Use a screen reader to add and update details to tasks in Microsoft Planner
Applies ToMicrosoft Planner

This article is for people who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Windows tools or features and Microsoft 365 products. This article is part of the Accessibility help & learning content set where you can find more accessibility information on our apps. For general help, visit Microsoft Support.

Use Microsoft Planner with your keyboard and a screen reader to add and update task details. We have tested it with Narrator, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll learn how to add comments or a checklist, flag tasks, or update task progress.

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 365.

  • When you use Planner, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because Planner runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts that work in your browser also work in Planner.

In this topic

Add a comment

Add a comment to a task to start a conversation with the person working on the task.

  1. Navigate to and open the task to which you want to add comments.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear: "New comment." The focus is in the Comments text field.

  3. Type your comment.

  4. Once you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "Send," and then press Enter.

Flag a task with labels

You can use labels to tag, organize, or group tasks.

  1. Navigate to and open the task you want to flag with labels.

  2. Press Shift+Tab until you hear the first unnamed label, for example, "Label two, editing."

    Tip: If you already have named labels in the task, proceed to step 4.

  3. Type the label name.

  4. Press the Tab key once. You hear "Unchecked," followed by the name of the label.

  5. To select and add the label, press Enter. You hear: "Checked."

Set and update task progress

  1. Navigate to and open the task whose progress you want to update.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Progress," followed by the current status of the task.

  3. To expand the status menu, press Alt+Down arrow key.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the status you want, and then press Enter. You hear the new status.

Add a checklist to a task

To stay on top of your to-do list, add a checklist to a task.

  1. Navigate to and open the task to which you want to add a checklist.

  2. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Add a checklist item."

  3. Type your text for the first item on your checklist, and then press Enter.

  4. A new empty checklist item row is created. Type the text for the following item, and press Enter. Repeat this step until you've added all your items to the checklist.

  5. To check items off of your checklist, press the Tab key until you hear "Unchecked," followed by the item, and then press Spacebar.

See also

Use a screen reader to group and filter tasks on a board in Microsoft Planner

Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Planner

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Planner

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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