Category Archives: Office 365 Online

Accessibility, Email, Outlook

Accessibility Features in Outlook

This article describes assistive technology features that you can turn on when using Outlook to make reading and writing email easier. For guidelines on how to create e-mails that are accessible to others, see Creating Accessible Emails in Outlook.

Outlook is part of Office 365/Microsoft 365, which all current students and employees can access online through a web browser and install on personal devices. The desktop version is installed on all college-owned computers.

Contents

Use Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use key combinations to navigate in Outlook and perform common menu operations such as opening, creating, replying to, forwarding and sending messages; creating meetings and tasks; switching between the Calendar, Mail and Tasks windows, and moving messages to folders. Keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using a mouse or trackpad for individuals with mobility or vision disabilities. Learning keyboard shortcuts for common tasks can help all user work more efficiently.

See Microsoft’s Keyboard shortcuts in Outlook for the most up-to-date information on shortcuts available in Outlook online (Office365) and the Outlook for Windows, Mac and iOS.

Dark Mode (Office 365 Only)

  1. Open Outlook in your browser and log in.
  2. Click Settings
  3. Toggle Dark Mode on.
  4. While Dark Mode is on you can use the Sun(View with light background) Moon (view with dark background) icons in the tool bar beneath a message to see only text for that message in a light background.

See Dark Mode in Outlook for details.

Read E-Mail in Immersive Reader

With both the web version and Outlook desktop apps you can read email in Microsoft’s Immersive Reader to take advantage of accessibility features such as font and spacing adjustments, line focus, and color overlays.

In the desktop version (recommended):

  • Open the Immersive Reader within the Reading Pane by clicking View > Immersive Reader.
  • Any email you highlight in your mailbox will now open in Immersive Reader.

In the web/Microsoft 365 version of Outlook:

  • You can only open one email at a time in Immersive Reader.
  • With the Mail tab open, click (ellipsis) in the top menu bar, and choose Show in immersive reader.
  • Click the arrow in the top left to return to your mailbox.

See Open Immersive Reader for Outlook for instructions on using its features.

 

Listen to Your E-Mail

The Read Aloud feature of Immersive Reader can also read email messages to you using text-to-speech. See Listen to Your Outlook Email Messages with Read Aloud.

Text Prediction (Office 365 only)

Outlook can speed or ease typing by predicting the next word or phrase as you type — press Tab or the right arrow to accept it’s suggestions, keep typing to ignore them. See Editor text predictions for more information, including how disable or re-enable this feature on and off.

Request Accessible Content (Office 365)

Turn this setting on at your account level to show other Bryn Mawr Outlook users a notice that “A recipient has requested accessible content” when they send email to you or copy you on an email. Depending the email composer’s settings, this may also turn on accessibility checking for that message, alerting them to issues like a lack of alternative text or problematic font settings..

  1. Log in to your Bryn Mawr webmail.
  2. Click (Settings) in the top left corner.
  3. Start typing “accessible content” in the search bar of the settings pane, then choose that option when it pops up.
  4. Check the Ask users to send accessible content box
  5. Close the settings window.

Support for Screen Reader Users

See Microsoft’s Screen Reader Support for Outlook provides detailed, device-specific information on how to navigate, perform tasks, and read content in Outlook when using a screen reader.

Email, Information Security, Office 365 Online

Encrypting Emails in Office365

This article reviews how to encrypt emails in Office365.

Looking to encrypt an external drive?
Check out our Encrypting External Storage Drives tech doc.

 

When & Why

Encryption is required if you must send emails containing financial or personal information (i.e. credit card or Social Security numbers).

Why encrypt?

Encryption ensures that, if the email or account is compromised, that the data contained is inaccessible to any unauthorized users.

 

How to…

Encrypt an email (Click me!)

Include the text [ENCRYPT] in the email subject line like so:

illustration of how to use the subject line to encrypt a message

Encrypted emails can be sent to both College and external email addresses.

