as tasks in To Do

Use a screen reader to work with suggestions in To Do

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate To Do

Use To Do with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader, to organize your day. You'll learn how to add tasks, give them due dates and set reminders, and make them recurring if they are something you need to remember frequently. You can also assign tasks in a shared list to specific people.

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

Create a task

Create a new task in one of your lists.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Entering lists table," and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the lists table.

  2. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Add a task."

  4. Type a name for your task, for example, Buy groceries.

  5. To finish creating the task, press Return.

Complete a task

When you are done with a task, mark it as completed.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Entering lists table," and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the lists table.

  2. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to mark as completed.

  3. To move to the task list content, press the Tab key until you hear "Entering tasks table," and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the tasks table.

  4. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the task you want to mark as completed, and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key. You hear: "Incomplete task."

  5. Press Control+Option+Spacebar to mark the task as completed. A sound cue confirms that you completed the task.

Tips: 

  • To mark a completed task as incomplete, repeat steps 1 to 3, press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the task you want to mark as incomplete, and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key. You hear: "Completed task." Press Control+Option+Spacebar to mark the task as incomplete.

  • By default, both completed and uncompleted tasks are shown on your lists. To help you organize your lists, you can hide completed tasks. For instructions, refer to section "Show or hide completed tasks" in Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

Open the detail view

The detail view lets you edit the task and add additional information, such as notes and reminders.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Entering lists table," and then press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the lists table.

  2. Press the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to review details for.

  3. To move to the task list content, press the Tab key until you hear: "Entering tasks table." The detail view opens.

  4. Press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key to open the tasks table, and then use the Down and Up arrow keys to browse the task list. The detail view shows the details for the currently selected task.

Tip: To close the detail view, press the Tab key until you hear "Dismiss detail view, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Add a task to My Day

To add a task from another list to the tasks you want to complete today, add it to the My Day list. The My Day list is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add to My Day, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Tip: To remove a task from My Day, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove task from My Day," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Add to My Day, button."

Rename a task

Use the detail view to quickly rename a task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear the name of the task, followed by "Contents selected, task title, edit text."

  3. Type a new name for the task, and then press Return.

Add a reminder

Use reminders to make sure you don't forget to complete your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Remind me, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  3. Press Control+Option+Up or Down arrow key to browse the reminder options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date & time, press the Tab key to browse to the reminder date and time you want. To type the date and time manually, press the Tab key until you hear the current date and time, followed by "Date and time area," and then enter the date and time. To set the reminder, press the Tab key until you hear "Save, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Tip: To remove a reminder, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove reminder," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Remind me, button."

Add a due date

Add a due date to help you meet deadlines for your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add due date, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  3. Press Control+Option+Up or Down arrow key to browse the due date options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date. Press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date, use the Tab key to browse to the date you want. To type the date manually, press the Tab key until you hear the current date, followed by "Date area," and then enter the date. To set the due date, press the Tab key until you hear "Save, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Tip: To remove a due date, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove due date," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Add due date, button."

Add a repeating due date

If you have tasks that need to be done on a regular basis, you can set a repeating due date for them.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Repeat, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  3. Press Control+Option+Up or Down arrow key to browse the recurrence options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Custom. Press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

  4. If you selected Custom, press the Tab key until you hear "Repeat interval," and then type how many times you want the due date to repeat in the specified time. Then press the Tab key once. You hear: "Repeat type." Use the Down or Up arrow key until you hear the repeat type you want, and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to select. To set the recurrence frequency, press the Tab key until you hear "Done, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Tip: To remove a repeating due date, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Clear recurrence," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Repeat, button."

Add a file

To provide more context for a task, you can attach a file to it. For example, if your task is Print application form, you can attach the document to the task.

Note:  To Do supports all file types, but file attachments are limited to 25 MB per task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add file, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. The file dialog box opens.

  3. Navigate to and select the file you want to upload from your computer. To move between the areas in the dialog box, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. To move within an area, use the arrow keys. To select, press Return or Control+Option+Spacebar.

    The file is added and the focus returns to the detail view.

Tip: To remove a file, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear the file you want to delete, and then press the Tab key again. You hear: "Delete file." Press Control+Option+Spacebar. To confirm deleting the file, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete file," and then press Return.

Add a note

Notes are useful if you need to add more information about the task and keep the task name itself short. For example, if your task is Buy groceries, you can put the shopping list inside a note.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Add a note."

  3. If your task already has an existing note text and you want to keep it, press the Left or Right arrow key once to move the focus to the beginning or end of the note. 

