Outlook Basics
Opening Outlook
Open Outlook by pressing enter on a shortcut from the desktop, taskbar, or start menu. You can also open Outlook by using the Windows search from the start menu. If you need a reminder on opening programs, check out JAWS and Windows Basics.
The Outlook Inbox
When Outlook opens, your focus should be in your inbox. JAWS calls this “List View”. Here you can:
- Find and read new mail
- Delete mail
- Sort mail into folders
Navigate your inbox | Up arrow or down arrow
Open an email | Enter
Delete an email | Delete
Concept: The Context Menu
Throughout Windows, we will use context menus to perform certain tasks. The command Shift + F10 works anywhere in Windows. The context menu will have different options depending on where it opens from.
For example, I will find a different context menu on a desktop icon than I will on an Outlook message. We will learn more about what we can do with context menus in Outlook in the future.
More message option | Shift + F10
Navigate the context menu | Up and down arrow
Initiate a context menu option or open a sub menu | Enter or space bar
Reading Your Mail
When you open an email message, the message will open into another window. Your focus will move to this new window at the top of the body of the message.
Close an open email | Escape or Alt + F4
Read by line | Up and down arrow
Read by character | Left and right arrow
Read by word | Insert + left or right arrow
Concept: Read All
The reading commands above are great for reading smaller amounts of text. When you want to read large amounts of text, use the read all command. The read all command reads everything in a document from your current point of focus to the end.
Read all | Insert + down arrow
Pause read all | Ctrl
Concept: Interrupting Speech
JAWS speaks a lot. Sometimes we all need to take an ear break. Use the Ctrl key to interrupt JAWS. Pressing Ctrl while JAWS is speaking will make JAWS stop speaking. This does not turn of speech or mute JAWS.
Interrupt speech | Ctrl
Concept: Dealing with Outlook Windows
Reading and writing emails create other Outlook windows. I went over how to close these windows above. You can also leave windows open by using Alt + Tab to move through your Outlook windows and Outlook inbox.
Sending Out Mail
Getting and reading mail is only one part of Outlook. You are also going to want to send out your own messages. Below are commands for sending, replying, and forwarding messages. These commands work while in the Inbox and in a message. If you close a mail message without sending it, it will ask you if you want to save the message as a draft. Use enter and tab to choose between yes, no, and cancel.
Move through message sections | Tab and Shift + Tab
Send email | Alt + S or Ctrl + enter
Concept: Sending New Mail
The Ctrl + N command will open a new blank outgoing message and will work anywhere in Outlook. The new message opens as a new window. This window is a lot like a received message window but with fillable fields.
Sending out a new blank message involves:
- Choosing recipients
- Adding a subject line
- Composing a message
When the message window opens, your focus will be in the to field where you can type the recipient’s email. Once you’ve entered their email, use Tab to move to the subject line and type the subject of the email. Once that is complete, you can Tab again to reach the body of the email where you can write your message.
New email | Ctrl + N
Concept: Replying to Mail
Replying to a message is another way to send mail. You can use Ctrl + R to reply to received messages. A reply message goes to the original sender. The subject line will read “RE:” followed by the original subject line. The original message will appear at the bottom of the body of the reply email.
You can also reply all to a message. Reply all (Ctrl + Shift + R) will address the response to any other recipients of the message. Reply all will also include recipients who were carbon copied (CC’d) on the message. Carbon copy sends a message to someone without making them the main recipient of the message.
Reply to email | Ctrl + R
Reply all to email | Ctrl + Shift + R
Concept: Forwarding Mail
You can use Ctrl + F on a received email to forward it. When forwarding, the message window will open with your focus in the to field. Here you will add your recipient’s email. Then, using tab, you will move to the body of the email where you can add your message. The subject line will be “FW:” and then the subject line of the received email message.
Forward email | Ctrl + F
Moving to Other Folders
Use the “Go to Folder” dialog in Outlook to move to other folders. Use Ctrl + Y to open the go to folder dialog.
Concept: The Go to Folder Dialog
The go to folder dialog is an easy way to switch between folders and accounts in Outlook. The dialog opens as a window. Use the up and down arrows to move through the options in the dialog. As you move through the dialog, you will hear different folders (ex. inbox, drafts, sent mail, etc.). You can also find other email accounts in Outlook using the go to folder dialog. Pressing enter on a folder will close the dialog and open that folder, moving your focus into the list view. All mail folders operate in the exact same way as your inbox.
Some items in the go to folder dialog will have the expand and collapse function. JAWS will announce if the items open or closed. Use left arrow on open items to close them. Use right arrow on closed items to open them.
Open the go to folder dialog | Ctrl + Y
Navigate go to folder dialog | Up and down arrow
Expand closed items | Right arrow
Collapse open items | Left arrow
Go to a folder | Enter
Close the go to folder dialog | Escape
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