This article is for people with visual impairments 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.
Use PowerPoint with your keyboard and a screen reader to add and read speaker notes in your PowerPoint presentation. We have tested it with Narrator and JAWS, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to use speaker notes to add reminders or talking points for the presenter, and use comments to give your colleagues feedback about their presentations.
Notes:
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
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To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
In this topic
Add speaker notes
Add speaker notes in your presentation to tell a story to your audience beyond the slide content. You can use the speaker notes as private reminders of the slide content, too.
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To display the Notes pane, in the Normal view, press Alt+W, P, N.
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On the slide where you want to add notes, press F6 until you hear: "Slide notes."
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Type your notes.
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To exit the Notes pane, press F6.
Read speaker notes
You can hear whether a slide has notes and listen to the notes.
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In the Normal view, press F6 until you hear, "Thumbnails."
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Press the Up or Down arrow keys until you hear the title or number of the slide and its position in the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: "Has notes."
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To display the Notes pane, press Alt+W, P, N.
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Press F6 until you hear "Slide notes" and then press the SR key+R to listen to the note.
Add a comment
You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, reviewing someone else's work.
If you want to comment on a specific piece of text or an object, select it first. To find out how to select in PowerPoint using keyboard shortcuts, refer to Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations.
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On a slide, in the Normal view, when you hear a piece of text or an object you want to comment on, press Alt+R, C. The Comments pane opens.
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Type your comment and press Enter to save it.
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To exit the Comments pane, press Esc.
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To close the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P.
Read comments
You can hear whether a slide has comments and listen to the comments.
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In the Normal view, press F6 until you hear, "Thumbnails."
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Press F6 and the Up or Down arrow keys until you hear the title or number of the slide and its position in the list of slides. If there are comments on the slide, you hear: "Has comments."
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To open the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P. You hear: "Comments on slide."
If the Comments pane is already open, press F6 or Shift+F6 until you hear: "Comments on slide."
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Press the SR key+Right or Left arrow key to move through the comments. Your screen reader reads the comments as you land on them.
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To close the Comments pane, press Alt+R, P, P.
See also
Use a screen reader to add and format text in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to save your presentation in PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365
Use PowerPoint for macOS with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader, to add and read speaker notes and comments in your presentation.
Notes:
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
-
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, go to VoiceOver Getting Started Guide.
In this topic
Add speaker notes
Add speaker notes in your presentation to tell a story to your audience beyond the slide content. You can use the speaker notes as private reminders of the slide content, too. You can add the speaker notes in the Normal view if you're adding only short notes, or on the Notes page if you're planning to write more notes per slide.
Add speaker notes in the Normal view
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On the slide where you want to add speaker notes, press F6 until you hear: " Notes pane, layout area."
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Type your speaker notes for the slide. When you're done, to move away from the Notes Pane, press F6.
Add speaker notes on a Notes page
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On the slide where you want to add speaker notes, in the Normal view, press Command+3. You hear: "Notes page, layout area."
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On the Notes page, press the Tab key until you hear: "Edit text, you're currently on a text area." Then type your speaker notes.
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To move to the notes on another slide, on the Notes page, press Option+Control+Shift+Up arrow key until you hear "Notes pane, layout area" and then press Option+Right or Left arrow key.
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To return to the Normal view, press Command+1.
Read speaker notes
You can listen to the notes on your headset and then deliver them verbally to your audience, or let VoiceOver read the notes out loud. You can listen to the speaker notes either in the Normal view or the Notes page when you're creating or editing your presentation. When you're delivering a slide show, you can use the Presenter view.
Read speaker notes in the Normal view
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On the slide, press F6 until you hear: "Notes pane, layout area."
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In the Notes Pane, press Control+Command+Right arrow key. You hear: "Edit text, insertion at beginning of text," followed by the speaker notes text.
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To move away from the Notes Pane, press F6.
Read speaker notes on a Notes page
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On a slide, press Command+3. You hear: "Notes page, layout area."
