Use a screen reader to view and navigate a profile in Skype for Mac

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This article is for people with visual impairments who use a screen reader program with Skype and is part of the Skype Accessibility content set. For more general help, visit Skype Support home.

Use Skype with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader, to view and navigate the profile of a contact or someone you have chatted with. From the profile, you can, for example, start calls or conversations, block or delete a contact, and open the Chat gallery that stores all files and links shared in each chat. The information provided in this article is for use with the latest version of Skype. For more information, please go to How do I update Skype?

Notes:

• For keyboard shortcuts, go to What are keyboard shortcuts and how do I use them in Skype?
• This article assumes that you are using a desktop with the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver.
• Some navigation and gestures may be different depending on your macOS version, Skype version, and hardware.
• To learn more about accessibility features, go to What accessibility features are available for Skype?

In this topic

• View a profile
• Navigate a profile
  • Add a contact to favorites
  • Rename a contact
  • Start a chat or call
  • Create a new group
  • Use the Chat gallery
  • Configure chat settings
  • Remove or block a contact

View a profile

1. In Skype, press Command+Shift+C to open the Contacts list. If you want to open the Chats list instead, press Option+1.
2. In the Contacts or Chats list, navigate to the contact whose profile you want to view by pressing the VoiceOver modifier keys (Control+Option) along with the Right or Left arrow keys. When VoiceOver announces the correct contact, press Control+Option+Shift+M to open the context menu.
3. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "View profile," and then press Return. The user profile opens.

Navigate a profile

You can access many actions from the profile of someone you've chatted with or a contact.

Note: Not all actions are supported for all profiles.

Add a contact to favorites

In a profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Add to favorites," and press Return. Chats or contacts selected as favorites show up at the top of the Chats or Contacts list.

Rename a contact

1. In a profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Edit profile," then press Return.
2. Press the Tab key until you hear the name of the contact. Type the new name for the contact.
3. To save, press the Shift+Tab key until you hear "Save," then press Return.

Note: Changing the name of a contact only changes how their name appears to you.

Start a chat or call

To start a chat or a call with a contact, do one of the following with the contact's user profile open:

• To send a message, press the Tab key until you hear "Send message," and then press Return to open a chat pane with the contact.
• To start a call, press the Tab key until you hear "Start call," and then press Return.
• To start a video call, press the Tab key until you hear "Start video call," and then press Return.
• To start a private conversation, press the Tab key until you hear "Start private conversation," and then press Return to send an invitation to a private conversation. Messages, media files, and calls in a private conversation are encrypted.

Create a new group

1. In a contact profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Create new group with," followed by the name of the contact, and then press Return. You hear "Create new group, dialog."
2. The Create new group dialog contains a Search button, a list of current group members, and a list of suggested members. To move between these, press the Tab key or Shift+Tab keys.
   
   To filter the list of suggested members, press Return when you hear the "Search people and bots" button is selected and then type a contact's name to search. The search is performed while you type. To add a suggested member to the group, navigate to the correct entry in the list with the Up and Down arrow keys and then press Return when the correct contact is announced.
3. When you are finished adding group members, press the Tab key until you hear "Done," and then press Return to create the group.

Use the Chat gallery

The Chat gallery contains photos, files, and web links shared in a chat. You can use it to easily browse previously shared content, and to add more.

1. In a profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Open Chat gallery," and then press Return. The profile is closed and the Chat gallery opens.
2. To filter the contents of the Chat gallery, press the Tab key until you hear "Media filter menu," and press Return. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to select which option you want, and press Return to select it.
3. To share a file, press the Tab key until you hear "Drop here to share," and press Return. The Open dialog opens. Select the file you wish to share, press the Tab key until you hear "Open," and then press Return.

Configure chat settings

You can access the settings from a chat profile. You can toggle notifications on and off, or delete an entire conversation. If you have opened a private chat, you can also toggle notifications for the private chat separately, delete the private chat, or end the private chat, which lets you continue chatting without end-to-end encryption.

1. In a chat profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Chat settings," and then press Return.
2. Press the Tab key until you hear the setting you want, and then press Return to select it.

Remove or block a contact

To remove a contact:

1. In a user profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Remove from contact list," and then press Return. The Remove from contact list window opens.
2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Remove," and press Return to confirm the removal.

To block a contact:

1. In a user profile, press the Tab key until you hear "Block contact," and then press Return.
2. If you want to report abuse, press the Tab key until you hear "Report abuse from this person," and press Return. To select a reason for your report, press the Tab key until you hear the option you want, and then press Return to select it.
3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Block," and then press Return.

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.