Use a screen reader to insert and edit pictures and tables in PowerPoint
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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 PowerPoint with your keyboard and a screen reader to make your presentation engaging by adding pictures, tables, or graphics to your slide shows. We have tested it with Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques. You'll also learn how to edit the added content, for example, crop pictures, move tables, and add or remove table rows and columns.

Notes: 

In this topic

Add pictures from your device, network, or the internet

When using pictures, clip art, or other files from the internet, it's important to respect copyright. The Filter images by license type can help you choose which files to use.

Add a picture from your device or network

  1. Navigate to the slide content area where you want to insert a picture.

  2. Press Alt+N, P, and then D. You hear: "Insert Picture dialog, file name."

    Tip: The Insert Picture dialog box is a special case of the standard File Explorer window, opened in your Pictures folder. It's a good idea to have the location of the picture file close at hand, so you can find it more easily.

  3. Type the file name and path into the File name field, or select the file you want to insert. Then press Enter.

  4. The picture is inserted and selected.

    Note: When a picture is selected, the context-sensitive Format tab is available. You can use the options in this tab to resize the image, or to add colors, styles, and more. To go to the Format tab, press Alt+J. You hear: “Format tab.” To navigate through the Format options, press the Tab key.

Add a picture from the internet

  1. In your presentation, go to the slide content area where you want to insert a picture.

  2. Press Alt+N, P, and then O. You hear: “Insert picture window."

  3. The Search Bing Images dialog box opens, with the focus on the search field. Type the search term, and press Enter.

  4. To browse the search results, press the SR key and the Right or Left arrow key.

  5. To select an image, place the focus on it, and press Shift+Enter. You hear: "Checked."

    Tip: You can select more than one picture.

  6. Press the Tab key until you hear "Insert button," and press Enter.

    The picture is inserted and selected.

Crop a picture

Reshape your presentation pictures into specific shapes or aspect ratios.

Crop to a specific shape

  1. In the slide area, select the image you want to crop. To select an image, press the Tab key until you hear: “Image.” With JAWS, you hear: "Picture." With NVDA, you hear: "Graphic."

  2. To go to the Crop to Shape menu, press Alt+J, P, then V and S. You hear: “Rectangles.”

  3. To browse the shape options, use the arrow keys. The shape descriptions are announced as you move.

  4. To select a cropping shape, press Enter. The picture is cropped to the selected shape.

Crop to an aspect ratio

  1. In the slide area, select the image you want to crop.

  2. To open the Aspect Ratio menu, press Alt+J, P, then V and A. You hear: “One colon one.”

  3. To browse the aspect ratio options, use the Up or Down arrow key. The aspect ratio is announced as you move.

  4. To select an aspect ratio, press Enter. The picture is cropped to the selected aspect ratio.

Add and format a table in a slide

  1. Go to the slide area where you want to insert the table.

  2. To go to the Table menu, press Alt+N, T. You hear: “One x one table.”

  3. To insert a table in your presentation, press I.

  4. The Insert Table dialog box opens, with the focus in the Number of columns field. The default number of columns is five. If you want to delete the default number, press Delete, and type a new number of columns. Then press the Tab key. The focus moves to the Number of rows field. The default number is two. To change, type the number of rows, and then press Enter.

  5. The table is inserted on the selected slide, with the cursor in the upper-left corner cell. 

  6. To add text to the table cells, place the cursor in the cell, and then type your text. To browse the cells, use the arrow keys. 

  7. To stop editing the table, press Esc.

Add or delete table rows and columns

Add a row

  1. In the slide area, select the table. To select a table, in the slide area, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator and NVDA: “Table.” With JAWS, you hear "Object placeholder," followed by the text in the cells. To start editing the table, press Enter.

  2. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor in the cell above or below where you want the new row to appear.

  3. To go to the Layout tab, press Alt+J, and then L. You hear: "Layout tab."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To add a row above the selected cell, press the Tab key until you hear: "Insert above button."

    • To add a row below the selected cell, press the Tab key until you hear: "Insert below button."

    To select an option, press Enter.

  5. The row is inserted, with the focus on the leftmost cell of the new row.

Add a column

  1. In the slide area, select the table.

  2. Move the cursor to a cell to the right or to the left of where you want the new column to appear.

  3. To go to the Layout tab, press Alt+J, and then L. You hear: "Layout tab."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To add a column to the left of the selected cell, press the Tab key until you hear: "Insert left button."

