This article is for people with visual impairments who use a screen reader program with the Office products and is part of the Office Accessibility content set. For more general help, see Office Support home.
Use Word with your keyboard and a screen reader to save your documents locally or in a shared location, and save them in a different file format. We have tested it with Narrator and JAWS, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.
Notes:
VoiceOver is the first screen reader to provide plug-and-play support for refreshable braille displays. Plug in or sync one of over 100 compatible displays, and the VoiceOver description is presented to you in braille. Up and Running with JAWS on a MAC. By: Joe Watkins. 25 June 2016; JAWS is one of the more popular assistive technologies used by people with disabilities. Since the application is a Windows-based application it can be a little tough to use on a Mac.
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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 Office.
In this topic
Save a document locally
To save the changes you have made to a document, if AutoSave is not enabled, press Ctrl+S.
You can also rename the document, save it in another file format, or save it to another location.
To save the document with another name or in another location or file format, press Alt+F, A.
To select the save location, press the Tab key once, then press the Down arrow key until you hear the location you want.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Enter file name here,' and type the name you want.
Press the Tab key. You hear: 'Save as type Word document star dot docx.'
If you want to change the file type, press Spacebar, and then press the Down arrow key until you hear the file type you want. To select, press Enter.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Enter.
Add an online save location
OneDrive is available immediately when you start using Word, but you may need to add a SharePoint site manually before you can save there.
To add a save location, press Alt+F, A, A. You hear: “Saving features, selected, add a place.” With JAWS, you hear: “Add a Place tab.”
Press Y, 2 to select the SharePoint site option and then press Enter.
When prompted, type the email address you use with your SharePoint site, and then press Enter.
When prompted, type your password, and then press Enter.
The site is now available in the Save As dialog in Word.
Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint
Before you can, for example, share a document via OneDrive or SharePoint, you need to save it to one of those locations.
Open the document you want to share.
To open the Save As menu, press Alt+F, A. You hear: “Save As.”
Press the Tab key to move to the Save As pane.
To move to a OneDrive or SharePoint site in the Save As list, press the Up and Down arrow keys until you hear the name of the site you want, and then press Enter. The focus changes to the folder list for the site you selected.
Browse to the folder location that you want and press Enter to open the Save As dialog. The focus moves to the File Name field.
In the File Name field, type or edit the name of your document.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Enter.
After your document has been saved to a shared location, you can invite others to work on it.
Enable or disable AutoSave
Note: AutoSave is only available if the document is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint Online.
Press Alt to move the focus to the ribbon menu.
Press Ctrl+Tab until you hear the current AutoSave status, followed by 'AutoSave button.”
Press Enter to toggle AutoSave on or off.
Save a document as a PDF
Save your document as a PDF, so you can share it using multiple channels.
To open the Save As menu, press Alt+F, A. You hear: “Save As.”
Press the Tab key to move into the Save As pane.
The dialog suggests the same location where you have saved your Word documents previously, on your PC or in an online location. For instructions on how to change the location, refer to Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save as type, Word document, star dot docx,' and then press Spacebar. A list of supported file types opens.
In the list, press the Down arrow key until you hear 'PDF,' and then press Spacebar. You hear: 'Save as type, PDF.'
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Enter.
See also
Use Word for Mac with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in Mac OS screen reader, to save your documents locally or in a shared location, and save them in a different file format.
Notes:
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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.
For keyboard shortcuts, go to Keyboard shortcuts in Word for Mac.
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, go to VoiceOver Getting Started Guide.
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
We recommend you read and edit documents in Print Layout View. VoiceOver may not work reliably in other view modes.
In this topic
Add an online save location
OneDrive is available immediately when you sign in and start using Word for Mac, but you may need to add a SharePoint site manually before you can save there.
Press Command+Shift+S. The Save As dialog opens.
Press Tab until you hear 'Online locations button,' and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.
Press Tab until you hear: 'Add a place, button.' Press Control+Option+Spacebar.
