Michel Coornaert
Strasbourg, France

VoiceOver 10.6

Using Mail with VoiceOver Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard


Mail, also known as AppleMail, is an email program included in Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard. The compatibility of Mail with VoiceOver is excellent.
  • Important: for the instructions below, it is assumed that VoiceOver is on and that Quick Nav is off.
    To toggle VoiceOver on or off, press Cmd + F5.
    When VoiceOver is on, press simultaneously the Right and Left arrows to toggle Quick Nav on or off.

  • To go to the Menu bar:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + m.
    Use the arrows keys to move in the Menu bar.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar to activate a command.
    Press the Escape key to quit the Menu bar.

  • To select a message in the message table of a mailbox:
    Move to the message that you want to select by using the Up and Down Arrows.

  • To read the body of a message :
    Select the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + j. (If VoiceOver does not start reading the body of the message but only says "Text", then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a.)
    Once you have finished reading the message, press again ctrl + alt + j to get back to the message table. Actually, the message table of a mailbox is a table with one row for each message. The columns of the table give the header fields of the messages such as the sender, the subject, the arrival dates, etc..
    When you get back to the message table after reading a message, VoiceOver interacts with the table. When VoiceOver is interacting with the message table, one navigates through the cells of a column by using the Up and Down Arrows and through the cells of a row by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Left or Right Arrow.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Home (on Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Left arrow) to go to the top left cell of the message table.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + End (on Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Right arrow) to go to the bottom right cell.
    You can stop interacting with the message table by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow.

  • To read alphabetically a word in the body of a mesage:
    Select the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + j, then
    Move to the word by using Ctrl + Opt + one of the arrows,then
    Press twice Ctrl + Opt + w .
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a to continue reading or Ctrl + Opt + j to return to the mailbox.

  • To search a word in the body of a message:
    Select the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + j, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + f, then
    Type the word, then
    Press the Return key.
    VoiceOver then reads the line containing the first occurrence of the word,
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a to continue reading.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + g to go to the next occurrence of the word.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + g to go to the previous occurrence of the word.
    Remark: instead of typing a word in the search field, one can also select a word use used in a previous search by moving with the Up and Down Arrows. Press Cmd + Delete to suppress a word from the list of previous searches.

  • To read a line of a message character by character:
    Select the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + j, then
    Move to the line with the Down Arrow, then
    Move with the Right Arrow. VoiceOver will read the line character by character.

  • To read alphabetically a header field (sender, subject, etc.) in the header of a message:
    Select the message, then
    If this has not been already done, press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow to interact with the message table of the mailbox, then
    Move to the header field by using Ctrl + Opt + Left or Right Arrow, then
    Press twice Ctrl + Opt + w.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow to stop interacting with the mailbox.

  • To suppress a message in a mailbox:
    Select the message and then press the Delete key.
    The message is then put into the Trash folder. It will be definitively suppressed after one month.

  • To cancel the suppression of a message:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Undo Delete Message" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To add the email address of the sender of a message to the address book:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Add Sender to Address Book" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To suppress all the messages contained in a mailbox:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Select All" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press the Delete key.

  • To send a message:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "New Message" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the recipient address, then
    Move by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow and optionally fill in the text field Copy(Cc), Blind Copy (Bcc) and Subject when hearing "edit text" after "Cc", "Bcc " and "Subject ", then
    Continue pressing Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing "edit text Insertion at beginning of text, then
    Type the body of the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Send " with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To insert a link to a Web page which is currently opened in Safari :
    Go to Safari, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Open Location" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Return to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Copy" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Return to Mail, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Paste" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To attach a file to the body of a message:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Attach File…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press 5 times Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing the name of the current folder, then
    Move with the Up and Down Arrows to select a parent folder of the file you want to attach, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press 5 times Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing "File Browser", then
    Select the file by moving with the arrows, then
    Press the Return key.

  • Another method for attaching a file to the body of a message:
    Select the file in Finder (see Using Finder), then
    Copy the file by using the shortcut Cmd + c, then
    Paste the file in the body of the message by using the shortcut Cmd + v.

  • To open a file attached to a message:
    Select the file by moving with the arrows in the body of the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + m to open the local menu, then
    Go to "open attachment" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    The file will be opened in the application associated by default with the file extension.

  • To open an attached file with an application that is not the default application associated with the file extension:
    Select the file by moving with the arrows in the body of the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + m to open the local menu, then
    Go to the submenu "open with" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow, then
    Select the application by moving with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    The file will be opened in the application that has been selected.