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On the Notes page, press the Tab key until you hear: "Edit text," followed by the notes text.
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To move to the notes on another slide, on the Notes page, press Option+Control+Shift+Up arrow key until you hear "Notes pane, layout area" and then press Option+Right or Left arrow key.
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To return to the Normal view, press Command+1.
Read speaker notes in the Presenter view
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To switch to the Presenter view, on a slide in the Normal view, press Option+Return. You hear: "Presenter view."
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In the Presenter view, press the Left or Right arrow key until you hear: "Notes pane, layout area."
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To read the notes text, in the Notes pane, press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow. You hear: "In edit text," followed by the notes text>. To stop reading, press the Left and Right arrow keys at the same time.
Add comments
You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, working together with others on a presentation or you're reviewing someone else's work.
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On the slide where you want to add comments, press F6 until you hear the name of the current tab on the ribbon. Then press the Left or Right arrow key until you hear "Review tab" and press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Press Review, selected, tab."
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On the Review tab, press the Tab key until you hear: "New comment button." Then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Edit text, you're currently on a text area." The focus moves to the comment pane in the margin.
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Type your comment. When you're done, to navigate away from the comment pane, press F6 until you hear the item or element you want to select.
Read comments
You can use VoiceOver to listen to others' comments and to check who's commented on your presentation and when.
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In the Normal view, on a slide, press F6 until you hear the current tab on the ribbon. Then press the Left or Right arrow key until you hear "Review tab" and press Control+Option+Spacebar. You hear: "Review tab."
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On the Review tab, press the Tab key until you hear: "Show comments menu button."
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To expand the Show Comments menu list, press Control+Option+Shift+M.
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In the menu list, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear either "Check mark, Comment pane" or "Comment pane." If you hear "Check mark, Comment pane," press Esc and proceed to the next step. If you hear "Comment pane," press Control+Option+Spacebar.
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On a slide, press F6 until you hear: "Comments tab, you're currently on ta tab inside of a task pane."
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On the Comments tab, press the Tab key until you hear: "Comment thread." The focus is now on the first comment of the thread. To read the comment, press the Tab key. VoiceOver announces the time when the comment was added and who wrote it.
To move to the next comment thread, press the Option+Control+Shift+Up arrow key. You hear: "Out of comment thread." Then press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the next thread.
See also
Use a screen reader to add and format text in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to save your presentation in PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365
Use PowerPoint with VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader for iOS, to add and read speaker notes in your presentation.
Notes:
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
-
For touch capabilities in PowerPoint, go to PowerPoint for iPhone touch guide.
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This topic assumes that you are using the built-in iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, visit Apple accessibility.
In this topic
Read speaker notes
When you open a presentation in PowerPoint, it opens in the Normal view where VoiceOver can read the speaker notes.
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To find out if a slide has speaker notes, swipe right until you reach the slide thumbnail pane. When you reach the thumbnail pane and the slide contains speaker notes, VoiceOver announces, for example: "Slide 1 of 8, <title of the slide>, has notes."
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To open the Notes text field, swipe left until you hear: "Notes button." Double-tap the screen.
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The Notes text field opens. To read the notes, swipe right until you hear: "Slide notes, text box, <speaker notes for the slide>."
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To close the Notes field, swipe left until you hear "Close, button," and double-tap the screen.
Add speaker notes
You can use speaker notes as private reminders of what to say when presenting your slides to the audience.
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On the slide where you want to add speaker notes, swipe right until you hear: "Notes, button." Then double-tap the screen. The Notes text field opens.
Note: If you hear "Notes" instead of "Notes button," the Notes text field is already opened in PowerPoint.
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To go to the text field, swipe right until you hear: "Slide notes, text box, text field."
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To start adding notes, double-tap the screen and type your notes using the on-screen keyboard. To go to the keyboard, swipe right until you hear: "Q."
