Apple Mail: Addressing New Messages

By Just Another B…, 31 July, 2015

Forum
macOS and Mac Apps

TASK: Create new message and add names from contacts to the To and BCC fields

SYSTEM: Mac OS X Yosemite with latest version of Apple mail

PREVIOUS STEPS: In older versions of Apple mail, there was an “address” button that could be found in the toolbar of a new message. VO Spacebar on that button would open a dialogue box where VoiceOver could navigate a table of names. One could select multiple names with shift and arrow keys and then use VO keys to activate the to, cc, or bcc button. Once the names were selected, closing the dialogue box would return focus to the message.

CURRENT PROBLEM: The address button has been removed from the toolbar. VoiceOver announces a “To Add Contacts” button directly after the to edit field. VO Spacebar activates the button and opens up something that feels like a dialogue box. VoiceOver appears to be able to navigate the dialogue box but I cannot get it to select a name, select multiple names, or specify if the name will go in the to, cc, or bcc field.

POSSIBLE WORK AROUNDS: Many people will probably suggest typing the first couple letters of the name of the recipient and then using arrow keys to select the name as in previous versions of mail. The problem, is that I have literally hundreds of contacts and the message is not going to all of them. I don’t want to create a separate list of recipients each time I need to send out information. I thought about creating groups but that also requires a lot of time and I send out emails to a variety of different people in different situations.

I have sent a note to accessibility@apple.com and they said they would contact the mail team.

Anybody have any other thoughts?

Thanks

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