    • To add a column to the right of the selected cell, press the Tab key until you hear: "Insert right button."

    To select an option, press Enter.

  5. The column is inserted, with the focus in the top cell of the new column.

Delete a row or column

  1. In a table, move the cursor to a cell in the column or row that you want to delete.

  2. To go to the Delete menu, press Alt+J, then L and D. You hear: "Rows and columns, Delete columns."

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To delete a column, press C.

    • To delete a row, press R.

  4. The column or row is deleted, and the focus moves to another cell in the table.

Tip: To quickly delete the entire table, select the table, and then press Delete.

Add a border to a table

  1. Select the table to which you want to add a border. To select a table, in the slide area, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator and NVDA: “Table.” With JAWS, you hear "Object placeholder," followed by the text in the cells.

  2. To select a border style, press Alt+J, then T and L. You hear "No border," or a border style. Use the Up or Down arrow key to browse the styles. The styles are announced as you move. To select, press Enter.

  3. To select where you want to add a border, press Alt+J, then T and B. You hear "No border," or a border option. Use the Up or Down arrow key to browse the options. The options are announced as you move. To select an option, press Enter.

  4. The border is added to the table, and the focus moves to the upper-left corner cell of the table.

Change the look of a table

You can use the options in the Design tab to change the way your table looks. You can, for example, apply a Table style, or change its background color.

Apply a table style

  1. Select the table to which you want to apply one of the available formatting styles. To select a table, in the slide area, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator and NVDA: “Table.” With JAWS, you hear "Object placeholder," followed by the text in the cells.

  2. To go to the Table Styles menu, press Alt+J, then T and A. You hear the current table style.

  3. To browse the table styles, use the arrow keys. The styles are announced as you move. To select, press Enter.

    Tip: To remove any style from your table, in the Table Styles menu, press C.

  4. The table style is changed, and the focus moves to the upper-left corner cell of the table.

Add or change the background

  1. Select the table in which you want to change the background color.

  2. To go to the Shading menu, press Alt+J, then T and H. You hear the current background color.

  3. To browse the background colors, use the arrow keys. The colors are announced as you move. To select, press Enter.

    Tip: To remove the background color, press N to select No Fill.

  4. The table background color is changed, and the focus moves to the upper-left corner cell of the table.

Move or resize a table

Move a table

  1. Select the table you want to move. To select a table, in the slide area, press the Tab key until you hear with Narrator and NVDA: “Table.” With JAWS, you hear "Object placeholder," followed by the text in the cells.

  2. To move the table within the slide, use the arrow keys.

  3. To stop moving the table, press Esc.

Resize a table

Enter a specific table size

  1. Select the table you want to resize.

  2. To go to the Layout tab, press Alt+J, and then L. You hear: "Layout tab."

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To change the height of the table, press T, H. Then type the height in inches, and press Enter.

    • To change the width of the table, press T, W. Then type the width in inches, and press Enter.

The table size is changed, and the focus moves to the upper-left corner cell of the table.

Resize a column or row

  1. Select the table in which you want to change the column or row size. To start editing the table, press Enter.

  2. Use the arrow keys to place the cursor in the cell that contains the column or row that you want to resize.

  3. To go to the Layout tab, press Alt+J, and then L. You hear: "Layout tab."

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To change the height of the row, press H. Then type the height in inches, and press Enter.

    • To change the width of the column, press W. Then type the width in inches, and press Enter.

  5. The column or row size is changed, and the focus moves to the previously selected cell.

 Insert a shape or SmartArt

  1. Navigate to the slide content area where you want to insert a SmartArt graphic.

  2. To open the SmartArt dialog box, press Alt+N, M. You hear: “Choose a SmartArt graphic.”

  3. To browse the SmartArt categories, use the Up or Down arrow key. The categories are announced as you move. When on the category you want, press the Tab key.

  4. To browse for SmartArt within the selected category, use the arrow keys. The SmartArt descriptive names are announced as you move.

  5. To select a SmartArt, press Enter. The SmartArt graphic is created and inserted in the selected slide, with the focus on the first editable text box.

    Tip: You can use the options in the Format and Design tabs to change the appearance of SmartArt. To go to the Format tab press Alt+J, and then O. To go to the Design tab, press Alt+J, and then S.

See also

Use a screen reader to work with slides in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to save your presentation in PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to show your presentation with 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 a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

Use a screen reader to create a presentation from a template in PowerPoint

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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