Tip: You can also find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. VoiceOver announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, lift your finger and double-tap the screen.
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To close the keyboard when you're done, swipe right until you hear: "Hide keyboard." Then double-tap the screen.
See also
Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to show your presentation with PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365
Use PowerPoint for Android with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, to add and read speaker notes or comments in a presentation. With speaker notes, you can add reminders or talking points for the presenter. With comments, you can give your colleagues feedback about their presentations.
Notes:
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
-
For touch capabilities in PowerPoint for Android, go to PowerPoint for Android touch guide.
-
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Android screen reader, TalkBack. To learn more about using TalkBack, go to Android accessibility.
In this topic
Add speaker notes
You can use speaker notes as private reminders of what to say when presenting your slides to the audience.
-
On the slide where you want to add speaker notes, swipe left or right until you hear: "Notes, button." Then double-tap the screen. The Notes text field opens.
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To go to the text field, swipe right until you hear: "Slide notes."
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To start adding notes, double-tap the screen.
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Use the on-screen keyboard to type your notes.
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To close the text field when you're done, swipe down-then-left.
Read speaker notes
When you're browsing the list of slides in the Thumbnail view, TalkBack tells you if the slide has notes. You hear the number and title of the slide, followed by "has notes." To read the notes, you need to open the slide in the Editing view. When you're delivering a slide show, you can use the Presenter view to read your notes.
Read speaker notes in Editing view
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To open the slide with comments in the Editing view, double-tap the screen when on the slide. You hear: "Edit button."
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Double-tap the screen. The slide opens in the Editing view.
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Swipe left or right until you hear "Notes button," and then double-tap the screen.
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The Notes text field opens. To read the notes, swipe right until you hear "Slide notes," followed by the speaker notes for the slide.
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To close the Notes field, swipe left until you hear "Close, button," and then double-tap the screen.
Read speaker notes while delivering a slide show
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In the Thumbnail or Editing view, swipe left or right until you hear "Present button," and then double-tap the screen.
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Swipe right until you hear the slide you want, and then double-tap the screen.
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To read the notes, swipe left until you hear "Slide notes," followed by the notes for the slide.
Add comments
You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, working with others on a presentation or you're reviewing someone else's work.
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On the slide where you want to add comments, swipe left or right until you hear "New comment, button," and then double-tap the screen. The Comments text field opens.
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Use the on-screen keyboard to type your notes.
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To close the text field when you're done, swipe down-then-left.
Read comments
When you're browsing the list of slides in the Thumbnail view, TalkBack tells you if the slide has comments. You hear the number and title of the slide, followed by "has comments." To read the comments, you need to open the slide in the Editing view.
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To open the slide with comments in the Editing view, double-tap the screen when on the slide. You hear: "Edit button."
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Double-tap the screen. The slide opens in the Editing view.
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Swipe left until you hear "Not checked, More options switch," and then double-tap the screen. You hear "Tab menu," followed by the currently selected tab.
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To open the tab menu, double-tap the screen.
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Swipe right until you hear "Review tab," and then double-tap the screen.
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Swipe right until you hear "Previous button," and then double-tap the screen. The Comments pane opens.
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Keep swiping right to read all comments in the selected slide one by one.
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To close the Comments pane, swipe left or right until you hear "Close button," and then double-tap the screen.
See also
Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to insert and edit pictures and tables in PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365
Use PowerPoint Mobile with Narrator, the built-in Windows screen reader, to add and read speaker notes in a presentation as reminders or talking points for the presenter. You can also read comments your colleagues have given about the presentation.
Notes:
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
-
For touch capabilities in PowerPoint Mobile, go to PowerPoint Mobile for Windows 10 Touch Guide.
-
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
In this topic
Add speaker notes
You can use speaker notes as private reminders of what to say when presenting your slides to the audience.
-
While editing a slide in PowerPoint Mobile, swipe right until you hear "Notes," and then double-tap the screen. The Notes pane opens.