  4. Type the text of your note. The note is saved automatically.

Search for tasks

Use the search feature to quickly find a task in your lists.

  1. To search for a task, press Command+F. The focus moves to the Search field.

  2. Start typing a search word. Your screen reader announces the number of results as you type.

  3. To navigate to the search results list, press the Tab key until you hear "Entering results for," followed by your search text and the first search result.

  4. To enter the search results, press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key.

  5. To browse the search results, use the Down and Up arrow keys.

Delete a task

You can delete a task, when you, for example, no longer need to keep track of it.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Delete task, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  3. To confirm deleting the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete task," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Assign a task

Use the detail view to assign a task in a shared list to a specific list member. Tasks assigned to you appear in the Assigned to me list, which is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

Tip: You can only assign the task to somebody who has joined the shared list containing the task. To learn how to share a list, refer to section "Share a list" in Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Assign to, button," or the person it's currently assigned to, and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear the name of a person in the member list.

  4. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to browse the member list until you hear the name of the person you want to assign the task to. To assign the task, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Tip: To unassign a task, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove assignment, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Assign to, button."

See also

Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to move tasks between or within lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to add steps and set importance to a task in To Do

Use a screen reader to show flagged emails as tasks in To Do

Use a screen reader to work with suggestions in To Do

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate To Do

Use To Do for iOS with VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader, to organize your day. You'll learn how to add tasks, give them due dates and set reminders, and make them recurring if they are something you need to remember frequently. You can also assign tasks in a shared list to specific people.

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

Create a task

Create a new to-do item in one of your lists.

  1. Swipe left until you hear "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear "Add a task," and then double-tap the screen.

  4. Type a name for your task, for example, Buy groceries.

  5. After typing the task name, swipe left until you hear: "Return." Double-tap the screen to select. The task is added to your list.

Complete a task

When you are done with a task, mark it as completed.

  1. Swipe left until you hear "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to mark as completed. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear the task you want to mark as completed, and double-tap the screen to open the detail view.

  4. Swipe right until you hear "Complete." Double-tap the screen to complete the task.

Tips: 

  • To mark a completed task as incomplete, repeat the steps above until you hear "Selected completed to-do item," and then double-tap the screen.

  • Make sure the completed tasks are displayed in the list. To learn how to show or hide completed tasks in lists, refer to Show/hide completed tasks.

Open the detail view

The detail view lets you edit the task and add additional information, such as notes and reminders.

  1. Swipe left until you hear "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to view details for. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear the task you want, and double-tap the screen to open the detail view. You hear: "Details for task," followed by the name of the task.

Tip: To close the detail view, swipe left until you hear: "Dismiss detail view." Then double-tap the screen to select.

Add a task to My Day

To add a task from another list to the tasks you want to complete today, add it to the My Day list. The My Day list is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Add task to My Day," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a task from My Day, in the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Remove task from My Day," and then double-tap the screen.

Rename a task

Use the detail view to quickly rename a task.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Task title" followed by the name of the task, and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Delete the previous name using the keyboard, and then type the new one. The name is saved automatically.

Add a reminder

Use reminders to make sure you don't forget to complete your most important tasks.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Reminder," and then double-tap the screen. The Reminder menu opens.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the reminder options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Pick a date & time, swipe right and left to define the date and time, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the reminder, swipe right or left until you hear "Set," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a reminder, in the Reminder menu, swipe left until you hear "Remove," and then double-tap the screen. The reminder is removed and the menu is closed.

Add a due date

Add a due date to help you meet deadlines for your most important tasks.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Due date," and then double-tap the screen. The Due date menu opens.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the due date options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Pick a date, swipe right and left to define the date and time, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the due date, swipe right or left until you hear "Set," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a due date, in the Due date menu, swipe left until you hear "Remove," and then double-tap the screen. The due date is removed and the menu is closed.

Add a repeating due date

If you have tasks that need to be done on a regular basis, you can set a repeating due date for them.

Note: You must add a due date before you can set it to repeat.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Repeat," and then double-tap the screen. The Repeat menu opens.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the recurrence options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Custom. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Custom, swipe right and left to define the recurrence frequency, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the recurrence frequency, swipe right or left until you hear "Set," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a repeating due date, on the Repeat menu, swipe left until you hear "Remove," and then double-tap the screen. The repeating due date is removed and the menu is closed.

Add a file

To provide more context for a task, you can attach a file to it. For example, if your task is Print application form, you can attach the document to the task.

Note:  To Do supports all file types, but file attachments are limited to 25 MB per task.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Add a file," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Choose where you want to upload the file from. Swipe right or left to browse the options, and double-tap the screen to select.