  • To save in the current folder all the files attached to a message:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save Attachments…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To save in a folder that is not the current folder all the files attached to a message:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save Attachments…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press 5 times Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing the name of the current folder, then
    Move with the Up and Down Arrows to select a parent folder of the folder where you want to save the files, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press 5 times Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing "File Browser", then
    Select the folder where you want to save the files by moving with the arrows, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To save a message as a draft in the Draft Mailbox without sending it:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To continue writing a message that has been previously saved as a draft:
    Open the Drafts mailbox, then
    Select the message, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + j, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Open Message" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To forward a message:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Forward" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the address of the recipient, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Send" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To reply to a message:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Reply" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type your reply, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Send" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To replie to a message with a copy sent to each of the recipients of the message:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Reply All" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type your reply, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Send" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To get all new mails:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Mailbox" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Get All New Mail" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To move a message from a mailbox to another mailbox:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Move To" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow and then move with the Down Arrow to select the new mailbox, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To copy a message to another mailbox:
    Select the message, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Message" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Copy To" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow and then move with the Down Arrow to select the new mailbox, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To quickly open one of the basic mailboxes (Inbox, Draft, Sent, Trash, Junk):
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Mailbox" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Go To" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow and then move with the Down Arrow to select the mailbox, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To go from the table message of a mailbox to the table message of another mailbox:
    If VoiceOver is interacting with the message table of the mailbox, stop interaction by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow, then
    Press twist Ctrl + Opt+ Left Arrow, then
    Select the new mailbox by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press twist Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow to go to the message table of the new mailbox.

  • To create a new mailbox:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Mailbox" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "New Mailbox . . ." with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the name of the new mailbox, then
    Press the Return key.
    Remark: one can choose the location of the mailbox by pressing a few times ctrl +Opt + Right Arrow in the dialog box (after typing the name of the mailbox) and then select the location by moving with the arrows.

  • To suppress a mailbox:
    Select the mailbox, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Mailbox" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Delete Mailbox . . . " with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Go to the Delete button by using Ctrl + Opt + Right Arow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To add a header field (number of attachments, recipients, etc.) in the message rows of a mailbox:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "View" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Columns" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow, then
    Select the header field by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Checkmark it by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To change the way messages are sorted in a mailbox:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "View" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "sort By" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow, then
    Select the way you want messages to be sorted by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Checkmark it by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To go to the top message of a mailbox:
    Interact with the message table of the mailbox by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Home (on Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Left arrow) to go to the top left cell of the message table.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow to stop interacting with the message table.

  • To go to the bottom message of a mailbox:
    Interact with the message table of the mailbox by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + End (on Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Right arrow) to go to the bottom right cell of the message table.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow to stop interacting with the message table.

  • To check spelling:
    Press Cmd + semicolon, then
    VoiceOver reads the first misspelled word then
    Type the correct word.
    Instead of typing a new word, one can also use a word suggestion.
    To use a word suggestion, press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + m, then
    Select a suggestion by moving in the suggestion list with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    Remark: One can read alphabetically the uncorrected word or a suggested word by pressing twice Ctrl + Opt + w.

  • To suppress an address from the list of "Previous Recipients":
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Window" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Previous Recipients" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Go to the previous recipients table with Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow, then
    Select the address by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Go to the Remove From List button with Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To print:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Print…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To open Mail Help:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Help" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Mail Help" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    One navigates in Mail Help as in web pages (see Using Safari).

  • Some shortcuts

    To open a new message: Cmd + n
    To send a message: Cmd + Shift + d
    To attach a file: Cmd + Shift + a
    To forward a message: Cmd + Shift + f
    To reply: Cmd + r
    To reply to all: Cmd + Shift + r
    To add sender to address book: Cmd + Shift + y
    To get all new mail: Cmd + Shift + n
    to print: Cmd + p
    To close the window: Cmd + w
    To close all windows: Cmd + Opt + w
    To go to Inbox: Cmd + 1
    To go to Draft: Cmd + 3
    To go to Sent: Cmd + 4
    To go to Trash: Cmd + 5
    To go to Junk: Cmd + 6
    To mark or unmark as junk mail: Cmd + Shift + j
    To quit Mail: Cmd + q

  • VoiceOver Commands


  • To know the version of Mail on your computer:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Mail" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "About Mail" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • Mail Version: 4.6 (1085)

  • Please send me your comments or suggestions by e-mail


  • Last Update: March 5, 2019