If you try to send an unencrypted email containing what appears to be sensitive information, you may see a warning message.

View an encrypted email (Click me!)

Follow the instructions in the email you received:

illustration highlighting in-message instructions for opening an encrypted email

  • Have a Bryn Mawr account? click Sign In
  • Don’t have a Bryn Mawr account? Click Use a one-time passcode

illustration highlighting Sign-in and One time passcode options

Replies to encrypted emails will be automatically encrypted.

 

Questions?

If you have any additional questions or problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk!

Phone: 610-526-7440
Email: help@brynmawr.edu
Location: Canaday Library 1st Floor

Accessibility, Email, Outlook

Create Accessible E-Mails in Outlook

Following the guidelines below helps ensure that all recipients will be able to read e-mails you send. For information on features that can make it easier for you to read and write e-mail when using Outlook, please see Accessibility Features in Outlook.

  1. Add Alt Text to Images
  2. Add Meaningful Hyperlinks
  3. Use Accessible Font Formatting
  4. Avoid Animated GIFs
  5. Use the Accessibility Checker

For more detailed information, see Microsoft documentation for making email accessible.

Prefer video? See Microsoft video tutorials on creating accessible content in Outlook.

1. Add Alt Text to Images

Alt text (or alternative text) provides a concise description of an image for screen reader users. The alt text will also appear in place of an image when the image cannot be loaded or rendered properly.

On a Windows device and in Outlook online
  1. In an email draft, click an image in the message body.
  2. To display the formatting toolbar, click Show Formatting Options
  3. In the toolbar, click Add alternate text or image
  4. Type a description for the image and click OK
On a macOS computer
  1. In an email draft, click an image in the message body
  2. In the menu bar at the top of the screen click Format
  3. From the Format menu, click Edit Alt Text…
  4. Type a description for the image and close the Alt text menu.
On a mobile device
  1. In an email draft, double tap an image. This opens the context menu.
  2. Tap Alt Text
  3. Type a description for the image and press OK or SAVE.

 

3. Use Accessible Font Formatting

Color should not the only means of conveying information.
People who are colorblind may not be able to distinguish text in different colors. Add other formatting (such as bold or italics) when using color to call out or distinguish text instead of relying only on color.

There is sufficient contrast between text and background colors.
For greatest accessibility, use the default font color setting — Automatic, as this will work best when recipients are using high contrast or dark viewing modes to read email. If you do customize the color, check that the contrast between the text and the background meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.

Use sans serif fonts that are at least 11pt or larger.
Sans serif fonts and larger font sizes are easier for people with dyslexia or low vision to read.

 

4. Avoid Animated GIFs

Blinking or flashing content can trigger seizures for individuals with photosensitive seizure disorders. Animated GIFs can be accessible if the animation is no longer than five seconds and only plays once or if viewers manually start and stop it. They are most problematic when the animation loops continuously. If you cannot guarantee an animation won’t loop, it is safest to leave it out or replace it with a still image.

 

5. Use the Accessibility Checker

Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker can check your email drafts for certain issues that could cause access problems and suggest ways to fix them. See Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker documentation for details about what it does and doesn’t check, troubleshooting information, and advice on interpreting results and fixing issues.

Note: The Accessibility Checker is not available in Office apps for iOS or Android devices.

Check an email before sending it:

In Outlook online (Office 365)
  1. Click (More options) in menu bar above the email.
  2. Choose Check for accessibility issues.

  1. Results will appear in a Accessibility pane to the right of your draft. If issues are found, click Fix This to access the settings you need to fix them.
In Outlook for MacOS
  1. Click the Options ribbon, then Check Accessibility.

Screenshot of UI in Outlook to open Accessibility Checker

  1. Results will appear in a pane to the right of your draft. If issues are found, click Fix This for more information and to access the settings you need to fix them.
In Outlook for Windows
  1. Click Check Accessibility in the Message or Review ribbon.