  3. Navigate to and select the file you want to upload from your device. To browse the items, swipe right or left until you hear the item you want. To open a folder, double-tap the screen. When on the file you want, to upload it, double-tap the screen.

    The file is added and the focus returns to the detail view.

Add a note

Notes are useful if you need to add more information about a task and keep the task name itself short. For example, if your task is Buy groceries, you can put the shopping list inside a note.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Add a note," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Type the text of your note.

  3. To save the note, swipe left until you hear "Done," and then double-tap the screen.

Search for tasks

Use the search feature to quickly find a task in your lists.

  1. Swipe left until you hear "Sidebar," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear "Search," and then double-tap the screen. The focus moves to the Search text field.

  3. Start typing a search word using the on-screen keyboard. The search results are updated as you type.

  4. To navigate to the search results list, swipe right until you hear a result. To move in the search results list, swipe right or left. VoiceOver announces the task name, status, and due date as you land on each task.

  5. To open the detail view for the currently selected result, double-tap the screen.

Delete a task

You can delete a task, when you, for example, no longer need to keep track of it.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Delete" and the name of the task. Double-tap the screen to select.

  2. To confirm the deletion, swipe right until you hear "Delete task," and then double-tap the screen.

Assign a task

Use the detail view to assign a task in a shared list to a specific list member. Tasks assigned to you appear in the Assigned to Me list, which is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

Tip: You can only assign the task to somebody who has joined the shared list containing the task. To learn how to share a list, refer to Share a list.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Assign to" or the person it's currently assigned to, and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the person you want to assign the task to, and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Assigned."

Tip: To unassign a task, in the detail view for the task, swipe right until you hear the person it's currently assigned to, and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear "Remove," followed by the name of the currently assigned person, and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Assignment removed."

See also

Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to move tasks between or within lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to add steps and set importance to a task in To Do

Use a screen reader to show flagged emails as tasks in To Do

Use a screen reader to work with suggestions in To Do

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate To Do

Use To Do for Android with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, to organize your day. You'll learn how to add tasks, give them due dates and set reminders, and make them recurring if they are something you need to remember frequently. You can also assign tasks in a shared list to specific people.

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

Create a task

Create a new to-do item in one of your lists.

  1. Swipe right or left until you hear: "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear "Add a task" and then double-tap the screen.

  4. Type a name for your task, for example, Buy groceries.

  5. Swipe right until you hear "Add a task," and then double-tap the screen.

  6. Swipe down-then-left to close the keyboard.

Complete a task

When you are done with a task, mark it as completed.

  1. Swipe right or left until you hear: "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to mark as completed. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear the task you want to mark as completed.

  4. Swipe right once. You hear: "Incomplete task." Double-tap the screen to complete the task.

Tips: 

  • To mark a completed task as incomplete, navigate to the list named Tasks, and swipe right until you hear the task you want. Swipe right once. You hear: "Completed task." Double-tap the screen to mark the task incomplete.

  • Make sure the completed tasks are displayed in the list. To learn how to show or hide completed tasks in lists, refer to Show/hide completed tasks.

Open the detail view

The detail view lets you edit the task and add additional information, such as notes and reminders.

  1. Swipe right or left until you hear: "Sidebar." Double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want to view details for. Double-tap the screen to open the list.

  3. Swipe right until you hear the task you want, and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Details for task," followed by the name of the task.

Tip: To close the detail view, swipe right or left until you hear: "Dismiss detail view," and then double-tap the screen.

Add a task to My Day

To add a task from another list to the tasks you want to complete today, add it to the My Day list. The My Day list is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear "Add to My Day," and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Task added to My Day."

Tip: To remove a task from My Day, in the detail view for the task, swipe right or left until you hear "Added to My Day," and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Task removed from My Day."

Rename a task

Use the detail view to quickly rename a task.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear the name of the task, and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Delete the previous name using the keyboard, and then type the new name. The name is saved automatically.

Add a reminder

Use reminders to make sure you don't forget to complete your most important tasks.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear "Remind me," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the reminder options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Pick a date & time, swipe right and left to define the date and time, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the reminder, swipe right until you hear "Save," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a reminder, in the detail view for the task, swipe right or left until you hear "Remove reminder," and then double-tap the screen.

Add a due date

Add a due date to help you meet deadlines for your most important tasks.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear "Add due date," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the due date options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Pick a date, swipe right and left to define the date, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the due date, swipe right until you hear "Save," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a due date, in the detail view for the task, swipe right or left until you hear "Remove due date," and then double-tap the screen.

