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Google Sheets Format Menu With Screen Readers

by | Jun 6, 2024 | Google Sheets | 0 comments

Overview

The Format menu in Google Sheets provides a range of options to change the appearance and formatting of your spreadsheet content. Here’s an overview of the key features and functionalities available under this menu:

  1. Number:
    • Number: Format cells as standard numbers.
    • Currency: Format cells as currency with a chosen symbol (e.g., $, €, £).
    • Percent: Format cells as percentages.
    • Scientific: Format cells using scientific notation.
    • Date: Format cells to display dates.
    • Time: Format cells to display time.
    • Duration: Format cells to display durations.
    • More Formats: Access additional formats like accounting, financial, plain text, etc., and create custom number formats.
  2. Text:
    • Bold: Apply bold formatting to the selected text.
    • Italic: Apply italic formatting to the selected text.
    • Strikethrough: Apply strikethrough formatting to the selected text.
    • Underline: Apply underline formatting to the selected text.
    • Font Size: Adjust the font size of the selected text.
    • Font: Change the font style of the selected text.
    • Text Color: Change the text color.
    • Fill Color: Change the background color of the selected cells.
  3. Alignment:
    • Left: Align text to the left.
    • Center: Center-align text.
    • Right: Align text to the right.
    • Top: Align text to the top of the cell.
    • Middle: Align text to the middle of the cell.
    • Bottom: Align text to the bottom of the cell.
    • Text Rotation: Rotate text to various angles or custom angles.
    • Wrap: Wrap text within the cell.
    • Clip: Clip text that overflows the cell.
    • Overflow: Allow text to overflow into adjacent cells.
  4. Merge Cells:
    • Merge All: Merge all selected cells into one.
    • Merge Horizontally: Merge selected cells in the same row.
    • Merge Vertically: Merge selected cells in the same column.
    • Unmerge: Unmerge previously merged cells.
  5. Text Wrapping:
    • Overflow: Let the text overflow into adjacent cells.
    • Wrap: Wrap text onto multiple lines within the cell.
    • Clip: Clip text that is too long for the cell.
  6. Conditional Formatting:

    Apply formatting rules based on cell values. This includes setting up rules to change text color, fill color, and more based on specific conditions.

  7. Alternating Colors:

    Apply alternating row colors to a selected range, making it easier to read data.

  8. Clear Formatting:

    Remove all formatting from the selected cells, reverting them to the default format.

These options allow users to customize the appearance of their data, making it more readable and visually appealing.

Navigation In Format Menu Using Screen Readers

Using a screen reader in Google Sheets, you can access and use the functions in the Format menu by following these general steps.

  1. Open Google Sheets:
    • Launch your preferred web browser (e.g., Google Chrome).
    • Go to the Google Sheets website (sheets.google.com).
    • Sign in to your Google account if you haven’t already.
  2. Navigate to the Format Menu:
    • Once you’re in a Google Sheet, navigate to the Format menu at the top-left corner of the screen. You can usually access menus by pressing the Alt key (Windows) or Control key (Mac) along with the corresponding underlined letter. For example, Alt + O for the Format menu.
  3. Use Arrow Keys or Hotkeys:
    • Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the Format menu options. Your screen reader should read aloud the menu options as you navigate.
  4. Select an Option:
    • When you reach the desired Format menu option, press the Enter key or the hotkey associated with that option. For example, to format cells, you might navigate to “Number” and press Enter.
      1. Number Formatting:
        • Press Alt + O, then N to open the Number submenu.
        • Use the arrow keys to navigate to options like Number, Currency, Percent, Scientific, Date, Time, Duration, and More Formats.
        • Press Enter to select the desired format.
      2. Text Formatting:
        • Press Alt + O, then T to open the Text submenu.
        • Use the following keys for specific text formatting options:
          • Bold: Press B
          • Italic: Press I
          • Strikethrough: Press K
          • Underline: Press U
          • Font Size: Press S, then use arrow keys to select the size
          • Font: Press F, then use arrow keys to select the font
          • Text Color: Press C, then use arrow keys to select the color
          • Fill Color: Press L, then use arrow keys to select the fill color
        • Press Enter to apply the selected formatting.
      3. Alignment:
        • Press Alt + O, then A to open the Alignment submenu.
        • Use the following keys for specific alignment options:
          • Left: Press L
          • Center: Press C
          • Right: Press R
          • Top: Press T
          • Middle: Press M
          • Bottom: Press B
          • Text Rotation: Press O, then use arrow keys to select the rotation option
          • Wrap: Press W
          • Clip: Press C
          • Overflow: Press O
        • Press Enter to apply the selected alignment.
      4. Merge Cells:
        • Press Alt + O, then M to open the Merge Cells submenu.
        • Use the following keys for specific merge options:
          • Merge All: Press A
          • Merge Horizontally: Press H
          • Merge Vertically: Press V
          • Unmerge: Press U
        • Press Enter to apply the selected merge option.
      5. Text Wrapping:
        • Press Alt + O, then W to open the Text Wrapping submenu.
        • Use the following keys for specific wrapping options:
          • Overflow: Press O
          • Wrap: Press W
          • Clip: Press C
        • Press Enter to apply the selected wrapping option.
      6. Conditional Formatting:
        • Press Alt + O, then C to open the Conditional Formatting pane.
        • Use the Tab key and arrow keys to navigate through the conditional formatting options and settings.
      7. Alternating Colors:
        • Press Alt + O, then A (note: this may conflict with Alignment, depending on the implementation) to open the Alternating Colors pane.
        • Use the Tab key and arrow keys to select and apply alternating row colors.
      8. Clear Formatting:
        • Press Alt + O, then E to clear all formatting from the selected cells.
  5. Perform Actions:
    • Depending on your chosen option, you’ll be presented with different actions. Use your screen reader’s commands to interact with and complete these actions. For example, if you selected “Number,” you can specify number formatting options.
  6. Navigate Within Submenus:
    • Some options in the Format menu may have submenus, such as “Number,” “Alignment,” or “Borders.” If you encounter submenus, you can navigate into them by pressing the right arrow key or using the corresponding hotkey.
  7. Navigate Back:
    • To navigate back to the main Format menu or to exit submenus, use the left arrow key or the appropriate screen reader command.
  8. Close the Format Menu:
    • After you’ve completed your desired action in the Format menu, you can usually press the Escape key or a screen reader command to close the Format menu.