Getting Started in Word

Opening Microsoft Word

Open Microsoft Word by pressing Enter on a shortcut from the desktop, taskbar, or start menu. You can also open Word using the Windows search bar in the start menu.

If you need a reminder on how to launch programs with JAWS, check out JAWS and Windows Basics.

Writing in Microsoft Word

When you type in Microsoft Word, JAWS will read aloud what you’re writing. This helps you make sure everything sounds right as you go. You don’t need to do anything special to start writing. Just open a blank document in Word, and JAWS will say “Edit.” That means your cursor is ready for you to begin typing.

Understanding Keyboard Echo

Keyboard echo controls what JAWS says when you type. You can choose to hear:

• Each character as you type (for example, JAWS says “H” when you type the letter H)
• Each word when you press the spacebar,
• Both characters and words, or
• Nothing at all (JAWS stays silent while you type).

To change the keyboard echo setting at any time, press:

• Insert + 2 (on the number row, not the numpad).
• Each time you press it, JAWS will cycle through the different options and announce them.

For example, it might say:

• “Keyboard echo: characters”
• (Press again) “Keyboard echo: words”
• (Press again) “Keyboard echo: characters and words”

Choose the setting that works best for you. If JAWS isn’t saying anything when you type, it might be set to “None.” Press Insert + 2 to turn the echo back on.

Reading in Microsoft Word

Once you’ve written something—or opened a document—JAWS gives you several ways to read what’s on the screen. You can read small pieces of text or full sections depending on what you need. Here are the most useful reading commands:

Read by Character | Left or Right Arrow

Read by Word | Insert + Left or Right Arrow

Read by Sentence | Alt + Down Arrow

Read by Line | Up or Down Arrow

Read by Paragraph | Ctrl + Up or Down Arrow

Read All | Insert + Down Arrow

Pause Reading | Ctrl

Selecting and Editing Text

Selecting text means choosing part of your document so you can do something with it—like delete it, copy it, move it, or change the formatting. You can select as little as one letter or as much as your whole document. Here’s how to do it using just the keyboard.

Selecting Text

Move your cursor to where you want to start.

Hold down the Shift key and use the arrow keys to select:

Shift + Right Arrow | Selects one character to the right

Shift + Left Arrow | Selects one character to the left

Ctrl + Shift + Right or Left Arrow | Selects one word at a time

Shift + Down or Up Arrow | Selects by line

Ctrl + Shift + Down or Up Arrow | Selects by paragraph

Ctrl + A | Select all

JAWS will announce what is being selected as you move.

Read current selection | Insert + Shift + Down Arrow

This command tells JAWS to read exactly what you’ve selected. It’s useful when you want to double-check that you’ve got the right text before cutting or copying.

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Once you’ve selected text, you can:

Copy | Ctrl + C

Cut | Ctrl + X

Paste | Ctrl + V

JAWS may confirm actions like “Copied to clipboard” or “Pasted,” depending on your verbosity settings.

Clipboard History

Windows includes a Clipboard Manager that lets you access multiple copied items.

Open Clipboard History | Windows key + V

This opens a list of everything you’ve recently copied. You can use the arrow keys to browse the list and press Enter to paste any item into your document.

Note: Clipboard history must be enabled the first time you use it. When prompted, press Enter to turn it on.

Formatting Text

When you’re writing in Word, you can make your text stand out by changing its formatting. This includes things like bold, italics, underline, and font size. All of these commands can be done entirely from the keyboard and work well with JAWS.

Apply Basic Formatting

Bold selected text | Ctrl + B

Italicize selected text | Ctrl + I

Underline selected text | Ctrl + U

You can use these commands before you start typing, or select text you’ve already written and apply them afterward.

JAWS will usually say “Bold on” or “Italics off” to let you know what formatting is active.

Change Font Size

Increase font size | Ctrl + Shift + Right Angle Bracket (>)

Decrease font size | Ctrl + Shift + Left Angle Bracket (<)

You’ll need to hold down Ctrl + Shift and press the greater than or less than keys. On most keyboards, these are the same keys as the period and comma.

JAWS may not announce the size as it changes, but you can check it in the font dialog (see below).

Exploring More Options in the Font Dialog

If you want more control over formatting, you can open the full Font dialog box. This lets you adjust:

• Font name (like Calibri or Arial)
• Font size
• Font style (bold, italic, etc.)
• Font color
• Underline style
• Effects like strikethrough or small caps

Open Font dialog | Ctrl + D

Once the dialog opens:

• Use Tab to move through each setting
• Use Arrow keys to choose an option in a list
• Press Spacebar to check or uncheck a checkbox
• Press Enter when you’re done to apply your changes
• JAWS will read each setting and let you know where you are in the dialog.

Navigating a Document

As you start working with longer documents, you may want a faster way to move through your writing. These two commands can help:

Move to the top of the document | Ctrl + Home
Move to the bottom of the document | Ctrl + End

JAWS will announce when you move, and you can begin reading from that point using any of your usual reading commands. These shortcuts are great when you want to quickly check something at the top or add a final thought at the bottom.

Spell Check and Proofing

Microsoft Word includes a built-in spell checker that works well with JAWS. It helps you find and fix misspelled words and other basic writing issues.

Run spell check | F7

When spell check opens, focus moves to the first issue found. JAWS will read the error and the suggested correction.

Use the following keys to interact:

Tab | Move between buttons like Ignore, Change, or Add

Enter | Choose the selected button

Esc | Close spell check if you need to stop

Down arrow | If multiple suggestions are available, use this to pick one

Review the misspelled word again | Insert + F7

Use Insert + F7 if you want JAWS to repeat the word it found, without moving on to the next suggestion.

JAWS will read each suggestion as you move. After you make a correction, Word will move to the next issue automatically.

Saving Your Work

Saving your work is one of the most important skills in Word. Here are the basics:

Save the current document | Ctrl + S

Save As (choose a new name or location) | F12

Open an existing document | Ctrl + O

Create a new blank document | Ctrl + N

Print the current document | Ctrl + P

When you use commands like Save As or Open, Word brings up a File Explorer dialog. This window is where you choose what folder to use and what to name your file.

You’ll hear things like:

• Tree view, which lists common folders like Desktop, Documents, and Downloads
• List view, which shows the files and folders inside whichever folder you selected
• And File name, where your typing focus starts when the dialog opens

Navigating this dialog is part of learning to use File Explorer, which we’ll cover in a future lesson.

For now, just know that you can press Tab to move around, Enter to confirm, and Esc to cancel if you get stuck.