Add a repeating due date

If you have tasks that need to be done on a regular basis, you can set a repeating due date for them.

Note: You must add a due date before you can set it to repeat.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear "Repeat," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right and left to browse the recurrence options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Custom. Double-tap the screen to select.

  3. If you selected Custom, swipe right and left to define the recurrence frequency, and double-tap the screen to select. To set the recurrence frequency, swipe right until you hear "Save," and then double-tap the screen.

Tip: To remove a repeating due date, in the detail view for the task, swipe right or left until you hear "Remove recurrence," and then double-tap the screen.

Add a file

To provide more context for a task, you can attach a file to it. For example, if your task is Print application form, you can attach the document to the task.

Notes: 

  • To Do supports all file types, but file attachments are limited to 25 MB per task.

  • Make sure you allow To Do to access your photos, media, and files on your phone in the App permissions in Settings.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Add a file," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Choose where you want to upload the file from. Swipe right or left to browse the options, and double-tap the screen to select.

  3. Navigate to and select the file you want to upload from your device. To browse the items, swipe right or left until you hear the item you want. To open a folder, double-tap the screen. When on the file you want, to upload it, double-tap the screen.

    The file is added and the focus returns to the detail view.

Tip: To remove a file, in the detail view for the task, swipe right or left until you hear the file you want to delete. Swipe right until you hear: "Delete file," and then double-tap the screen. To confirm deleting the file, swipe right until you hear "Delete," and then double-tap the screen.

Add a note

Notes are useful if you need to add more information about the task and keep the task name itself short. For example, if your task is Buy groceries, you can put the shopping list inside a note.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right or left until you hear "Add a note," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Type the text of your note.

  3. Swipe right or left until you hear "Close and save," and then double-tap the screen.

Search for tasks

Use the search feature to quickly find a task in your lists.

  1. Swipe right or left until you hear "Sidebar," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. Swipe right until you hear "Enter search," and then double-tap the screen. The search menu opens, and the focus moves to the Search field.

  3. Start typing a search word using the on-screen keyboard. Your screen reader announces the number of results as you type.

  4. To navigate to the search results list, swipe right until you hear a result. You hear the position of the result in the list and the name of the result. To move in the search results list, swipe right or left.

  5. To open the detail view for the currently selected result, double-tap the screen.

Delete a task

You can delete a task, when you, for example, no longer need to keep track of it.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Delete task," and then double-tap the screen.

  2. To confirm the deletion, swipe right until you hear "Delete," and then double-tap the screen.

Assign a task

Use the detail view to assign a task in a shared list to a specific list member. Tasks assigned to you appear in the Assigned to Me list, which is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

Tip: You can only assign the task to somebody who has joined the shared list containing the task. To learn how to share a list, refer to Share a list.

  1. In the detail view for a task, swipe right until you hear "Assign to" or the person it's currently assigned to, and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Assignee picker open."

  2. Swipe right until you hear the person you want to assign the task to, and then double-tap the screen. You hear: "Assignee picker closed."

Tip: To unassign a task, in the detail view for the task, swipe right until you hear "Remove assignment," and then double-tap the screen.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to move tasks between or within lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to add steps and set importance to a task in To Do

Use a screen reader to show flagged emails as tasks in To Do

Use a screen reader to work with suggestions in To Do

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate To Do

Use To Do for the web with your keyboard and a screen reader to organize your day. 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 add tasks, give them due dates and set reminders, and make them recurring if they are something you need to remember frequently. You can also assign tasks in a shared list to specific people.

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.

  • To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft 365.

  • When you use To Do for the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because To Do for the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not To Do for the web.

In this topic

Create a task

Create a new task in one of your lists.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Lists," followed by the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in, and then press Enter to open the list. The focus is on the Add a task field.

  3. Type a name for your task, for example, Buy groceries, and then press Enter.

Complete a task

When you are done with a task, mark it as completed.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Lists," followed by the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list you want to create the task in, and then press Enter to open the list.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Task," followed by a task name.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the task you want to mark as completed.

  5. Press the Tab key once. You hear: "Mark as completed." Then press Enter to complete the task. A sound cue confirms that you completed the task, and the focus moves to the checkbox for the next task.

Tips: 

  • To mark a completed task as incomplete, repeat steps 1 to 3, and then press the Down arrow key until you hear "Completed task," followed by the task you want. Then press the Tab key once. You hear: "Mark as completed." Press Enter to mark the task as incomplete.

  • By default, both completed and uncompleted tasks are shown on your lists. To help you organize your lists, you can hide completed tasks. For instructions, go to Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

Open the detail view

The detail view lets you edit the task and add additional information, such as notes and reminders.