Press Tab until you hear 'SharePoint button,' and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.
Type or paste the URL of your SharePoint folder, and then press Tab until you hear: 'Next button.'
Press Control+Option+Spacebar. When prompted, type the email address you use with your SharePoint site, and then press Spacebar.
When prompted, type your password, and then press Spacebar.
The site is now available in the Save As dialog in Word for Mac.
Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint
In the document you want to save, press Command+Shift+S. The Save As dialog opens.
The dialog suggests the same location where you have saved your Word documents previously, on your Mac or to an online location. To check or change the location, press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear 'Online locations, button,' or 'On My Mac, button.' If you heard 'Online locations,' press Control+Option+Spacebar to select. If you heard 'On My Mac,' the available online locations are already shown in the dialog.
Press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear 'Places, table,' and the first online location. If needed, press the Down arrow key until you hear the location to which you want to save.
When on the location you want, press Enter.
The document is saved.
Switch AutoSave off
AutoSave is enabled if you're working on a file that has been saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, and you've opened the file from the File menu. AutoSave is only available for Office 365 subscribers.
In your document, press F6 until you hear the currently selected tab, for example, 'View, selected, tab.'
Press the Left arrow key until you hear: 'Home, tab.'
Press Shift+Tab until you hear: 'AutoSave, selected, toggle button.'
To switch AutoSave off, press Control+Option+Spacebar.
Note: If you switched AutoSave off, you need to save the document yourself. To save, press Command+S. To save the file with a different name or to a different location, press Command+Shift+S. Press the Tab key to navigate the Save As dialog. Press the Down arrow key to browse the lists. Press Spacebar to select.
Save a copy of a document to your computer
You can save a copy of your document to your Mac.
In the document you want to save, press Command+Shift+S. The Save As dialog opens.
Press the Tab key until you hear: 'Desktop, Where, Pop-up button.'
Press the Down arrow key until you hear the location you want, and then press Spacebar.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Spacebar.
The document is saved.
Save a document as a PDF
Save your document as a PDF so you can safely share it using multiple channels.
In the document you want to save, press Command+Shift+S. The Save As dialog opens.
The dialog suggests the same location where you have saved your Word documents previously, on your Mac or an online location. For instructions on how to change the location, refer to Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Word document,' and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. The File Format menu opens.
In the menu, press the Down arrow key until you hear 'PDF,' and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.
To select the appropriate resolution for the PDF, press the Down arrow key until you hear the option you want, and then press Spacebar.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Export button,' and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. The document has been saved as a PDF.
Rename a document
In the document you want to save, press Command+Shift+S. The Save As dialog opens.
Press the Tab key until you hear: ' Save as, in dialog for,' followed by the current document name. The focus is in the file name text field.
Type a new name for your document.
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Spacebar.
See also
Use Word for iOS with VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader, to save your document to OneDrive or as a copy from OneDrive to your device. You can also rename a document or save it as a PDF.
Notes:
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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.
For touch capabilities in Word for iOS, go to Word for iPhone touch guide
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, visit Apple accessibility.
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
We recommend you read and edit documents in Print Layout View. VoiceOver may not work reliably in other view modes.
In this topic
Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint
In the document you want to save, swipe right or left until you hear: 'Close file, button.' Double-tap the screen to select. You hear: 'Save changes to,' followed by the name of the document.
Swipe right until you hear: 'Save, ellipsis, button.' Double-tap the screen to select. You hear: 'Save as, file name, text field, is editing,' followed by the document name.
The current file name is selected and the on-screen keyboard appears at the bottom half of the screen. Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard.
When done, slide one finger in the bottom right corner of the screen until you hear 'Done.' Double-tap the screen to select.
The on-screen keyboard closes. Swipe left until you hear the location you want to save to, such as 'OneDrive' and double-tap the screen to select.
The focus moves to the file name field. If needed, use the on-screen keyboard to change the name.