  1. Results will appear in a pane to the right of your draft. If issues are found, click Fix This for more information and to access the settings you need to fix them.

(Windows only) Run Accessibility Checker while you write and display warnings as MailTips:

  1. Click File
  2. Select Options in the bottom of the right sidebar.
  3. Click Ease of Access

  1. Change the Accessibility checker options to:
    • Show me accessibility warnings while I work — the Accessibility Checker always runs
    • Show me accessibility options when — the Accessibility Checker runs only when the conditions you select are met.
Note: In Outlook for Mac, the Accessibility Checker always runs in the background if you are drafting an email to one or more recipients who prefers accessible content.

 

Accessibility, Teams

Accessibility Features in Microsoft Teams

Table of Contents:

Visit the Microsoft website for a comprehensive list of the the accessibility features available in Teams.

Use Live Captions

Live captions make Teams meetings more inclusive for participants who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, have differing levels of language proficiency, or are in places with loud background noise by providing an additional way for them to follow along.

Turn captions on and off on a desktop or laptop device
  1. In meeting controls, click More options
  2. Click Turn on live captions or Turn off live captions accordingly

Screenshot of More options menu with Turn on live captions option from a desktop.

Note: Live captions are only available in English (US).  For best caption results, speak clearly, slowly, and directly into the microphone, and avoid having multiple people speak at the same time.

Turn captions on and off on a mobile device
  1. In meeting controls, click More options
  2. Click Turn on live captions or Turn off live captions accordingly.

Screenshot of More options menu with Turn on live captions option from a mobile device.

Note: Live captions are only available in English (US).  For best caption results, speak clearly, slowly, and directly into the microphone, and avoid having multiple people speak at the same time.

Visit the Microsoft website for more information about using live captions in Teams.

 

Reduce Background Noise

Teams offers four levels of noise suppression to limit background noise in meetings:

  • Auto (default): Teams automatically decides the best level of noise suppression
  • High: suppresses all background noise that isn’t speech
  • Low: suppresses persistent background noise, such as a fan. Use this level for playing music
  • Off: no noise suppression. Use this level for high-fidelity microphones in low noise environments.
Set the noise suppression level from the main Teams menu
  1. Click More options in the top right of the Teams window
  2. Click Settings from the menu
  3. Click Devices from the menu at the left
  4. Under Noise Suppression click the dropdown menu and click the desired noise suppression level.

Once the noise suppression level has been changed from the main Teams menu, it carries over to subsequent meetings.

Screenshot of Devices menu in Settings with Noise suppression seection highlighted.

Change the noise suppression level from the main Teams menu for Mac devices using an M1 ARM processor

Note: Mac devices using an M1 ARM processor include: Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac.

  1. Click Settings and more in the top right of the Teams window
  2. Click  Settings from the menu
  3. Click Devices from the menu at the left
  4. Click the toggle button next to Noise Suppression; when the dot is on the right, noise suppression is on.

Once the noise suppression level has been changed from the main Teams menu, it carries over to subsequent meetings.

Screenshot of Noise suppression section and toggle from Devices menu in Settings.

Set the noise suppression level from a meeting window
  1. Click More options in the meeting controls
  2. Click Device settings
  3. Under Noise Suppression click the dropdown menu and click the desired noise suppression level.

Screenshot of Device settings from the meeting controls menu with Noise suppression section highlighted.

Visit the Microsoft website for more information about using noise suppression in Teams.

 

Use the Immersive Reader

The Immersive Reader reads posts, chat messages, and assignments out loud.

Launch Immersive Reader

Launch Immersive Reader from a message
  1. Hover over a chat message with the cursor, or tap it on a touch screen device
  2. Click More options
  3. Click Immersive Reader, which launches Immersive Reader in full-screen view

Screenshot of More options menu for a chat message in Teams.

