Turn on transcriptions and captions

When you use captions or transcriptions, people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have a learning disability like dyslexia, for example, can follow the meeting audio as text. It is also possible to capture the text version of a Microsoft Teams call and save it for later use.

Spotlight a video

If you’re a meeting organizer or presenter, you can spotlight someone’s video to pin it for everyone in the meeting. For example, you can spotlight a sign language interpreter’s video so that participants with a hearing disability can easily access and focus on the interpreter’s video.

Reduce distractions

Reducing distractions in meetings, live events, and calls can help everyone focus on the person who is speaking or the material that is being shared.

For example, if you’re presenting, you can blur your background or use a steady image to make the background less prominent or busy. 

Similarly, when your mic is turned on in a meeting or call, background noise around you—shuffling papers, slamming doors, barking dogs, and so on—can distract others. In Microsoft Teams for Windows desktop, you can choose from three levels of noise suppression to help everyone concentrate on what’s going on in the meeting or call.

Record meetings 

Record the meeting so the participants can revisit the points discussed in their own time and review what they might have missed the first time. It is also possible to watch recordings at slower and faster speeds. The recordings are indexed so the participants can go over specific segments based on slide transitions.

Add a message subject to a channel message

Adding a descriptive subject to your channel messages can help screen reader users to scan and navigate posts in a channel and get an overview of the content in your messages.

1. In the expanded message compose box, place the cursor in the Add a subject text field, and then type a subject for your message.

Create accessible headings

Using descriptive headings in your channel and chat message bodies can help your readers to quickly scan your message, both visually and with assistive technology and get an overview of what your message is all about.

Ideally, headings explain what a section in your message is about. Use the built-in heading styles and create descriptive heading texts to make it easier for screen reader users to determine the structure of the message and navigate the headings.

Organize headings in the prescribed logical order and do not skip heading levels. For example, use Heading 1, Heading 2, and then Heading 3, rather than Heading 3, Heading 1, and then Heading 2. Organize the information into small chunks. Ideally, each heading would include only a few paragraphs.

1. In the expanded message compose box, place the cursor where you want to create a heading.

2. Select the drop-down list for styles (Rich styles), and then select the heading style you want.

Avoid using tables

In general, avoid tables if possible and present the data another way, like paragraphs with headings. Tables with fixed width might prove difficult to read for people who use Magnifier, because such tables force the content to a specific size. This makes the font very small, which forces Magnifier users to scroll horizontally, especially on mobile devices.

If you have to use tables, use the following guidelines to make sure your table is as accessible as possible:

• Avoid fixed width tables.

• If you have hyperlinks in your table, edit the link texts, so they make sense and don’t break mid-sentence.

• Make sure the tables are easily read with Magnifier. View your message on a mobile device to make sure people won’t need to horizontally scroll it on a phone, for example.

Add alt text to visuals in chat messages

Alt text helps people who can’t see the screen to understand what’s important in visual content. In alt text, briefly describe the image and mention its intent. Screen readers read the text to describe the image to users who can’t see the image.

Avoid using text in images as the sole method of conveying important information. If you must use an image with text in it, repeat that text in the message content. In alt text, mention the existence of the text and its intent.

If an image is purely decorative, mention that in the alt text.

Tip: To write a good alt text, make sure to convey the content and the purpose of the image in a concise and unambiguous manner. The alt text shouldn’t be longer than a short sentence or two—most of the time a few thoughtfully selected words will do. Do not repeat the surrounding textual content as alt text or use phrases referring to images, such as, “a graphic of” or “an image of.” 

1. Paste the image into your chat message.

   Note: Currently, it’s not possible to add alt text to attached images or images in channel messages.

2. Right-click the image, and then select Add alt text. The Alt text dialog box opens.

3. Type the alt text for the image.

4. Select Save.

Use accessible font size and color and inclusive text formatting

An accessible font and text formatting don’t exclude or slow down the reading speed of anyone reading the content in a message, including people with low vision, reading disability, or people who are blind. The right font and formatting improve the legibility and readability of the message. The text in your message should also be readable in a high contrast mode.

Here are some ideas to consider:

• To ensure that text displays well in a high contrast mode, use the Automatic setting for font colors.

• Avoid using all capital letters and excessive italics or underlines.

• A person with a vision disability might miss out on the meaning conveyed by particular colors. For example, add an underline to color-coded hyperlink text so that people who are colorblind know that the text is linked even if they can’t see the color.

• From the three font sizes available in the Microsoft Teams messages, select Large.

Create accessible hyperlinks

People who use screen readers sometimes scan a list of links. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. If the title on the hyperlink’s destination page gives an accurate summary of what’s on the page, use it for the hyperlink text. For example, this hyperlink text matches the title on the destination page: Create more with Microsoft templates. Avoid using link texts such as “Click here,” “See this page,” Go here,” or “Learn more.”

Create accessible lists

To make it easier for screen readers to read your Microsoft Teams messages, organize the information into small chunks such as bulleted or numbered lists.

Design lists so that you do not need to add a plain paragraph without a bullet or number to the middle of a list. If your list is broken up by a plain paragraph, some screen readers might announce the number of list items wrong. Also, the user might hear in the middle of the list that they are leaving the list.

1. In the expanded message compose box, place the cursor where you want to create a list.

2. To create a bulleted or numbered list, select   (Bulleted list) or   (Numbered list).

3. Type your list items.

Choose your emojis, emoticons, and GIFs carefully

If you use emojis, emoticons, or GIFs in your messages, select them carefully and keep your audience in mind. Use emojis, emoticons, or GIFs occasionally for emphasis instead of trying to communicate your whole message with them. 

Preferably, use emojis or emoticons that do not move instead of those that move continuously. Use with caution the ones that move for a brief period. While these moving symbols might be entertaining for some, others might find them distractive, and therefore they might have difficulties focusing on your message.

Some of your readers might be using screen readers or other assistive technologies, magnification, zoom, or a different color scheme on their computer such as a high contrast mode. To make sure the emojis, emoticons, or GIFs are inclusive, do the following:

• Test what the emojis and emoticons look like when magnified, for example, to 200%.

• Make sure that there is alt text. Add alt text if possible or describe the emoji, emoticon, or GIF within the message body.

• If you’re using emojis, emoticons, or GIFs in place of text, select the ones that have good color contrast.

Use common symbols whose meaning your readers are likely to be familiar with. For example, an avocado emoji to reference healthy eating might not be understood by everyone reading your message.

For people with cognitive disabilities, novelty or unusual emoticons, emojis, and GIFs can make your message more difficult to understand. For example, some people might be unable to decode an emoticon that is sideways.

Test accessibility with Immersive Reader 

Once you’ve posted your message, try reading it with Immersive Reader to check how it sounds like. If you notice any issues with accessibility, you can edit the message and then repost it.

General

Navigation

Note: If you’re using the default app bar configuration in the Microsoft Teams desktop app, use the commands in the table below. If you’ve changed the order of your apps or added additional apps, the command depends on the app’s sequential order on the app bar. For example, if you’ve moved Calendar to the top of the app bar, press Ctrl+1 to open it, not Ctrl+4.

Messaging

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.

Activity feed

Note: Currently, Ctrl+Shift+F works in Activity to open the filter view.

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