Swipe right until you hear the folder you want to save to, and double-tap to open it.
Swipe left until you hear: 'Save, button.' Double-tap to select the button and save the document.
The document is saved and you return to the Recent view.
Switch AutoSave on or off
AutoSave is automatically on when you save a file to OneDrive or SharePoint.
In the Editing view of your document, swipe left until you hear 'File button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'Autosave,' followed by 'On' or 'Off.'
Double-tap the screen to toggle AutoSave on or off.
To return to the Editing view, swipe left until you hear 'Done button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Note: If you switched AutoSave off, you need to save the document yourself. In your document, swipe left until you hear 'File button,' and then double-tap the screen. Swipe right until you hear 'Save button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Save a copy of a document to your device
You can save a copy of the document to your device. The changes you make to a local copy won't affect the original file in the cloud storage.
In the document, swipe left until you hear 'File button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'Save a copy button,' and double-tap the screen.
The focus moves to the file name text field. If needed, use the on-screen keyboard to type a new file name. When done, slide one finger in the bottom right corner of the screen until you hear: 'Done.' Double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe right until you hear 'iPhone button,' and then double-tap the screen.
To save a copy of the document, swipe left until you hear: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The copy is saved.
Save a document as a PDF
In the document, swipe left until you hear 'File button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'Export button' and double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'PDF, star, PDF button,' and then double-tap the screen.
The focus moves to the file name text field. If necessary, use the on-screen keyboard to change the file name. When done, slide one finger at the bottom of the screen until you hear 'Done,' and then double-tap the screen.
By default, the PDF file is saved on your device. If you want to change the location, swipe right or left until you hear 'Places, back button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right or left until you hear 'Export button,' and then double-tap the screen.
If you hear 'Alert, Allow online file conversion,' swipe right until you hear 'Allow button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Rename a document
You can change the name of a saved document.
In the Recent view, swipe right or left until you hear the document you want to rename.
Swipe right once. You hear: 'File button, actions available.' Double-tap the screen. You hear the file name.
Swipe right until you hear: 'Rename button,' and then double-tap the screen. You hear: 'Text field, is editing.'
Swipe right until you hear: 'Clear text, button,' and then double-tap the screen. The old name is cleared.
Use the on-screen keyboard at the bottom of the screen to type a new name for the document.
When done, swipe left until you hear 'Rename button,' and then double-tap the screen.
See also
Use Word for Android with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, to save your document to OneDrive or SharePoint, save a copy of a document from an online location to your device, or rename a document.
Notes:
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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.
For touch capabilities in Word for Android, go to Word for Android touch guide
This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Android screen reader, TalkBack. To learn more about using TalkBack, go to Android accessibility.
To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.
In this topic
Add an online save location
OneDrive is available immediately when you start using Word for Android, but you may need to add a SharePoint site manually before you can save there.
In your document, swipe left until you hear 'File button,' and then double-tap the screen. You hear: 'File menu, Open.'
Swipe right until you hear: 'Save as, button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe left until you hear 'Add a place, documents, Connect to cloud storage,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe left until you hear 'SharePoint button,' and then double-tap the screen.
You hear an example of a SharePoint site link. Double-tap the screen.
Use the on-screen keyboard to type the URL of your SharePoint site. To close the keyboard, swipe down-then-left. You can also paste the URL in the text field.
Swipe right until you hear 'Submit button,' and then double-tap the screen.
If prompted, double-tap the screen and then type the email address you use with your SharePoint site. To close the keyboard, swipe down-then-left.
Swipe right until you hear 'Password, editing,' and then double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your password. To close the keyboard, swipe down-then-left.
Swipe right until you hear 'Sign in button,' and then double-tap the screen. The new save location is now available in the list of save locations.
Save a document to OneDrive
In your document, swipe left until you hear 'File, button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'Save As button,' and then double-tap the screen. You hear the document name, followed by 'Edit box.'
