Microsoft Accessibility
Features in Microsoft Teams for Employees with Disabilities
-
Visually Impaired
-
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
-
Mobility Impairments
-
Keyboard shortcuts
In this Topic:
- Screen Reader Tips
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Live Share with PowerPoint
- High Contrast Mode
- Zoom and Magnification
Screen Reader Tips:
How to Enable:
- Ensure the screen reader software (JAWS, NVDA, or Narrator) is installed and running. Teams will automatically work with it.
Usage Tips:
- Use the Tab key to navigate through the interface.
- Use keyboard shortcuts (listed below) for efficient navigation.
Keyboard Shortcuts:
Common Shortcuts:
Ctrl+E: Focus on the search bar.Ctrl+Shift+M: Mute/unmute the microphone.Ctrl+Shift+O: Turn the camera on/off.Ctrl+Shift+R: Start/stop recording.Ctrl+Shift+C: Start/stop captions.
How to Find More Shortcuts:
- Press
Ctrl+.(Control and Period) to open the list of available shortcuts.
Usage Tips:
- Sighted colleagues can hover over functions to find shortcuts and relay these to visually impaired users.
Live Share with PowerPoint:
How to Enable:
- Click on
Sharein the meeting controls. - Select
PowerPoint Liveand choose your presentation.
Usage Tips:
- Visually impaired users can follow along with PowerPoint presentations using their screen readers.
- The presenter can add alt text to images in PowerPoint to make the content more accessible.
High Contrast Mode:
How to Enable:
- Go to
Settings>General>Theme. - Select
High Contrastfrom the theme options.
Usage Tips:
- This mode improves visibility by using high-contrast colors, making interface elements easier to see.
Zoom and Magnification:
How to Use:
- Use built-in operating system features like Windows Magnifier (Windows key + Plus sign).
- Teams supports pinch-to-zoom on touchscreens and touchpads.
Usage Tips:
- Magnification helps users with low vision to read and interact with shared content more easily.
In this Topic:
- Live Captions and Subtitles
- Spotlight Sign Language Interpreters
- Notification Customization
Live Captions and Subtitles:
How to Enable:
- During a meeting, click on
More options(three dots). - Select
Turn on live captions.
Usage Tips:
- Live captions provide real-time transcription, ensuring users can follow the conversation.
- Available in multiple languages, helping non-native speakers as well.
Spotlight Sign Language Interpreters:
How to Enable:
- Right-click on the video feed of the interpreter.
- Select
Spotlight for everyone.
Usage Tips:
- Keeping the interpreter visible ensures deaf users can see the interpretation throughout the meeting.
Notification Customization:
How to Customize:
- Go to
Settings>Notifications. - Adjust the notification settings to include visual alerts.
Usage Tips:
- Visual alerts help users stay aware of messages and updates without relying on sound.
In this Topic:
- Voice Access
- Customizable Shortcuts
- Touch Accessibility
Voice Access:
How to Enable:
- Voice Access is a built-in feature in Windows 11 that allows users to control their PC and apps, including Microsoft Teams, using voice commands.
To turn on Voice Access:
- Go to
Settings>Accessibility>Speech. - Toggle on
Voice Access. - Follow the on-screen instructions to set up and train the voice model.
- You can also use the shortcut:
Windows key + Ctrl + Rto quickly start Voice Access.
Using Voice Access in Teams:
See All Commands:
- Once Voice Access is enabled, you can say “What can I say?” to see a full list of available voice commands.
Usage Tips:
- Clear Speech: Speak clearly for best results.
- Training: Spend some time training the voice model to improve accuracy.
- Practice: Familiarize yourself with the available commands to navigate efficiently.
Customizable Shortcuts:
How to Customize:
- While Voice Access can handle most tasks, you can also customize keyboard shortcuts using third-party software like AutoHotkey to suit individual needs.
Usage Tips:
- Tailor shortcuts to frequent tasks, such as muting the microphone or starting a meeting, to improve accessibility.
Touch Accessibility:
How to Enable:
- Teams is optimized for touchscreens by default.
Usage Tips:
- Users can interact with the app using touch or a stylus, making it easier for those with limited mobility to navigate and participate in meetings.
Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams
Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams on Windows helps them work more efficiently. For users with mobility or vision disabilities, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than a touchscreen and are an essential alternative to a mouse. This article itemizes the keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams on Windows using a PC keyboard.