Launch Immersive Reader from an assignment as a student
  1. Open an assignment
  2. Click Immersive Reader, which launches Immersive Reader in full-screen view
Launch Immersive Reader from an assignment as an educator
  1. Open an assignment
  2. Click Student View
  3. Click Immersive Reader, which launches Immersive Reader in full-screen view

Use Immersive Reader

Listen to a document read aloud
  • Click Play to hear a document read aloud and see the text highlighted at the same time from the top of the page
  • Click a specific word in the document to choose where the narration begins in the document
  • Click Voice Options at the top right of the document to change the narration settings

Screenshot of Voice Options menu.

Change the appearance of a document
  • Click Text Options menu iconText options
  • Set text size, spacing, font, and theme color
  • Click Show Source Formatting to keep formatting from the original text, such as bolding or underlining

Screenshot of Text Options menu.

Change how parts of speech appear in a document
  • Click Grammar Options menu icon Grammar Options
  • Click the toggle next to the different parts of speech options to highlight and break down the document’s text. When the toggle dot is on the right, the toggle is turned on.

Screenshot of Grammar Options menu

Use the Reading Preference menu

Click Reading Preference menu icon Reading Preference to enable line focus, the picture dictionary, and translating.

Screenshot of Reading Preference menu

Visit the Microsoft website for more information about using the Immersive Reader.

Use Keyboard Shortucts

Keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using a touchscreen or mouse for users with mobility or vision issues.

Note: These shortcuts are for US keyboard layouts.

Visit the Microsoft website for a complete list of keyboard shortcuts for Mac and Windows computers, on the desktop app or the web.

Translate Messages

Translate a message on a desktop or laptop device
  1. Hover over a message with the cursor
  2. Click More options
  3. Click Translate. This will show the message in the language you’ve set in Teams

Note: Language settings can be changed in the General settings, but this will change the language settings for the entire Teams application. You can also translate messages using Teams’s Immersive Reader.

        Screenshot of More options menu on a desktop with Translate highlighted

Translate a message on a mobile device
  1. Press and hold a message
  2. Tap Translate. This will show the message in the language selected in the Translation settings
  3. To see the message in the original language, press and hold a message and tap See original (language).

Note: Change the selected translation language in the Translation settings. This will not change the language settings for the entire Teams app.

        Screenshot of message options menu on a mobile device

Visit the Microsoft page for more information about translating messages in Teams.

Use Default, Dark, and High Contrast Themes

Use Default, Dark, and High Contrast Themes on a desktop or laptop device
  1. Click Settings and more in the top right of the Teams window
  2. Click Settings
  3. Click General from the menu at the left
  4. In the Theme section choose the desired theme

Screenshot of General settings menu with Theme section on a desktop.

Use Default, Dark, and High Contrast Themes on a mobile device
  1. Tap the profile picture icon in the top left
  2. Tap Settings
  3. Tap Appearance under General
  4. Tap the desired theme

Note: Changing this setting means the app must close and restart.

    Screenshot of Settings menu on a mobile device.

Office 365 Online, OneDrive, OneDrive

Sharing Files Securely Using OneDrive

OneDrive provides an easy way to share files and folders with others:

  1. Create a “share link” for a file or folder.
  2. Email or paste the link into a web page, shared document, Moodle course, chat, etc.
  3. Other people click that link to access the file or folder.

By default, settings for share links are not secure: anyone who has access to the link will have full editing and sharing permissions for the file or folder.

However, you can customize the sharing settings and increase security by:

  • Limiting who can use a share link.
  • Limiting how long a share link works.
  • Requiring a password for access.
  • Giving recipients view-only access with the link.

Create a Share Link with Secure Settings

  1. Upload or create a file or folder in OneDrive.
  2. Hover over it and click the (share).
  3. Click the sharing settings (outlined in red in the image below) at the top of the Send link window to customize them.