If you want to change the file name, double-tap the screen to open the on-screen keyboard. Use the keyboard to first delete the old name and then type a new file name. When you are done, swipe down-then-left to close the keyboard.
Swipe left or right to browse the save location options until you find your OneDrive account, and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe left or right until you hear: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to save your document. After saving, the File menu closes and the focus returns to the document.
Tip: After you have saved the document to OneDrive, all changes will be saved there when you select Save, unless you save the document to a new location.
Switch Autosave on or off
Autosave is automatically on when you save a file to OneDrive or SharePoint.
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In the Editing view of your document, swipe left until you hear 'File, button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe left until you hear 'Settings button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe right until you hear 'Autosave, Automatically save files,' followed by 'On' or 'Off.'
Double-tap the screen to toggle Autosave on or off.
To return to the Editing view, swipe down-then-left.
Note: If you switched Autosave off, you need to save the document yourself. In your document, swipe left or right until you hear 'Save button,' and then double-tap the screen.
Save a copy to your device
You can save a copy of the document on your device.
In the Editing view of your document, swipe right or left until TalkBack announces: 'File button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.
Swipe right until you hear 'Save as button' and double-tap the screen. The Save as menu opens with the focus on the file name field.
The focus moves to the new file name text field. If you want a new name for the document, type a name using the on-screen keyboard.
Swipe right or left until you hear 'This device, documents,' and then double-tap the screen.
Swipe left until you find the folder you want, and then double-tap the screen.
To save a copy of the document, swipe right until you hear: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The copy is saved.
Rename a document
Jaws Screen Reader Download For Mac
In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe right or left until TalkBack announces: 'File button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.
Swipe right until TalkBack announces: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to select. You hear: 'Save. File menu close.'
To name the document, swipe right until you hear 'Rename this file button' and double-tap the screen. Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard. To save the new name, slide one finger at the bottom of the screen until you hear 'Done,' then lift it (and double-tap the screen if needed). The file is renamed.
See also
Use Word for Windows Phone 10 with Narrator, the built-in Windows screen reader, to save your document to OneDrive, save a copy of a document to your device, or rename a document.
Notes:
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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 Office.
In this topic
Save a document to OneDrive or SharePoint
In the document you want to save, swipe right or left until you hear: 'File button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
A pane opens and you hear: 'Backstage page pane, Go back button.' Swipe right until you hear: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
The Save dialog opens. Swipe right until you hear 'Save a copy of this file, button,' and double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe right until you hear the location you want to save to, such as 'OneDrive,' and double-tap to select.
If you're not signed in already, OneDrive or SharePoint will ask to sign in.
Swipe right until you hear the folder or location you want to save to, and double-tap the screen to open.
Swipe right until you hear: 'Next app bar button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
The ENTER FILE NAME dialog opens.
If you want to change the file name, swipe left until you hear the current name of the document, and double-tap the screen to start editing. Type the new name using the on-screen keyboard. When done, swipe up until you hear 'Landmarks and containers,' and then swipe right until you hear 'App bar.' Swipe down until you hear 'Items,' and swipe left repeatedly until you hear: 'Save a copy app bar button.'
Double-tap the screen to save the document.
Save a Word document as PDF
To save a Word document in PDF format, use the export functionality in Word Mobile.
In your Word document, swipe right or left until Narrator announces: 'File button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
A pane opens and you hear: 'Backstage page pane, Go back button.' Swipe right until you hear 'Save button,' and double-tap the screen to select.
The Save dialog opens. Swipe right until you hear 'Export this file button,' and double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe right until you hear the location you want to save to, such as 'OneDrive,' and double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe right until you hear the folder you want to save to, and double-tap the screen to open.
Swipe right until you hear 'Next app bar button,' and double-tap the screen to select.
The ENTER FILE NAME dialog opens. Swipe right until you hear 'File type, OpenDocument Text, Combo box.' Double-tap the screen to open the list of options, and swipe right. Narrator announces: 'PDF, 2 of 2.' Double-tap the screen to select.
Swipe left until you hear: 'Export app bar button.' Double-tap the screen to export the document.
If you get a confirmation dialog asking you to allow online file conversion, double-tap the screen to allow.
The document is exported and saved as PDF in the location you selected. You return to the Save dialog with the focus on the file name.
Save a copy to your device
You can save a copy of the document on your device, or other location on OneDrive.
In the document, open the Save menu. Then swipe right until Narrator announces: 'Save a copy of this file.' Double-tap the screen to select. The Choose an app pop-up opens.
To select a saving location, swipe right or left until you find a location where you want to save, such as your phone ('This device, 1 of 2') or a location on OneDrive ('OneDrive, 2 of 2'). Narrator announces the locations as you move. When on the location you want to save to, double-tap the screen. If there are folders to open, swipe right until you're on a folder, and then double-tap to open it.
Swipe right until you hear: 'Next, app bar button.' Double-tap the screen to select.
To save the file, swipe left until you hear 'Save a copy, app bar button' and double-tap the screen. The file is saved, and the focus moves to your document.
Rename a document
In the Editing view of your Word document, swipe right or left until Narrator announces: 'File button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The File menu opens.
Swipe right until Narrator announces: 'Save button.' Double-tap the screen to select. The Save menu opens.
To name the document, swipe right until you hear 'Rename this file button' and double-tap the screen. Type a name for the document using the on-screen keyboard. To save the new name, when on the keyboard, swipe right until you hear 'Enter' and double-tap the screen. The file is renamed.
Tip: You can find the keyboard by exploring the items on the screen. To explore, place a finger on the screen and drag it around. Narrator announces the items as you land on them. To select an item, when on the item, lift your finger and double-tap the screen.
See also
Word for the web automatically saves all your work to your OneDrive folder in the cloud. You can use Word for the web with your keyboard a screen reader to download your document from OneDrive to your PC or rename a document. We have tested it with Narrator and JAWS, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.
Notes:
New Office 365 features are released gradually to Office 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 Office.
When you use Word for the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because Word for the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you’ll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not Word for the web.
In this topic
Download a copy of document to your computer
The changes you make in the copy of your Word for the web document on your computer, won't affect the original version in OneDrive. You can download your document as a Word, PDF, or ODT file.
Open the Word for the web document you want to download.
For instructions on how to open and sign in to Word for the web, go to Open Word for the web and sign in. For instructions on how to open a document, go to Open a recent document.
Do one of the following:
To download a copy of the document in Word format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, C.
To download a copy of the document in PDF format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, P.
To download a copy of the document in ODT format, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, T.
You hear: 'Dialog, Microsoft Word for the web.' The focus is on the Download button.
Press Enter to select. The dialog box closes. You hear: 'Notification text. What do you want to do with,' followed by the document name.
Press Alt+Windows logo key+N. You hear: 'Open button.'
Press the Tab key until you hear 'Save button,' and then press Enter. The file is downloaded to the Download folder on your computer.
Save a document to another location
In your document, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, A. The Save As dialog opens.
The focus is placed on the Name field of the Save As dialog. Type a new file name if needed.
Press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear “Save to another folder button,” and then press Spacebar to open the folder selection dialog.
To select a new location to save the file to, press the Tab key until you hear the name of the folder you want, or “New folder.” When you hear the option you want, press Spacebar. If you selected “New folder,” type a name for the new folder, then press the Tab key until you hear 'Create button,' and then press Enter.
Press the Tab key until you hear “Save button,” and then press Spacebar to save the document.
Rename a document
In your document, press Alt+Windows logo key+F, A, R. The Rename dialog opens. The focus is on the Name text field.
Type a new file name.
Press the Tab key until you hear “OK button,” and then press Spacebar to rename the file.
Jaws Reader
See also
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.