  1. Press the Tab key until you hear "Lists," followed by the currently selected list.

  2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the list containing the task you want, and then press Enter to open the list.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Task," followed by a task name.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the task you want to review details for, and then press the Tab key twice. You hear "Task," followed by the task name and then "Button."

  5. Press Enter. The detail view opens to the right.

Tip: To close the detail view, press Esc.

Add a task to My Day

To add a task from another list to the tasks you want to complete today, add it to the My Day list. The My Day list is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add to My Day," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a task from My Day, after opening the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove from My Day," and then press Enter.

Rename a task

Use the detail view to quickly rename a task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Rename task," and then press Enter.

  3. To delete the previous name, press Ctrl+A to select the name, and then press Delete.

  4. Type the new name, and then press Enter to finish renaming the task.

Add a reminder

Use reminders to make sure you don't forget to complete your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Remind me," and then press Enter.

  3. Press the Tab key to browse the reminder options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date & time. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date & time, use the Tab key and arrow keys to define the date and time, and then press Enter to select. To set the reminder, press the Tab key until you reach the Save button, and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a reminder, open the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove reminder," and then press Enter.

Add a due date

Add a due date to help you meet deadlines for your most important tasks.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add due date," and then press Enter.

  3. Press the Tab key to browse the due date options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Pick a date. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Pick a date, use the Tab key and arrow keys to define the date, and then press Enter to select. To set the due date, press the Tab key until you reach the Save button, and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a due date, open the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove due date," and then press Enter.

Add a repeating due date

If you have tasks that need to be done on a regular basis, you can set a repeating due date for them.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

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

  3. Press the Tab key to browse the recurrence options. You can choose from the predefined options, or choose Custom. Press Enter to select.

  4. If you selected Custom, first enter how many times you want the task to be repeated in a selected time. Then press the Tab key once and then the Down arrow key until you hear the recurrence frequency you want. To set the recurrence frequency, press the Tab key until you hear "Save," and then press Enter.

Tip: To remove a repeating due date, open the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove recurrence," and then press Enter.

Add a file

To provide more context for a task, you can attach a file to it. For example, if your task is Print application form, you can attach the document to the task.

Note:  To Do supports all file types, but file attachments are limited to 25 MB per task.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Add file," and then press Enter. The Windows Open dialog box opens.

  3. Navigate to and select the file you want to upload from your computer. To move between the areas in the dialog box, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. To move within an area, use the arrow keys. To select, press Enter.

    The file is added and the focus returns to your web browser.

Tip: To remove a file, open the detail view for the task, and then press the Tab key until you hear the file you want to delete. Press the Tab key again. You hear: "Delete file." Press Enter. To confirm deleting the file, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete file," and then press Enter.

Add a note

Notes are useful if you need to add more information about the task and keep the task name itself short. For example, if your task is Buy groceries, you can put the shopping list inside a note.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Write a note." 

  3. Type the text of your note. When you are done, press Shift+Tab to leave the text field. The note is saved automatically.

Search for tasks

Use the search feature to quickly find a task in your lists.

  1. To search for a task, press the Tab key until you hear "Enter search, button," and then press Enter.

  2. Start typing a search word using the on-screen keyboard. The search results are updated as you type.

  3. To navigate to the search results list, press the Tab key until you hear the first result. To move in the search results list, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab. As you move, your screen reader announces the following information for each search result:

    • Mark as completed checkbox status

    • Task name, followed by the list containing the task

    • Mark task as important checkbox status

  4. To open the detail view for the search result you want, press Enter when on the task name you want.

Delete a task

You can delete a task, when you, for example, no longer need to keep track of it.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Delete task," and then press Enter.

  3. To confirm the deletion, press the Tab key until you hear "Delete task," and then press Enter.

Assign a task

Use the detail view to assign a task in a shared list to a specific list member. Tasks assigned to you appear in the Assigned to me list, which is a default list that is already set up when you start working with To Do.

Tip: You can only assign the task to somebody who has joined the shared list containing the task. To learn how to share a list, refer to section "Share a list" in Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do.

  1. Open the details for a task as instructed in Open the detail view.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Assign to" or the person it's currently assigned to. Press Enter.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear the person you want to assign the task to, and then press Enter.

Tip: To unassign a task, in the detail view for the task, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove assignment," and then press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to move tasks between or within lists in To Do

Use a screen reader to add steps and set importance to a task in To Do

Use a screen reader to show flagged emails as tasks in To Do

Use a screen reader to work with suggestions in To Do

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate To Do

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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