Notes:
-
The shortcuts in this topic refer to the US keyboard layout. Keys for other layouts might not correspond exactly to the keys on a US keyboard.
-
A plus sign (+) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys at the same time.
-
A comma sign (,) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys in order.
-
You can easily access the keyboard shortcuts list from within Microsoft Teams.
In this topic
-
General
-
Navigation
-
Messaging
-
Meetings and calls
-
Activity feed
-
Debug
General
|
To do this |
In the Desktop app, press |
In the Web app, press |
|---|---|---|
|
Show keyboard shortcuts. |
Ctrl+Period (.) |
Ctrl+Period (.) |
|
Go to Search. |
Ctrl+E |
Ctrl+Alt+E |
|
Open filter. |
Ctrl+Shift+F |
Ctrl+Shift+F |
|
Start a new chat. |
Ctrl+N |
Left Alt+N |
|
Start a chat in a new window. |
Ctrl+Shift+N |
Alt+Shift+N |
|
Open Settings. |
Ctrl+Comma (,) |
Ctrl+Shift+Comma (,) |
|
Open Help. |
F1 |
Ctrl+F1 |
|
Close. |
Esc |
Esc |
|
Zoom in. |
Ctrl+Equals sign (=) |
No shortcut |
|
Zoom out. |
Ctrl+Minus sign (-) |
No shortcut |
|
Reset zoom level. |
Ctrl+0 |
No shortcut |
|
Open an existing chat in a new window. |
Cltrl+O |
No shortcut |
|
Report a problem. |
Cltrl+Alt+Shift+R |
No shortcut |
Show keyboard shortcuts
You can access the keyboard shortcuts directly from within the app in several ways. The methods below apply to both the Desktop and Web apps.
-
Press Ctrl+Period (.).
-
Select the Settings and more button in the upper-right corner of Microsoft Teams, and then select Keyboard shortcuts.
-
To navigate to the keyboard shortcuts with a screen reader, press the Tab key until you hear “Settings and more,” then press Enter. Press the Down arrow key until you hear “Keyboard shortcuts,” then press Enter.
Messaging
|
To do this |
In the Desktop app, press |
In the Web app, press |
|---|---|---|
|
Go to compose box. |
Ctrl+R |
Alt+Shift+R |
|
Expand compose box. |
Ctrl+Shift+X |
Ctrl+Shift+X |
|
Send a message. |
Ctrl+Enter |
Ctrl+Enter |
|
Attach a file. |
Alt+Shift+O |
No shortcut |
|
Start a new line. |
Shift+Enter |
Shift+Enter |
|
Paragraph style. |
Ctrl+Alt+P |
Ctrl+Alt+P |
|
Insert code. |
Ctrl+Alt+5 |
Ctrl+Alt+5 |
|
Mark a message as important. |
Ctrl+Shift+I |
Ctrl+Shift+I |
|
Jump to last read/latest message. |
Ctrl+J |
Alt+J |
|
Search current chat or channel messages. |
Ctrl+F |
Ctrl+F |
|
Insert link. |
Ctrl+K |
Ctrl+K |
|
Insert block quote. |
Ctrl+Alt+4 |
Ctrl+Alt+4 |
|
Pop Out Existing Chat/Channel. |
Ctrl+O |
No shortcut |
|
Apply the heading 1 style. |
Ctrl+Alt+1 |
Ctrl+Alt+1 |
|
Apply the heading 2 style. |
Ctrl+Alt+2 |
Ctrl+Alt+2 |
|
Apply the heading 3 style. |
Ctrl+Alt+3 |
Ctrl+Alt+3 |
|
Open 1st Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+1 |
Alt+1 |
|
Open 2nd Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+2 |
Alt+2 |
|
Open 3rd Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+3 |
Alt+3 |
|
Open 4th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+4 |
Alt+4 |
|
Open 5th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+5 |
Alt+5 |
|
Open 6th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+6 |
Alt+6 |
|
Open 7th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+7 |
Alt+7 |
|
Open 8th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+8 |
Alt+8 |
|
Open 9th Tab on Chat Pane header. |
Alt+9 |
Alt+9 |
|
Chat/Channel Details Pane. |
Alt+P |
Alt+P |
|
Reply to the latest/selected message. |
Alt+Shift+R |
Alt+R |
|
Edit last sent/selected message. |
Alt+Shift+E |
Alt+Shift+E |
|
React on the latest/selected message. |
Ctrl+Alt+R |
Ctrl+Alt+R |
|
See all unread chats. |
Ctrl+Alt+U |
Ctrl+Alt+U |
|
See all chats. |
Ctrl+Alt+C |
Ctrl+Alt+C |
|
See all meeting chats. |
Ctrl+Alt+M |
Ctrl+Alt+M |
|
See all muted chats. |
Ctrl+Alt+E |
Ctrl+Alt+E |
|
Record Video Clip. |
Alt+Shift+E |
Alt+Shift+E |
Meetings and calls
Note: To use the temporarily unmute shortcut, first go to Settings>Privacy and make sure Keyboard shortcut to unmute is switched on.
