Google Callender With Screen Readers

What is Google Calendar?

Google Calendar is a free tool from Google that helps you keep track of:

• Appointments
• Events
• Birthdays
• Reminders
• Meetings

You can access it on your laptop/desktop by visiting calendar.google.com using a web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

How to Open Google Calendar on a Laptop

1. Turn on your laptop.
2. Open your internet browser (Chrome is recommended).
3. Type: calendar.google.com in the address bar.
4. Press Enter.
5. Log in with your Google account (email and password).
6. The calendar page will load.

 

How to Use Google Calendar with a Screen Reader

Google Calendar works with most screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver (on Mac).

General Tips:

• Use Tab to move forward.
• Use Shift + Tab to move backward.
• Use Arrow Keys to move inside the calendar grid.
• Use Enter to select.
• Use Escape to close pop-ups.

 

Basic Parts of the Calendar Page

• Main Calendar View

This is the central area of the screen that displays your events.

Purpose:

• To see your events by day, week, month, year, schedule (agenda), or 4-day view.

How to Use with a Screen Reader:

• When focus is in the main calendar area, your screen reader will read out the current view, like:
  • “Day view, Wednesday, May 21, 2025”
  • “10 AM, Weekly Team Sync”
• Use Tab or Arrow keys to move between time slots or events.
• Use keyboard shortcuts to change views:

View Type	Shortcut
Day View	1
Week View	2
Month View	3
4-Day View	4
Agenda/Schedule	5
Go to Today	T
Move to next date	J
Move to prev date	K

You’ll hear the screen reader say the time slot or event as you move.

 

• Navigation Panel (on the left)

This is on the left side of the screen, usually before the main calendar view.

What It Contains:

• Mini calendar (month view for date navigation)
• Search box
• Your calendars
• Other calendars
• Button to create new calendar or subscribe to one

How to Use with a Screen Reader:

1. a) Mini Calendar

• Press Tab from the top of the page until you hear something like:
  • “May 2025. Calendar grid. Today is May 19, 2025.”
• Use Arrow keys to move between days.
• Press Enter to select a date. The main calendar view updates.

1. b) Search Box

• After the mini calendar, you’ll hear: “Search. Edit text.”
• Type a keyword (e.g., “meeting”) and press Enter.
• Results will be listed, and you can use Tab to navigate them.

1. c) My Calendars

• You’ll hear: “My calendars. Expandable list.”
• Use Arrow keys to move through your calendars.
• Press Enter or Space to turn individual calendars on/off (you’ll hear “Checked” or “Unchecked”).

1. d) Other Calendars

• Similar to “My Calendars,” you can subscribe to public calendars, like holidays or coworker calendars.
• Options like “Browse calendars of interest” or “Subscribe by email” may be available (using Tab and Enter).

1. e) Add Other Calendar

• Tab until you hear “+ Add other calendars, button.”
• Press Enter for options like:
  • Subscribe to calendar
  • Create new calendar
  • Browse calendars
  • From URL
  • Import

You can follow the prompts using Tab and Enter.

 

• Create Button

This is used to add a new event to your calendar.

How to Use with a Screen Reader:

• Press Tab from the top of the page until you hear:
  • “Create. Button.”
• Press Enter.
  A new event panel will open on the right side of the screen.

You can now use Tab and Arrow keys to move between fields. Here’s what you’ll find:

Field/Option	What It Does and How to Use
Add Title	Type the name of your event (e.g., “Team Check-in”). Screen reader will say “Add title.”
Date & Time	Choose start and end dates and times. Tab to change and use arrow keys to adjust values.
All Day	Checkbox to mark event as “All day.” Use Spacebar to check or uncheck.
Time Zone	Set a custom time zone if needed. Optional.
Does Not Repeat	Opens repeat options (e.g., Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Custom). Use arrows to select.
Add Guests	Type email addresses of people to invite. Press Enter after each one.
Add Google Meet Video Conferencing	Adds a meeting link. Tab to the “Add Google Meet video conferencing” button and press Enter.
Add Location	Optional. You can type a physical location if needed.
Description	Add notes or agenda for the event. Tab to “Add description.”
Notifications	Set how and when you’ll get reminders (e.g., 10 mins before).
Calendar	If you have more than one calendar, choose where to save the event.
Busy / Free	Affects your availability to others viewing your calendar.
Visibility	Set event to Public, Private, or Default.
Save Button	Tab until you hear “Save. Button.” Press Enter to finish.
More Options	Tab to “More options” for full-screen event editor with advanced settings.

Extra Tips:

• After adding guests, screen reader will confirm if they can see the event details.
• If you use “More Options,” all the same fields are there in a larger layout. Use Headings (H) and Tab to navigate.

 

• Settings Button (gear icon)

This is near the top-right corner.

How to Use:

• Press Tab from the top until you hear: “Settings and more. Button.”
• Press Enter.
• A drop-down opens with:

Option	What It Does
Settings	Opens full calendar settings
Trash	Shows deleted events (you can restore or permanently delete)
Density and Color	Controls how compact the layout appears
Print	Print your calendar in selected format
Get Add-ons	Opens a menu for adding third-party tools
Keyboard Shortcuts	Opens a list of all available shortcuts
Offline Settings	Lets you manage offline access
Refresh	Refreshes the calendar view
Help	Opens Google Calendar Help articles

In the Settings Menu:

• After opening Settings, use Tab and Arrow keys to navigate:
  • General settings: time zone, language, default view
  • Calendar-specific settings (under each calendar)
  • Notifications, sharing, and access permissions

Screen Reader Tips:

• All items are read out clearly by screen readers.
• Use Tab to move between options.
• Use h key to jump between heading sections if supported (e.g., in JAWS or NVDA in browse mode).
• Press Escape to exit settings.

Summary Table for Navigation

Feature	Screen Reader Tip
Main Calendar View	Use number keys (1–5) to change views
Navigation Panel	Use Tab/Arrow keys to select dates/calendars
Settings Button (gear)	Tab to reach it, Enter to open menu

 

Key Screen Reader Commands:

1. Navigating the calendar:

• After opening the page, press Tab to reach the main calendar.
• Use Right/Left Arrow to move days.
• Use Up/Down Arrow to move weeks.
• Use Tab to jump to events.

2. Creating a new event:

• Press c to open the event creation window.
• Fill in the event title, time, and date.
• Press Tab to move through fields.
• Press Enter to save.

3. Moving between views:

• Press d for Day view.
• Press w for Week view.
• Press m for Month view.
• Press a for Agenda view (a simple list).

4. Searching for events:

• Press / to jump to the search box.
• Type the event name.
• Press Enter.

Common Keyboard Shortcuts:

Action	Shortcut Key
Go to today	t
Day view	d
Week view	w
Month view	m
Agenda view	a
Create new event	c
Search	/
Go to next period	n
Go to previous	p

Accessibility Tips:

• Use Google Chrome for best screen reader support.
• Turn on Screen Reader support in settings:
  • Press Tab until you reach “Settings” (gear icon).
  • Press Enter.
  • Go to “Accessibility.”
  • Enable screen reader support.