  1. In the Link Settings window (shown below), under “Who would you like this link to work for?” choose:
    • Anyone with the link (least secure): if you share this link with someone and they share forward it to others, everyone will be able to access the file or folder.
    • People in your organization with the link: limits access to current Bryn Mawr students and employees, users must log into their Bryn Mawr College e-mail/Office365 account to open the file or folder.
    • People with existing access: use to create a direct link to a file or folder that only works for people it has already been shared with. For example, if you are discussing a shared document with people in a web conference and want a direct link to it that you can paste into the chat.
    • Specific people — most secure option: creates a link that only works for individuals with email addresses you specify (can be internal (brynmawr.edu) or external. You will add the email addresses after clicking Apply.

  1. Under Other settings, set additional parameters:
    • Allow editing: If checked, people who click the share link can edit files, change sharing permissions, and share with others. If you are sharing a folder, they can edit, rename, move, copy, delete, and add files in that folder. Uncheck to allow people to view files, but prevent them from making changes or sharing them.
For Word documents only: when Allow editing is checked, there is an additional option to Open in review mode only. This option turns on Track changes so that people who click the share link can add comments and suggest edits, but not alter content directly.
    • Set expiration date – specify a date when the share link stops working.
    • Set password – specify a password that people need to enter before they can access the file or folder. This can increase security, but only if a) you use a strong password and b) you share the password and the link separately. If you email the link to someone, don’t include the password in an email; if you post the link on a public web page, don’t post the password, too. Have people contact you for the password and/or send it by a more secure means.
    • Block download (Office365 files only) – when turned on, people who access a file through the share link can edit it within online versions Office365 apps but cannot download it or edit it in the desktop versions.
  1. Click Apply to save your settings.
  2. If you chose to share with Specific people, give those people access by adding their names or email addresses in the To: line and clicking Send. OneDrive will send them an email with a link to the item and it will show up on their Shared with me page in OneDrive.
WARNING: Entering names or email address ONLY limits access IF sharing is set to Specific people. For all other sharing settings, adding names and email addresses to the To: line only determines who receives an email with the share link. If they forward the email, anyone in the sharing category you chose (e.g. “anyone” or “anyone at brynmawr.edu”) will be able to use the link.

Check or Change Who Can Access a File or Folder

  1. Hover over the filename, click the , and choose Manage access.
  2. On the Manage Access pane:
    • Links giving access lists any share links you’ve created for the item. Click … (More options) next to a link to edit or remove it; or Share at the top of the list to create a new one.
    • Direct Access lists the groups and individuals who have permission to access the file. Click the arrow next to a name to change a person or group’s access level (view or edit) or to remove access or click the + to add a group or person to the list.
Calendar, Email, Mobile Devices, Office 365 Online

Email & Calendar: Mobile Devices

Before you start, you will need access to the following:

  • a College account
  • a smartphone or tablet with internet access
  • your Duo two-factor authentication device(s)
  • the Outlook app (iOS, Android)
LITS highly recommends using the Outlook Mobile app.

 

Connection Instructions

iOS & iPadOS

Android

 

Questions?

If you have any additional questions or problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk!

Phone: 610-526-7440
Email: help@brynmawr.edu
Location: Canaday Library 1st Floor

Office 365 Online

Office 365 Overview

Before you start, you may need access to the following:

  • a Bryn Mawr College account
  • a laptop or desktop with internet access
Note: Use of Office 365 apps falls under Bryn Mawr College’s Acceptable Use and Data Handling policies.

Table of Contents:

 

What is Office 365?

Office 365 is a broad suite of apps and services that are frequently updated with improvements and new features; all of which can be accessed via webmail.brynmawr.edu.

 

Commonly Used Applications

Outlook
(Mail, Calendar, People)		 OneDrive Office Online
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Outlook: access your College email, manage your schedule, and view your contacts
  • OneDrive: upload documents to save space and easily share
  • Office Online: simultaneously collaborate and create
Require assistance?
Check out our Email & Calendar or Microsoft Office tech docs!