|
To do this |
In the Desktop app, press |
In the Web app, press |
|---|---|---|
|
Accept video call. |
Ctrl+Shift+A |
Alt+Shift+A |
|
Accept audio call. |
Ctrl+Shift+S |
Alt+Shift+S |
|
Decline call. |
Ctrl+Shift+D |
Ctrl+Shift+D |
|
Start audio call. |
Alt+Shift+A |
Alt+Shift+A |
|
Start video call. |
Alt+Shift+V |
Alt+Shift+V |
|
End audio call. |
Ctrl+Shift+H |
Ctrl+Shift+H |
|
End video call. |
Ctrl+Shift+H |
Ctrl+Shift+H |
|
Toggle mute. |
Win+Alt+K, or, Ctrl+Shift+M |
Win+Alt+K, or, Ctrl+Shift+M |
|
Temporarily unmute. |
Ctrl+Spacebar |
Ctrl+Spacebar |
|
Announce raised hands (screen reader). |
Ctrl+Shift+L |
Ctrl+Shift+L |
|
Raise or lower your hand. |
Ctrl+Shift+K |
Ctrl+Shift+K |
|
Toggle video. |
Ctrl+Shift+O |
No shortcut |
|
Decline screen share. |
Ctrl+Shift+D |
No shortcut |
|
Accept screen share. |
Ctrl+Shift+A |
No shortcut |
|
Admit people from lobby notification. |
Ctrl+Shift+Y |
No shortcut |
|
Schedule a meeting. |
Alt+Shift+N |
Alt+Shift+N |
|
Save or send meeting request. |
Ctrl+S |
Ctrl+S |
|
Join from meeting details. |
Alt+Shift+J |
Alt+Shift+J |
|
Go to suggested time. |
Alt+Shift+S |
Alt+Shift+S |
|
Join from meeting started toast. |
Ctrl+Shift+J |
No shortcut |
|
Open meeting chat. |
Ctrl+Shift+R |
No shortcut |
|
Zoom into shared content. |
Alt+Shift+Equal sign (-) |
Alt+Shift+Equal sign (-) |
|
Zoom out from shared content. |
Alt+Shift+Minus sign (-) |
Alt+Shift+Minus sign (-) |
|
Reset zoom for shared content. |
Alt+Shift+0 |
Alt+Shift+0 |
|
Pan shared content up. |
Alt+Shift+Up arrow key |
Alt+Shift+Up arrow key |
|
Pan shared content down. |
Alt+Shift+Down arrow key |
Alt+Shift+Down arrow key |
|
Pan shared content left. |
Alt+Shift+Left arrow key |
Alt+Shift+Left arrow key |
|
Pan shared content right. |
Alt+Shift+Right arrow key |
Alt+Shift+Right arrow key |
Activity feed
|
To do this |
In the Desktop app, press |
In the Web app, press |
|---|---|---|
|
Mark all as read. |
Ctrl+Alt+K |
Ctrl+Alt+K |
|
See all unread activity. |
Ctrl+Alt+U |
Ctrl+Alt+U |
|
Filter activity to missed calls. |
Ctrl+Alt+C |
Ctrl+Alt+C |
|
Filter activity to @ mentions. |
Ctrl+Alt+M |
Ctrl+Alt+M |
Note: Currently, Ctrl+Shift+F works in Activity to open the filter view.
Debug
|
To do this |
In the Desktop app, press |
In the Web app, press |
|---|---|---|
|
Download diagnostic logs. |
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+1 |
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+1 |
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