Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

Cycle through the elements in the main view

Press F6 (forward) or Shift+F6 (backward) to cycle through the elements in the following order:

• The message list

• The status bar at the bottom of the screen

• The row of ribbon tabs at the top of the screen

• The navigation bar below the folder pane

• The folder pane on the left

Navigate the ribbon tabs

The row of ribbon tabs contains the main Outlook tools for sending and receiving email, tagging messages, and managing email folders.

• To move the focus to the row of ribbon tabs, press Alt. You hear “Ribbon tabs,” followed by the currently selected tab.

• To move between ribbon tabs, use the Left or Right arrow key, and press Enter to select a tab. The contents of the selected ribbon tab are displayed on the ribbon below the ribbon tabs.

• To move the focus to the ribbon, press the Tab key once. To navigate the ribbon, use the Tab key, Shift+Tab, or the Right or Left arrow keys.

Navigate the folder pane

The folder pane contains the available email folders. The most commonly used folders are contained in the Favorites folder. Each email account also has its own subfolders. When the focus changes to this pane, your screen reader reads the name of the currently active folder.

• To navigate the folder pane, press the Up or Down arrow key. You hear the folder names as they are highlighted.

• For the Favorites and account folders, you also hear whether the folder is collapsed or expanded. To collapse a folder, press the Left arrow key. To expand a folder, press the Right arrow key.

• To open a highlighted folder, press Enter. The folder’s contents are displayed in the message list.

• To navigate to the message list, press the Tab key.

Navigate the message list

The message list contains the contents of the currently active folder. Messages are grouped by date. When the focus changes to the messages list, you hear the name of the sender, the subject, date, and a short preview of the contents of the currently selected message.

• To navigate the message list, press the Up or Down arrow key. You hear the name of the sender, the subject, date, and a short preview of the contents of each message as the focus moves through the list.

• To open the selected message, press Enter.

Navigate the message window

The message window contains the full text and other information for an email message. The message window has its own ribbon tabs, and below them, a pane containing the message header, any attachments and message body. When the focus changes to the message window, you hear the message subject and format. The focus is placed to the beginning of the message body.

• To navigate the ribbon tabs, press Alt. You hear “Ribbon tabs,” followed by the currently selected tab.

• To move between ribbon tabs, press the Left or Right arrow key, and press Enter to select a tab.

• To read the message header information, press the Tab key until you hear the header field you want.

• To access any attachments in the message, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear "Attachments," followed by the name of the attachment you want. To open the context menu for the attachment, press Alt+Down arrow key. Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse the context menu and press Enter to select option.

• To close the message window and return to the message list, press Alt+F4 or Esc.

Navigate the status bar

The status bar contains visual information on the current Outlook status. When the focus changes to the status bar, you hear “Status bar,” followed by the currently active Outlook view.

• To cycle between the view options, press the Up or Down arrow key. You hear the currently highlighted option. Press Enter to select the view option.

Navigate the navigation bar 

The navigation bar below the folder pane contains buttons for switching between the Mail, Calendar, People, and Tasks views, and displaying additional navigation buttons. When the focus moves to the navigation bar, you hear "Navigation bar," followed by the currently active view.

• To navigate the navigation bar, press the Right or Left arrow key.

Use the Focused inbox

Focus on the emails that matter the most to you. By default, Outlook creates a Focused inbox and an Other inbox. Your most important emails are sorted into the Focused inbox while the rest remain easily accessible, but out of the way, in the Other inbox. 

1. Do one of the following:

   • To switch from the Focused inbox to the Other inbox, place the focus to the message list, press the Tab key until you hear "Other, button, off," and then press Enter.

   • To switch from the Other inbox to the Focused inbox, place the focus to the message list, press the Tab key until you hear “Focused button, off,” and then press Enter.

Navigate the File menu

In the File menu, you can set up new email accounts or automatic replies, print messages, or access your Microsoft 365 account information. To learn how to use the keyboard shortcuts in the File menu, refer to Keyboard shortcuts for the File menu in Microsoft 365 for Windows.

1. Press Alt+F to open the File menu.

2. To move between the menu tabs, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the one you want and then press the Tab key to cycle through the items in the tab.

3. To close the File menu and return to the main view, press Esc.

Navigate Outlook options

In the Outlook options window, you can change, for example, message format, arrival alerts, auto-saving, and tracking options.

1. Press Alt+F, T to open the Options window. The focus is on the options category pane on the left.

2. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the category you want. The contents of the focused category are displayed in the content pane on the right.

