Learn how to navigate OneNote using accessible features

Office Accessibility Center > Accessibility support for OneNote

Windows Desktop Mac iOS Windows 10 Online

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Note: For the best accessibility experience when using a screen reader on Windows, please use the OneNote for Windows 10 app. OneNote for Windows 10 has been especially designed for people who use screen readers and magnifiers.

Windows offers many accessibility features in addition to screen readers and magnifiers. For example, Windows offers powerful High Contrast settings for color and contrast control.

To find out more about how to use the built-in accessibility features, see Set up your device to work with accessibility in Office 365. To learn how to use OneNote, see Use a screen reader to do basic tasks in OneNote.

In this topic

Get to know the OneNote layout
Navigate by using a keyboard
Special features for using OneNote
Technical support for customers with disabilities

Get to know the OneNote layout

Because OneNote is cloud-based, you can use the same notebook on all your devices. OneNote syncs the content automatically.

When you open OneNote, it opens on a the title of a notebook page. For example, the first time you open OneNote, you'll hear, "Title. OneNote: One place for all your notes."

OneNote for Windows offers three views: Normal view, Full page view, and Dock to Desktop view. Dock to Desktop is the same as Normal view, but docked to one side of your screen. For more information about Full page view, see Use full screen mode.

In Normal view. OneNote for Windows has a top bar that contains ribbon tabs. Like most Office products, each ribbon tab opens a ribbon of related commands. For a list of keyboard shortcuts you can use to open each ribbon tab, see Navigate by using a keyboard.

Below the top bar are two panes, a page pane and a navigation pane. below the bar. A page contains one or more content blocks where you can enter notes.

Navigate by using a keyboard

You can use OneNote 2016 with keyboard shortcuts. For details, refer to Keyboard shortcuts in OneNote 2016 for Windows.

To move between navigation panes, menus, and the content area, press F6.
To move within a content area, use the arrow keys.

Important: In the main content block of OneNote, don't use the Tab key to navigate. In that pane, pressing Tab makes the content indent.
To move between buttons and menu items, press Tab, and to activate them, press Spacebar.

The ribbon tabs in OneNote are File, Home, Insert, Draw, History, Review, View, and Learning Tools. Other special tabs, such as a Layout tab for tables, appear only when needed.

This table shows the shortcuts that open each ribbon tab:

To open this tab	Press
Home	Alt+H
Insert	Alt+N
Draw	Alt+D
History	Alt+S
Review	Alt+R
View	Alt+W
Learning tools	Y2

You can also use touch gestures to make navigating your notebooks easier. Refer to Touch gestures and keyboard shortcuts in OneNote for more information.

Special features for using OneNote

Use full screen mode

You can use OneNote for Windows 10's full screen mode to make the page view simpler. This makes it easier for you and your screen reader to navigate through a page.

To move to the main tab menu bar, on a OneNote for Windows 10 page, press Alt until you hear the currently selected tab.
On the main tab menu bar, press Tab until you hear: "Full screen modes, button collapsed," then press Enter. A submenu opens. You hear: "Full screen drawing button," and then press Enter.

You're now using the full screen mode. The focus is on the main content area.
To exit the full screen mode, press Alt. You hear the first item on the tool bar. Then press Tab until you hear: "Exit full screen drawing button." Then press Enter.

Change text size

You can change the size of text in title bars, menus, message boxes, palette titles, icons, and tool tips without adjusting your screen's resolution.

In any view, press the Windows logo key. You hear: "Start window, Search box, editing."
In the search box, type "Make text larger." You hear: "Make text and other items larger or smaller." Then press Enter. You hear: "Settings windows, Display one, custom."
In the Settings window, press Tab until you hear: "Advanced display settings hyperlink." Then press Enter. You hear: "Advanced display settings window."
Press Tab until you hear: "Advanced sizing or text and other items hyperlink." Then press Enter. You hear: "Display windows, Control panel home link."
Press Tab until you hear: "Desktop element, title bars, editable combo box, collapsed." To expand the combo box list, press Alt+Down arrow key. Press the Down and Up arrow keys to move on the list. When you hear an option you want to modify, press Enter.
Press Tab until you hear: "Font size, <current font size>." To expand the combo box list, press Alt+Down arrow key. Press the Down and Up arrow keys to move on the list. When you hear an option you want to modify, press Enter.
Press Tab until you hear: "Unchecked bold checkbox." If you want the text bolded, press Spacebar. You hear: "Checked."
Press Tab until you hear: "Apply button." Then press Enter.

Technical support for people 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.

OneNote for Mac on Office 365 offers accessibility features that enhance the extensive features that are built in to the Mac OSX. This topic gives an overview of those features, including tips on navigation by using just the keyboard.

Note: This topic assumes that you have turned on full-screen keyboard access and that you have VoiceOver turned on and are familiar with the VO command. (To use the VO command, press Control+Option.)

In this topic

Get to know the OneNote layout
Navigate in OneNote by using the keyboard
Technical support for customers with disabilities

Get to know the OneNote layout

When you open OneNote for Mac, the OneNote menu appears at the top of the screen, with its menu items added after the Apple menu. The name of your document appears centered below this menu. By default, the Quick Access Toolbar resides to the left of the screen. This toolbar contains commonly used commands, such as Undo, and Redo. The notifications and the sharing options icon are on the same line and on the right side of the screen. Below them is the Help Improve Office menu.

Under this line, you find a set of ribbon tabs, such as Insert and View. The ribbon sits below this row of tabs. When you select a tab, a tab-specific ribbon appears. Each ribbon includes commands organized in groups. For example, the Insert tab switches to a ribbon that lets you pick different items, such as tables or pictures, to insert into your document.

Navigate in OneNote by using the keyboard

To go to the location where you can open other notebooks or create a new one, press Command+O.
For a list of the open notebooks, press Control+G.
To search notebooks, press VO+F.

Navigate in a OneNote notebook

To switch between sections in a notebook, press Command + Shift + { or }
To switch between pages in a section, do the following:
1. To move the focus on list of page, press Command + Control + G.
2. To select the previous or next page in your section, press the Up arrow key or Down arrow key or Command + PageUp or PageDown key.
3. To go to the first page of the list, Option + Home. To go to the last page of the list, Option + End.

Note: For more help using OneNote with the keyboard, see Keyboard Shortcuts in OneNote 2016 for Mac.

Technical support for customers with disabilities

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

OneNote for iOS enhances the accessibility features that are built-in to iOS. These features can help people with disabilities use the app. For example, you can use the iOS screen reader, VoiceOver, or the Dictate tool to enter text.

For more information about accessibility settings and features that work in your device, refer to Set up your device to work with accessibility in Office 365. To learn how to use OneNote, see Use a screen reader to do basic tasks in OneNote.

Notes:

This support article refers to the OneNote Preview ("Beta") mode which is designed to provide an improved screen reader experience. To turn on the OneNote Preview mode, follow the instructions in Turn on OneNote Preview for Windows 10, Mac, or iPad. This experience will become the default OneNote experience in early 2017.
This topic assumes that you are using an iPhone. Some navigation and gestures might be different for an iPad.
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you could get new features faster, visit When do I get the newest features in Office 2016 for Office 365?.

In this topic

Get to know the OneNote for iOS layout

The OneNote for iOS app contains the following views: Main view, Sections list, Pages list, and the canvas.

The main view in the OneNote for iOS app contains a list of the OneNote notebooks that you have. You can also create new notebooks in this view. At the very top of the main view there is the settings button in the top left corner, a search field next to it in the middle, and a notifications button in the top right corner. Below the top row there is a link to Recent Notes, followed by the list of notebooks. At the bottom of the screen there is a button for adding a new notebook.

To go to a notebook page, you first navigate to a notebook in the main view, then to a notebook section in the Sections list, and then to a notebook page in the Pages list. When you open a notebook page in the Pages list, a canvas opens. Usually, the canvas contains a page title, a date, and one or more content blocks.

When you open the app for the first time, it opens in the main view. Next time, it opens in the view where you left it.

Navigate using touch

Here are some useful gestures for navigating the OneNote for iOS app using touch:

To navigate between the items on the screen, swipe right to go forward on the screen, or left to go back on the screen.
To select an item or an action, double-tap the screen.
To explore what's on the screen, place your finger on the screen and slowly drag it around. VoiceOver announces the items as you reach them. When you hear the name of the item you want to select, lift your finger and double-tap.
To edit, move, or delete a notebook, a section, or a page, first place focus on the item and then swipe up or down with one finger to go through the available actions.
To navigate around the canvas, swipe right or left with one finger. When you're editing a canvas item, double-tap the screen with two fingers to bring up the context menu.
To exit the search pane and dismiss the search mode, swipe a letter "z" with two fingers.

Technical support for people with disabilities

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

OneNote for Windows 10 has been especially designed for people who use screen readers or magnifiers. With its new look and feel, you can navigate through notebooks, sections, and pages more easily and effectively. With OneNote for Windows 10, you can create notes, lists, and more. You can also share your notebook or page via email, or use Notebook Presence to work together with your colleagues.

Notes:

The best accessibility experience in OneNote for Windows 10 is currently available in preview (beta). This topic assumes you are using OneNote in preview mode. For instructions on how to turn on the new design and features, please refer to Turn on OneNote Preview for Windows 10, Mac, or iPad.
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Windows screen reader Narrator. To learn more about using Narrator, refer to Get Started using a screen reader with OneNote.
Your work in OneNote for Windows 10 is automatically saved every few seconds as you work.
This topic assumes that JAWS users have the Virtual Ribbon Menu feature turned off.

Many accessibility features are built-in to your computer or device, such as the Narrator screen reader, Magnifier, and settings for high contrast colors. To learn how to work with these built-in features, refer to Set up your device to work with accessibility in Office 365. To learn how to use OneNote, see Use a screen reader to do basic tasks in OneNote.

In this topic

Get to know the OneNote for Windows 10 app layout
Navigate OneNote for Windows 10 by using a keyboard
Technical support for people with disabilities

Get to know the OneNote for Windows 10 app layout

When you open the OneNote app, you'll hear the title of the open Notebook page. If it's the first time you've used OneNote. you'll hear, "XXX". Otherwise, you'll hear the title of the last notebook you had open.

Press F6 to go to the top bar (you'll hear Home tab). The top bar contains the Navigation pane button and tabs for the ribbon (Home, Insert, Draw, and View). You'll also find other options, described in the next section.

Navigate OneNote for Windows 10 by using a keyboard

The primary navigation keys are F6 and the Tab key

When using a keyboard to move between navigation panes, menus, and the editing area, press F6.
To move between buttons and menu items, press Tab, and to activate them, press Enter.

Important: In the main content pane of OneNote, don't use the Tab key to navigate. In that pane, pressing Tab makes the content indent.

When you press F6, it stops at one of these places:

The ribbon tabs: Home, Insert, Draw, and View. When you go to the ribbon by pressing F6, you may hear 'Home tab, item'.

Each tab opens a ribbon of commands, such as page editing options. Note that Zoom commands are on the View tab.
The Notebook navigation pane (you may hear 'Recent Notes, button' or the name of one of your notebooks).

The navigation pane contains a list of notebooks, and offers you the ability to open or create more notebooks. You'll also find app settings and user account info.
The Search button (you may hear 'Search, button').

Type the text that you want to search for an press Enter.
The Section navigation pane (you may hear the name of one of your sections).

This shows a list of sections and contains the New Section button.
The Page navigation pane (you may hear the name of one of your pages).

You'll find a list of pages and New Page button here.
The Page Canvas (you may hear 'OneNote current page, content block') - this is where you can edit the page content.

Navigate by using keyboard shortcuts

For the full list of OneNote for Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts, refer to Keyboard shortcuts in OneNote for Windows 10.

Some useful keyboard shortcuts are listed in the table below:

To do this	Press
Open the notebook navigation pane	CTRL+G
Put focus on the current section in the list	CTRL+Shift+G
Put focus on the current page in the list	CTRL+Alt+G
Create a new section	CTRL+T
Create a new page	CTRL+N

Hide navigation pane

You can simplify your OneNote for Windows 10 view, and hide the navigation pane.

Navigate to the Full Screen Modes button as instructed in Use full screen mode and press Enter.
On the Full Screen Modes submenu, press the Down arrow key until you hear: "Off, Hide navigation button." Then press Enter.
To display the navigation pane again, move to the Full Screen Modes submenu and press the Down arrow key until you hear: "On, Hide navigation button." Then press Enter.

Use full screen mode

You can use OneNote for Windows 10 full screen mode to make the page view simpler. This makes it easier for you and your screen reader to navigate through a page.

To move to the main tab menu bar, on a OneNote for Windows 10 page, press Alt until you hear the currently selected tab.
On the main tab menu bar, press Tab until you hear: "Full screen modes, button collapsed," then press Enter. A submenu opens. You hear: "Full screen drawing button," and then press Enter.

You're now using the full screen mode. The focus is on the main content area.
To exit the full screen mode, press Alt. You hear the first item on the tool bar. Then press Tab until you hear: "Exit full screen drawing button." Then press Enter.

Change text size

You can change the size of text in title bars, menus, message boxes, palette titles, icons, and tool tips without adjusting your screen's resolution.

In any view, press the Windows logo key. You hear: "Start window, Search box, editing."
In the search box, type "Make text larger." You hear: "Make text and other items larger or smaller." Then press Enter. You hear: "Settings windows, Display one, custom."
In the Settings window, press Tab until you hear: "Advanced display settings hyperlink." Then press Enter. You hear: "Advanced display settings window."
Press Tab until you hear: "Advanced sizing or text and other items hyperlink." Then press Enter. You hear: "Display windows, Control panel home link."
Press Tab until you hear: "Desktop element, title bars, editable combo box, collapsed." To expand the combo box list, press Alt+Down arrow key. Press the Down and Up arrow keys to move on the list. When you hear an option you want to modify, press Enter.
Press Tab until you hear: "Font size, <current font size>." To expand the combo box list, press Alt+Down arrow key. Press the Down and Up arrow keys to move on the list. When you hear an option you want to modify, press Enter.
Press Tab until you hear: "Unchecked bold checkbox." If you want the text bolded, press Spacebar. You hear: "Checked."
Press Tab until you hear: "Apply button." Then press Enter.

Technical support for people with disabilities

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

OneNote Online runs in a browser, so you can use it from almost any device that can use a browser. Each device platform, such as Windows, Mac, iOS, and so on, offers built-in accessibility features that can make it easier to use OneNote. For example, you can use a screen reader, a magnifier, or a dictation tool.

To learn how to use the features in your device, see Set up your device to work with accessibility in Office 365. To learn how to use OneNote, see Use a screen reader to do basic tasks in OneNote.

Notes:

When you use OneNote Online, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your browser.
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you could get new features faster, visit When do I get the newest features in Office 2016 for Office 365?.

In this topic

Get to know the OneNote Online layout
Navigate OneNote Online by using the keyboard
Use Tell Me
Technical support for customers with disabilities

Get to know the OneNote Online layout

In a OneNote Online window, the Menu bar containing the tabs is at the top. Below the tabs there is a tools ribbon with different options depending on the currently selected tab. Below the ribbon, on the left side of the screen there is the pane area containing the Notebooks list, Sections list, and Pages list. The page editing area stretches from the middle of the screen all the way to the right edge.

The landmarks used in OneNote Online are:

List of Microsoft services
Menu bar
Notebooks list
Editing area (canvas).

Navigate OneNote Online by using the keyboard

You can navigate the landmarks in OneNote Online by pressing Ctrl+F6. Pressing F6 jumps back to the browser controls. Also, using common shortcut keys, such as F1 for Help, apply to the web browser, not OneNote Online.

To navigate in OneNote Online and to cycle through the screen elements, press the Tab key to go forward, or Shift+Tab to go backward. To select an item, press Enter. To browse within menus or lists, press the Up or Down arrow key, and to make a selection, press Enter. To exit a menu or a mode, press Esc.

To browse the sections and pages in a notebook, first select the items navigation mode in Narrator by pressing Caps Lock+Up arrow repeatedly until Narrator announces "items." Then press Ctrl+F6 until Narrator announces "Notebooks." Use Caps Lock+Right arrow key after that to cycle through the Sections list and the Pages list.

For more details on the keyboard shortcuts, read Keyboard shortcuts in OneNote Online.

Use Tell Me

To find a command quickly, use Tell Me. To learn more about the Tell Me feature, watch this video: Using Tell Me to get things done quickly with a screen reader and keyboard.

To use Tell Me to find a command, follow these steps:

Select the cell or range of cells where you want to perform an action.
Jump to the Tell Me edit field by pressing Alt+Q.
Type the command that you want. For example, type "bullets".
Use the Down Arrow key to browse through the results, press Enter to select one.

Technical support for customers with disabilities

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

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Thursday, July 6, 2017