Use a screen reader to upload files to a document library in sharepoint online

Screen reader content

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 Microsoft Support home.

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Use SharePoint in Microsoft 365 with your keyboard and a screen reader to upload files to a document library, which is a great tool for sharing documents within your team or organization. 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.

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.

• To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.

• When you use SharePoint in Microsoft 365, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because SharePoint in Microsoft 365 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 SharePoint in Microsoft 365.

Use a screen reader to upload files to a document library in SharePoint in Microsoft 365

1. Sign in to your organization's Microsoft 365 account, start the SharePoint app, and then open your document library.

   Tip: Document libraries in SharePoint Online have two different views: classic and SharePoint in Microsoft 365 experience. For most people, SharePoint in Microsoft 365 experience is the default. However, if you hear "Check it out button" when navigating your document library, you're using the classic experience. To view SharePoint in Microsoft 365 document libraries, when you hear "Check it out button," press Enter. After the view of your document library changes to the SharePoint in Microsoft 365 experience and the focus moves from the Check it out button to the New link, you hear the name of your document library, followed by "New."

2. To move the focus to the Upload link, press the Tab key until you hear "Upload." Press Enter (or press Alt+U).

3. As the Add a document dialog box opens, in JAWS, you hear "Add a document dialog." To move the focus to the Browse button, press the Tab key until you hear "Choose a file button." Press Spacebar.

4. In the Choose File to Upload dialog box, do the following:

   • Press the Tab key until the focus is on the folders and files in the Choose File to Upload dialog box. You hear the name of one of the folders or files.

   • To move between and select folders and files, use the arrow keys. As you select each folder or file, you hear the folder's name.

   • When you hear the name of a folder you want to open, press Enter. Repeat this procedure until you find the folder that contains your file.

   Note: To go up a level in the folder hierarchy, press Backspace.

5. To insert your file from the currently selected folder, use one of the following two methods:

   • Keep selecting folders and files until you hear the name of your file. Then, press Enter.

   • If you know the name of the file you want to upload, press F6 until the focus is in the File name box and you hear "File name." Then, type the file name and press Enter.

6. In the Add a document dialog box, to move the focus to the OK button, press the Tab key until you hear "OK." Press Enter (or press Alt+O).

7. After the file has been uploaded to the document library, in JAWS, you hear "File uploading complete." In Narrator, you hear "Zero of one complete."

See also

Use a screen reader to check out or check in files in a document library in SharePoint Online

Use a screen reader to search for sites in SharePoint Online

Keyboard shortcuts in SharePoint Online

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate SharePoint Online

Accessibility features in SharePoint Online

Use SharePoint in Microsoft 365 with your keyboard and a screen reader to upload files to a document library, which is a great tool for sharing documents within your team or organization. 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.

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.

• To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.

• When you use SharePoint in Microsoft 365, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because SharePoint in Microsoft 365 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 SharePoint in Microsoft 365.

Upload files or folders to a document library

1. Open the SharePoint in Microsoft 365 document library where you want to upload the file.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Command bar," followed by the item currently in focus.

3. Press the Right or Left arrow key until you hear "Upload, menu item," and press Enter.

4. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the type of item you want to upload, for example, "Files." Press Enter to select.

   The WindowsOpen dialog box opens. If you selected to upload a folder, the Select Folder dialog box opens.

5. To select the file or folder to upload, do the following:

   • Press the Tab key until the focus is on the folders and files in the dialog box. You hear the name of one of the folders or files.

   • To move between and select folders and files, use the arrow keys. As you select each folder or file, you hear the name of the file or folder.

   • When you hear the name of a folder you want to open, press Enter. Repeat this procedure until you find the file or folder you want to upload.

   Note: To go up a level in the folder hierarchy, press Backspace.

6. If you are uploading a folder, in the Select Folder dialog box, press the Tab key until you hear "Select Folder," and press Enter.

   Otherwise, in the Open dialog box, to upload the file, press the Tab key until you hear: "Open." Press Enter (or press Alt+O).

   The file or folder is uploaded. With Narrator, when the upload is complete, you hear: "Uploaded."

See also

Use a screen reader to check out or check in files in a document library in SharePoint Online

Use a screen reader to add content and text to an accessible SharePoint page

Keyboard shortcuts in SharePoint Online

Basic tasks using a screen reader with SharePoint Online

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate SharePoint Online

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.

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