Use a screen reader to set up your email account in Outlook
Applies ToOutlook for Microsoft 365 Outlook 2024 Outlook 2021 Outlook 2019 Outlook 2016 Outlook.com Outlook for iOS Outlook on the web for Exchange Server 2016

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 Outlook with your keyboard and screen reader to set up your email accounts. 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 learn how to set up any additional email accounts you use along with your primary email account, such as Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo!, and your work or school account, and then set your favorite as the default account.

Notes: 

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Set up your first email account

With just your email address and password, you can quickly set up most accounts.

  1. In Outlook, press Alt+F to open the Account Information page, press the Tab key until you reach the Add Account button and press Enter.

  2. Type your email address, press the Tab key until you reach the Connect button, and press Enter.

  3. Type your email password when prompted, and press Enter.

  4. Outlook asks you if you want Windows to remember this account and use it everywhere on your device, or if you only want to use it in Outlook. Depending on what you want, press the Tab key until you hear "This app only" or "Yes, button," and then press Enter. You hear "Account successfully added" when everything is ready.

  5. Press Shift+Tab until you hear: "Checked, Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too." Press Spacebar to unselect the checkbox.

  6. Press Shift+Tab until you reach the Done button, and press Enter.

    The wizard now does all the required steps to set up your email account in Outlook. This can take several minutes.

    Note: If the Windows Security dialog box opens in the Password, type your email password and press Enter. This dialog box does not open if your computer is connected to a domain for an organization that uses Exchange Server.

Set a default email account

If you've added several email accounts in Outlook, you can set the one that you use the most as your default account. Your outgoing emails are sent using the default account.

  1. In the Outlook main window, press Alt+F, I, S. You hear: "Account settings."

  2. Press Enter. The Account Settings dialog box opens.

  3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Table," followed by the number of rows in the table. The focus is on the first item in the list of email accounts that have been added in Outlook.

  4. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the name of the account you want.

  5. To set the account as the default, press Alt+D.

  6. To close the dialog, press Alt+C.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to schedule appointments or meetings in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with the calendar in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

Use a screen reader to insert a hyperlink in Outlook

Screen reader support for Outlook

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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