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To move to the Notes pane, swipe left until you hear "Slide notes," and then double-tap the screen.
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Use the on-screen keyboard to type your notes.
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To close the Notes pane when you're done, swipe left until you hear "Close," and then double-tap the screen.
Read speaker notes
You can listen to the notes that have been added to a slide.
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While editing a slide in PowerPoint Mobile, swipe right until you hear: "Notes," and then double-tap the screen. The Notes pane opens.
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To move to the Notes pane, swipe left until you hear "Slide notes," and then double-tap the screen.
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To read the notes, swipe down with three fingers.
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To close the Notes pane when you're done, swipe left until you hear "Close," and then double-tap the screen.
Read comments
You can read comments that others have left for you in the presentation. To add comments to the presentation, switch to the full desktop version of PowerPoint, or use PowerPoint for the web.
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While editing a slide, swipe right until you hear "More options," and then double-tap the screen.
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Swipe left until you hear "Tab selector," followed by the currently selected tab, for example, "Home."
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To open the tabs menu, double-tap the screen.
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Swipe right until you hear "Review," and then double-tap the screen.
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Swipe right until you hear "Next," and then double-tap the screen.
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Swipe left to read all comments in the selected slide one by one, starting from the latest comment.
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To close the Comments pane, swipe left or right until you hear "Close," and then double-tap the screen.
See also
Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to insert and edit pictures and tables in PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Use PowerPoint for the web with your keyboard and a screen reader to add and read speaker notes or comments in a presentation. We have tested it with Narrator and JAWS, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to use speaker notes, to add reminders or talking points for the presenter, and use comments to give your colleagues feedback about their presentations.
Notes:
-
If you use Narrator with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you have to turn off scan mode in order to edit documents, spreadsheets, or presentations with Office for the web. For more information, refer to Turn off virtual or browse mode in screen readers in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
-
New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.
-
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
-
When you use PowerPoint for the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because PowerPoint for the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you'll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not PowerPoint for the web.
In this topic
Add speaker notes
Add speaker notes in your presentation to tell a story to your audience beyond the slide content. You can use the speaker notes as private reminders of the slide content, too.
-
To display the Notes pane, in the Normal view, press Alt+Windows logo key, W, P, N.
-
On the slide where you want to add notes, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear: "Slide notes."
-
Type your notes.
-
To exit the Notes pane, press Ctrl+F6.
Read speaker notes
You can hear whether a slide has notes and listen to the notes.
-
In the Normal view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the number of a slide and its position in the list of slides.
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Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse through the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: "Has notes."
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To display the Notes pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, W, P, N.
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Press Ctrl+F6 until you hear "Slide notes" and then press the SR key+R to listen to the note.
Add comments
You can add comments on slides if you're, for example, reviewing someone else's work.
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On a slide, in the Normal view, when you hear a piece of text or an object you want to comment on, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, C1. The Comments pane opens. You hear: "@mention or start a conversation."
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Type your comment. You can press Enter to start a new line.
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To save the comment, press the Tab key until you hear "Post," and then press Enter.
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To exit the Comments pane, press Ctrl+F6.
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To close the Comments pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, P, P.
Read comments
You can hear whether a slide has comments and listen to the comments.
-
In the Normal view, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear the number of a slide and its position in the list of slides.
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Press the Up or Down arrow key to browse through the list of slides. If there are speaker notes on the slide, you hear: "Has comments."
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To open the Comments pane, press Alt+Windows logo key, R, P, P. You hear: "Comments pane."
If the Comments pane is already open, press Ctrl+F6 or Ctrl+Shift+F6 until you hear: "Comments pane."
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Press the Tab key until you hear: "Comment card." Use the Up and Down arrow keys to move between comment cards, and the Left and Right arrow keys to move through the comments within each card. Your screen reader reads the comments as you land on them.
See also
Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint
Use a screen reader to add and format text in PowerPoint
Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations
Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations
Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader
Technical support for customers 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.
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