3. Press the Tab key to move between the different options in a category. Press Spacebar to clear or fill check boxes of the currently highlighted option. Press the Down arrow key to expand menus, press the Up or Down arrow key to browse the menus, and press Enter to select and option.

4. To close the Options window and return to the main view, do one of the following:

   • If you made changes and want to apply them, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter.

   • If you didn't make changes or don't want to apply the changes you made, press Esc.

Switch between Outlook Mail and Outlook Calendar

• To navigate to Outlook Calendar, press Ctrl+2.

• To navigate to Outlook Mail, press Ctrl+1.

The folder pane

The folder pane contains a list of your email folders. At the bottom of the pane, you can find the quick access toolbar with buttons for switching between Mail, Calendar, People, To-Do, and Notes.

• To move the focus to the folder pane, press F6 until you hear “Table, Inbox,” followed by the number of any unread messages.

• To navigate the list of folders, press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key, and then press the Down or Up arrow key. VoiceOver reads the name of each folder and, in the case of Inbox, the number of unread messages. The contents of the message list view change to display the messages in the selected folder as you move between folders.

• To exit the folder pane, press Control+Option+Shift+Up arrow key.

The toolbar

The toolbar above the messages list contains buttons for frequently used actions. It includes, for example, the Hide sidebar button for collapsing and expanding the folder pane, the New Message button for creating a new email, and buttons for deleting, moving, and flagging messages, and showing or hiding the task pane.

• To move the focus to the toolbar, press F6 until you hear "Hide sidebar button" or "Delete" button.

• To navigate inside the toolbar, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

Message list view

The message list view contains a list of the emails in the currently selected folder, with the most recent one at the top. You can open messages from the message list view. 

The message list view also contains a header just above the messages list. From the header, you can switch between Focused and Other inboxes and filter or sort your messages.

• To move the focus to the messages list, press F6 until you hear "Messages list, table," and the details of the first message in the list.

• To browse the messages, press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key and then press the Down or Up arrow key. VoiceOver reads the details of each email. Press Return to open the email currently in focus. The email opens in a separate window.

• To move the focus to the header, press the Tab key until you hear the selected inbox, for example, "Focused inbox selected."

• To navigate the header, press Control+Option+Right or Left arrow key.

To learn how to read, reply, and create emails, refer to Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook. For the instructions on how to switch between Focused and Other inboxes, refer to Switch between Focused and Other inboxes.

The quick access toolbar

The quick access toolbar contains buttons for switching between the Outlook Mail, Calendar, and People views and To-Do and Notes apps.

• To move the focus to the quick access toolbar, press F6 until you hear: "Mail, button."

• To move inside the toolbar, press Control+Option+Right or Left arrow key. To select, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

To learn how to use keyboard shortcuts to switch between the views, refer to Switch between views.

The top banner

The banner at the top of the screen contains the Search field, the What's new button, and the switch to change between the new and legacy Outlook.

• To move the focus to the top banner, press F6 until you hear: "Search text field."

• To navigate inside the top banner, press Control+Option+Right or Left arrow key, the Tab key, or Shift+Tab.

Navigate the app menu

The app menu is the main menu in Outlook for Mac. It is divided into several tabs, such as File, Home, Edit, Format, and Tools.

• To move the focus to the app menu, press Control+Option+M. You hear: "Menu bar, Apple."

• To navigate between the tabs in the menu, press Command+Option+Right or Left arrow key. To expand the tab currently in focus, press Command+Option+Spacebar.

• After expanding a tab, use the Down or Up arrow key to browse its options, and press Command+Option+Spacebar to select an option.

Navigate the messages list

1. To browse the messages list, swipe right. VoiceOver reads the name of the message sender, subject, date, and a short preview of the message contents.

2. Double-tap the screen to open the currently selected message in a separate window.

Use the Focused inbox

1. When viewing the inbox in the main view, the Focused inbox is active by default. To switch to the Other inbox, swipe left or right until you hear “Other inbox,” and double-tap the screen.

2. To return to the Focused inbox, swipe left or right until you hear “Focused inbox,” and double-tap the screen.

Navigate to email folders

The navigation pane contains a list of all the email accounts added to Outlook. In the navigation pane, you can also add a new email account and access the settings.

1. To open the navigation pane, tap near the top of the screen with four fingers. You hear your "Menu," followed by your username, and “Show navigation pane.” Double-tap the screen.

2. If you have added more than one account, swipe right until you hear the correct one and double-tap the screen to select it.