 

Other Applications and Resources

There are many other Office 365 apps available, be sure to check them all out! Some of these include:

  • Forms
  • Lists
  • Planner
  • Sway
  • Teams
  • To Do
  • Yammer

 

Questions?

If you have any additional questions or problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk!

Phone: 610-526-7440
Email: help@brynmawr.edu
Location: Canaday Library 1st Floor

Academic Software, Excel, General Assistance, Microsoft Office 2016, Office 365 Online, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word

Microsoft Office: Personal Devices

The following article applies to personal devices. For Public/Lab computers, see Microsoft Office: Public/Lab Computers.

Before you start, you will need access to the following:

  • a Bryn Mawr College account
  • a personal laptop or desktop computer with internet access

Table of Contents:

 

Office365: Overview

You can install Microsoft Office on up to 5 devices simultaneously including laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets.

*Microsoft Teams & OneDrive must be installed separately.

**For a full list of all applications offered, see All Apps.

 

Installing Microsoft Office

  1. Open Google Chrome¹ and navigate to portal.office.com
  2. If prompted, login using your College username and password
  3. Click Install Office in the top-right, select Office 365 apps
  4. To begin the installation, run the .exe or .dmg file that was downloaded
Tip: How to find a downloaded file

 

Your default download location is probably the Downloads folder, which you can find in the File Explorer app (Windows) or the Finder app (macOS).

 

  1. After the installation finishes, open any Microsoft Office application
  2. Sign-in with your College username and password to active the software suite

¹Any internet browser works, but Google Chrome will provide the experience most consistent with these instructions.

 

 

Questions?

If you have any additional questions or problems, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk!

Phone: 610-526-7440
Email: help@brynmawr.edu
Location: Canaday Library 1st Floor

 

Email, File Storage, General Assistance, Network Resources, Office 365 Online, OneDrive

Graduating Students – Account Access

When a student graduates, access to a variety of College accounts and online services changes. Please be mindful of the following timelines when moving data and setting up post-graduation accounts.

Office 365: Email and OneDrive
  • Ninety (90) days after you graduate, you will lose access to your college Office 365, email and OneDrive account. If you’d like to save anything from Office 365, email, and OneDrive, you must do so before the end of this 90-day period. LITS cannot restore Office365 access or recover email or files for individuals who have lost access.
  • Bryn Mawr does provide an email forwarding service, which lets you forward e-mail received at your brynmawr.edu to another e-mail address. Please note:
    • You will not be able to set up alumnae/i e-mail forwarding more than 30 days before you graduate.
    • Once you set up this service, emails will begin forwarding within approximately 24 hours (even while you still have access to your Bryn Mawr email account).
  • Alums who are hired to work at the College (including the summer after graduation) will have alumnae forwarding disabled, as access to their full Bryn Mawr College email account will be re-enabled. Please remember to re-set up alumnae/i forwarding after your job at Bryn Mawr ends to ensure mail forwards from your Bryn Mawr College email address to the personal account of your choice.
  • Our agreement with Microsoft does not allow us to offer Microsoft Office to alums free of charge.
H: Drive
  • You will also lose access to your H: drive 90 days after graduation. Please move any files you wish to save. If you had access to other file shares for a campus job, access will end 90 days after graduation or earlier if your supervisor cancels your access.
Moodle
  • 90 days after graduation, you will no longer have access to Moodle or any of the files you have stored there. Please download and save any files you feel you may need in the future, as well as any personal work you may want to publish/showcase.
Domain of One’s Own
  • 90 days after graduation you will no longer be able to log in to manage your Domain of One’s Own website. See our Tech Doc for more information on migrating your domain.
Library Borrowing
  • Graduating students’ library accounts expire on the last day of finals week. In the Spring, graduating seniors who have returned all materials and paid all fines automatically get their accounts extended through the last day of Senior Week.
  • Alumnae/i borrowing is available
BIONIC

See the Server Accounts and Access policy for more information.