Use a screen reader to create bulleted or numbered lists with Word

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This article is for people who use a screen reader program with the Office products and is part of the Office Accessibility content set. For more general help, see Office Support home.

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Use Word 2016 with your keyboard and Narrator, the built-in Windows screen reader, to create bulleted or numbered lists. You can also turn existing lines of text into a list, change the bullet style, and create nested lists.

Screen readers vary in their ability to describe the style of bullet or number used for a list. You may need to adjust your screen reader's verbosity settings. For example, JAWS can identify the ten most common bullet types.

Notes:

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?.
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Windows screen reader, Narrator. To learn more about using Narrator, go to Get started with Narrator.
This topic makes note of the JAWS functionality as well. To learn more about JAWS for Windows, go to JAWS for Windows Quick Start Guide.
This topic assumes that JAWS users have turned off the Virtual Ribbon Menu feature.
For keyboard shortcuts, go to Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word 2016 for Windows.
This topic assumes you are using this app with a PC. Some navigation and gestures might be different for a Windows phone or tablet.

Type a bulleted or numbered list

There are several options that let you type a bulleted or numbered list.

Type a bulleted or numbered list

In this method, you type the lines of text first and then make them into a list.
Type the lines of text for your list.
Select the items for the list.
For a bulleted list, press Alt+H, and then press U. For a numbered list, press Alt+H, and then press N.

In Narrator, you hear a description of the selected bullet or number style.
To stop creating the list, press the Down Arrow key to move to the next area of text.

Make a list by choosing a bullet or number style from the ribbon

In this method, you apply the bullet or number style first and then type the list items.
To type a bulleted list, press Alt+H and then press U to open the library of bullet styles. To type a numbered list, press Alt+H and then press N to open the library of number styles.
Press the Tab key to review the available styles, and then press Enter to select one.
Type the first item in the list. To continue the list, press Enter.
To stop creating the list, press the Down Arrow key to move to the next area of text.

Make a nested list within a list

You can create a list within a list, such as sub-bullets in a bulleted list or outline-style numbering in a numbered list.

To make a nested list

From an existing list, choose the item that will come before the nested list, and press Enter to create a new list item.
Go to the place in the list where you want the new list to start.

With the cursor at the start of the line for the new item, press the Tab key. Word 2016 automatically increases the indent for that item and makes it part of a nested list, or list within the surrounding list.

The bullet or numbering style for the new list item is based on the style of its parent. You can change these styles to any available bullet or number style. To learn how, see Change the bullet or number style.

Change the bullet or number style

If you want to change the style of existing bullets or numbers, you can choose any style from the bullet or number library.

Select the entire list.
Do one of the following:
- To select the Bulleting button and open the library, press Alt+H, U.
- To select the Numbering button and open the library, press Alt+H, N.
Press an arrow key to go through the available options, which can vary depending on what you've used most recently. To choose a style, press Enter.

Change the alignment of a list

To change a list's alignment with respect to the margin, use the Decrease Indent button and Increase Indent button.

Select the entire list
To decrease indent, or move the list closer to the margin , press Alt+H, and then press A, O.
To increase indent, or move the list farther away from the margin, and then press Alt+H, A, I.

In this topic

Type a bulleted or numbered list
Make a nested list within a list
Change the bullet or number style
Change the alignment of a list

Type a bulleted or numbered list

There are several options that let you type a bulleted or numbered list.

Create a bulleted list as you type

At the start of a new line, type * (asterisk), and then press Spacebar or Tab. A filled round bullet is automatically created.
Type any text that you want.
To create a new list item, press Enter.
To stop creating the list, press Enter and then Backspace.

Create a numbered list as you type

At the start of a new line, type 1. (the number 1 followed by a period), and then press Spacebar or Tab. A numbered bullet is automatically created.
Type any text you want.
To create a new list item, press Enter.
To stop creating the list, press Enter and then Backspace.

Make a list by choosing a bullet or number style on the ribbon

Place the cursor at the beginning of a new list.
To go to the Home tab, press F6 until you hear a tab name followed by "You are currently on a tab…inside a tab group." Then use the Right or Left arrow keys until you hear: "Home tab." Press Spacebar to select.
Do one of the following:
- To create a bulleted list and select a style, press Tab until you hear: "Bullets, menu button." To expand the menu, press Control+Option+Shift+M. To select a bullet style, press the Down arrow key, and then use the arrow keys to browse the styles. The styles are announced as you move.
- To create a numbered list and select a style, press Tab until you hear: "Numbering, menu button." To expand the menu, press Control+Option+Shift+M. To select a numbering style, press Down arrow key, and then use the arrow keys to browse the styles. The styles are announced as you move.
To select a style, press Spacebar.
The list is created and the focus moves to the document.

Make a nested list within a list

You can create a list within a list, such as sub-bullets in a bulleted list or outline-style numbering in a numbered list.

To make a nested list

In an existing list, go to the end of the item after which you want to start the nested list, and press Enter."
With the cursor at the start of the line for the new item, press Tab. Word automatically increases the indent for that item and makes it part of a nested list, or list within the surrounding list.

Note: The bullet or numbering style for the new list item is based on the style of its parent. You can change these styles to any available bullet or numbering style. To learn how, see Change the bullet or number style.

Change the bullet or number style

If you want to change the style of existing bullets or numbers, you can choose any style in the bullet or numbering library.

Select a list or nested list.

Tip: To select a piece of text, hold down Shift and move the cursor using the arrow keys.
To go to the Home tab, press F6 until you hear a tab name followed by "You are currently on a tab…inside a tab group." Then use the Right or Left arrow keys until you hear: "Home tab." Press Spacebar to select.
Do one of the following:
- To select a new Bullets style, press Tab until you hear: "Bullets, menu button." To expand the menu, press Control+Option+Shift+M. To browse the styles, press the Down arrow key, and then use the arrow keys to browse the styles.
- To select a new Numbering style, press Tab until you hear: "Numbering, menu button." To expand the menu, press Control+Option+Shift+M. To browse the styles, press the Down arrow key, and then use the arrow keys.
To select a style, press Spacebar.
The list style is changed and the focus moves to the document.

Change the alignment of a list

To change a list's alignment with respect to the margin, use the Decrease Indent button and Increase Indent button on the ribbon.

Select a list or nested list.
To go to the Home tab, press F6 until you hear a tab name followed by "You are currently on a tab…inside a tab group." Then use the Right or Left arrow keys until you hear: "Home tab." Press Spacebar to select.
Do one of the following:
- To decrease indent, or move the list closer to the margin, press Tab until you hear: "Decrease indent button."
- To increase indent, or move the list farther away from the margin, press Tab until you hear: "Increase indent button."
To select an option, press Spacebar.
To move the focus back to the document, press F6.

In this topic

Type a bulleted or numbered list
Make a nested list within a list
Change the bullet or number style
Change the alignment of a list

Type a bulleted or numbered list

There are several options for adding a bulleted or numbered list into your document.

Type a bulleted list

Type the first line of text for your list.
In your Word Mobile document, make sure you are in the writing area. Drag your finger until you hear: "Editable text, double tap to edit." Swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Lines." Swipe left or right to browse to the line of text you want to change into a bulleted list. Triple-tap the screen to select the line.
In your document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items."
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Bullets button. Double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "More Options button, collapsed, double-tap to expand." Double-tap the screen. The More Options menu expands. You hear: "Home, button collapsed."
In the menu, swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Bullets button, double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.
Swipe right to go through the available bullet styles: solid circle, hollow circle, solid square, 4 small diamonds, hollow arrow, or check-mark. You hear the bullet style description while swiping. Double-tap to select it.
To add a new bullet, swipe right until you hear: "More options button. Expanded. Double-tap to collapse." Double-tap to collapse More options. Tap on the keyboard and swipe right or left until you hear "Enter." Double-tap on the screen.
To stop creating the list, double-tap Enter twice.

Type a numbered list

Type the first line of text for your list.
In your Word Mobile document, make sure you are in the writing area. Drag your finger until you hear: "Editable text, double tap to edit." Swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Lines." Swipe left or right to browse to the line of text you want to change into a bulleted list. Triple-tap the screen to select the line.
In your document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items."
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Numbering button. Double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "More Options button, collapsed, double-tap to expand." Double-tap the screen. The More Options menu expands. You hear: "Home, button collapsed."
In the menu, swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Numbering button, double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.
Swipe right to go through the available numbering styles: 1. 2. 3., 1) 2) 3), I. II. III., A. B. C., a) b) c), a. b. c., or i. ii. iii. You hear the numbering style description while swiping. Double-tap to select it.
To add a new bullet, swipe right until you hear: "More options button. Expanded. Double-tap to collapse." Double-tap to collapse More options. Tap on the keyboard and swipe right or left until you hear "Enter." Double-tap on the screen.
To stop creating the list, double-tap Enter twice.

Make a nested list within a list

You can create a list within a list, such as sub-bullets in a bulleted list or outline-style numbering in a numbered list.

If you have an existing list, in your document, make sure you are in the writing area. Drag your finger until you hear: "Editable text, double tap to edit." Swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Lines." Swipe left or right to browse to the list item you want to change into a nested list. Triple-tap the screen to select the item.
In your Word Mobile document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items."
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Increase Indent button. Double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.

The item is now part of a nested list.
To go back to a higher list level, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items." Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "Decrease Indent button. Double-tap to activate." Double-tap the screen.

Change the bullet or number style

If you want to change the style of existing bullets or numbers, you can choose any style from the Bullet or Numbering library.

In your document, make sure you are in the writing area. Drag your finger until you hear: "Editable text, double tap to edit." Swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Lines." Swipe right or left to browse to a list item in the list level where you want to you to change its bullet or numbering style. Triple-tap the screen to select the item.
In your Word Mobile document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items."
Swipe right with one finger until you hear: "More Options button, collapsed, double-tap to expand." Double-tap the screen. The More Options menu expands. You hear: "Home, button collapsed."
Swipe right with one finger until Narrator announces that you have reached the Bullets or Numbering button. Then double-tap to open the library, and swipe right to select the new style.

You can combine a bulleted list with numbered nested lists, or vice versa.

Change the alignment of a list

To change a list's alignment with respect to the margin, use Decrease Indent and Increase Indent options.

In your document, make sure you are in the writing area. Drag your finger until you hear: "Editable text, double tap to edit." Swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Lines." Swipe right or left to browse to the list item where you want to change the alignment. Triple-tap the screen to select the item.
In your Word Mobile document, swipe up or down on the screen with one finger until you hear: "Items."
Swipe right with one finger until Narrator announces that you have reached the Increase Indent or Decrease Indent button. Then double-tap.

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