3. Swipe right until you hear the folder you want, and then double-tap the screen to close the navigation pane and open the selected folder in the main view.

Navigate to and inside the Outlook settings

1. To open the navigation pane, tap near the top of the screen with four fingers. You hear your "Menu," followed by your username, and “Show navigation pane.” Double-tap the screen.

2. Swipe right until you hear “Settings button,” and double-tap the screen to open the Settings window.

3. To move between the different settings, swipe left and right until you hear the one you want and double-tap the screen to select it. Some settings open in a separate window. If so, to return to the Settings window, swipe left until you hear “Back button,” and double-tap the screen.

4. To close the Settings window and return to the main view, swipe left until you hear “Close button,” and double-tap the screen.

Switch between Outlook Mail, Calendar, and Search

• To switch to your calendar, tap near the bottom of the screen with four fingers. You hear: "Tab bar, Calendar, tab." Double-tap the screen.

• To switch to your email, tap near the bottom of the screen with four fingers, swipe left until you hear “Email tab,” and double-tap the screen.

• To access Search, tap near the bottom of the screen with four fingers, swipe left until you hear "Search tab," and double-tap the screen.

Move between the Focused and Other inboxes

1. To switch from the Focused inbox to the Other inbox, swipe right or left until you hear "Toggle to Other mail, switch," and double-tap the screen. You hear: "Focused inbox is off, showing Other mail."

2. When you want to switch back to the Focused inbox, swipe right or left until you hear "Toggle to Focused inbox, switch," and double-tap the screen.

Navigate to mail folders and accounts

1. To open the navigation drawer, swipe right or left until you hear "Open navigation drawer, button," and double-tap the screen.

2. Swipe right or left to move between your mail accounts and folders in each account. To select, double-tap the screen.

3. To close the navigation drawer and return to the Inbox, swipe down-then-left.

Navigate to the app settings

1. To open the Settings menu, swipe right or left until you hear "Open navigation drawer, button," and double-tap the screen.

2. Swipe right until you hear "Settings," and double-tap the screen. 

3. To close the Settings menu and return to the Inbox, swipe down-then-left.

Navigate the messages list

The messages list contains your emails.

• To browse the currently displayed messages in the list, swipe right or left.

• To scroll the message list to display more messages, swipe up or down with two fingers.

To learn how to read and create emails, refer to Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook.

Horizontal title banner

The horizontal title banner is at the top of the screen below the URL address field. It contains the App Launcher, Search field, and a selection of buttons, for example, Meet Now, Chat, and My Day. You can also access your notifications, account info, and the app settings from the banner.

• To move the focus to the title banner, press Shift+Ctrl+F6 until you hear: "Banner, Search, landmark."

• To navigate the banner, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

Navigation pane

The navigation pane on the left of the screen contains the New message button for creating a new email and the button for hiding and showing the navigation pane at the top and a list of email folders and groups below them.

• To move the focus to the navigation pane, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear: "Navigation pane, region landmark."

• To move between the buttons at the top of the navigation pane, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

• To browse the list of folders and groups, press the Tab key until you hear "Favorites," and then use the Down or Up arrow key.

Vertical app banner

To the right of the navigation pane, you'll find the vertical app banner. It contains quick access buttons for switching between the Mail, Calendar, People, and Files views, and the To-Do and other Microsoft 365 apps such as Word for the web and PowerPoint for the web.

• To move the focus to the app banner, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab until you hear: "Navigation pane, region landmark," and then press Shift+Tab once. You hear: "Mail, button."

• To navigate the app banner, use the Down or Up arrow key.

The command toolbar 

The command toolbar displays options related to the selected item in the navigation pane or in the message list.

• To move the focus to the toolbar, press Ctrl+F6 or Shift+Ctrl+F6 until you hear: "Command toolbar, region landmark."

• To navigate the toolbar, press the Tab key once, and then use the Right, Left, Up, or Down arrow key.

Message list view

The message list contains the list of the messages in the selected folder. It also contains the quick access buttons for switching between the Focused and Other inboxes, and for filtering your messages.

• To move the focus to the message list, press Ctrl+F6 or Shift+Ctrl+F6 until you hear: "Message list, region landmark."

• To navigate buttons and controls above the list of messages, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab.

• To browse the list of messages, press the Tab key until you hear the details of the message currently in focus. Then, with JAWS and NVDA, use the Down and Up arrow keys. With Narrator, use the SR key+Left and Right arrow keys.

To learn how to read and create emails, refer to Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook.