JAWS – Navigating the Microsoft Office ribbon menu

JAWS – Navigating the Microsoft Office ribbon menu

Problem

The Microsoft Office ribbon is hard and time consuming to use.

 

Applies to

  1. JAWS

Resolution

Since JAWS 13 JAWS users have had to use the Microsoft Office ribbon offered in all of their Microsoft Office applications.  The old pull-down menus will not make a return in Microsoft Office.  However, initially at least it is an unfamiliar way of accessing features.  The virtual ribbon support in JAWS attempts to make traversing the ribbon easier.  Please see the information below no the navigational principles of the ribbon when virtual ribbon support is enabled. 

 

Enable virtual ribbon support in JAWS

This feature should be enabled by default but if the ribbon is not working as expected use the steps below to ensure this support is enabled:

  1.  Press JAWSKEY+V to open the “Quick settings” dialogue.
  2. Type the word “Ribbon” into the search edit area and press down arrow to locate “Virtual ribbon support”.
  3. Press SPACEBAR to toggle the “Virtual ribbon support” on.
  4. Then press TAB to reach the “OK” button and press SPACEBAR on it to close the dialogue.

 

Virtual ribbon menu navigation principle

Below are some navigational tips for using the Microsoft Office Ribbon with the relevant JAWS support enabled.

  1.  Press ALT to enter the ribbon menu in an application.
  2. Press ENTER to access the lower ribbon level.
  3. Press UP or DOWN ARROW keys to move between ribbon groups.
  4. Press ENTER to navigate into a ribbon group.
  5. Within a ribbon group press UP or DOWN ARROW keys to navigate through controls inside that ribbon group or press LEFT ARROW or ESCAPE to go back a ribbon group level at a time.

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