26.1 beta 3 still will not tell me in MS 365 Outlook Classic if an email is read or unread

[Richard Turner]

 

 

Sorry, but I'm not up to dealing with get hub.

Narrator and Jaws both tell me if emails are read or not.

NVDA has never done this for me.

If two screen readers work fine, I'm placing the blame on NVDA.

 

Richard, USA,

he only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

-- Alan Watts (1915-1973)

 

My web site: https://www.turner42.com

 

 

[kers...@montana.com]

Hello,

 

I am using  (NVDA) Version: 2025.3.3 (2025.3.3.54605)

 

I just tested with all add-ons disabled, and in Outlook Classic, NVDA is telling me which ones are read or unread.

 

It could be that in my custom view I have this exposed.

 

Best

George

--
***
Please note: the NVDA project has a Citizen and Contributor Code of Conduct.
NV Access expects that all community members will read and abide by the rules set out in this document while participating in this group.
https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
 
You can contact the group owners and moderators via nvda-user...@nvaccess.org.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NVDA Screen Reader Discussion" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to nvda-users+...@nvaccess.org.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/026a01dca02e%24ee28e6f0%24ca7ab4d0%24%40comcast.net.

[Richard Turner]

Remind me how to disable all addons.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/03b301dca031%2478ada5c0%246a08f140%24%40montana.com.

[Richard Turner]

Never mind.

I disabled all the addons and the beta still and no version of NVDA, reads the read or unread status.

So, I will stick to Jaws as my primary screen reader.

 

 

 

Richard, USA,

he only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

-- Alan Watts (1915-1973)

 

My web site: https://www.turner42.com

 

 

From: kerscher via NVDA Screen Reader Discussion <nvda-...@nvaccess.org>

Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2026 9:19 AM
To: nvda-...@nvaccess.org

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/03b301dca031%2478ada5c0%246a08f140%24%40montana.com.

[kers...@montana.com]

Hit  nvdea key plus n

Arrow up to exit and press enter

Arrow down to restart with all add-ins disabled.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/029701dca031%24f75162e0%24e5f428a0%24%40comcast.net.

[Quentin Christensen]

Hi Richard,

Which version of Windows and Office are you using?

I cannot find a way to get NVDA to NOT report when a message is unread.  If a message is read, it doesn't report that, just the details about the message itself, but if I message is unread, NVDA always says "unread".  I tried various NVDA settings, and changing views and options in Outlook and I tried both Outlook classic and Outlook (new) just in case, and it always tells me when a message is unread.  Whatever is happening on your system, neither myself nor others in the group who have responded seem to be able to replicate it?  I am curious to work out what is happening though.

I tried moving around a folder, and then I tried going to the folder list with CONTROL+TAB as well as control+y and in both cases, the count of unread messages is also read.

I tried NVDA 2025.3.3 and also the latest NVDA alpha, and Office 365 (16.0.19725.20014) on Windows 11 25H2, Build: 26200.7840.

Kind regards

Quentin

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/00c301dca048%242c6f3f90%24854dbeb0%24%40montana.com.

--

Quentin Christensen

Training and Support Manager

NV Access

www.nvaccess.org 

Training: https://www.nvaccess.org/shop/

Certification: https://certification.nvaccess.org/

Subscribe to email updates (blog, new versions, etc): https://eepurl.com/iuVyjo

User group: https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/g/nvda-users

Other groups: https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/wiki/Connect 

Mastodon: https://fosstodon.org/@NVAccess

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NVAccess 

[Richard Turner]

I know, I'm apparently the only one on the planet that has this issue.

Microsoft Windows Version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.7840)

(NVDA) Version: 2026.1beta3 (2026.1.0.54615) 

Microsoft Outlook Subscription Version 16.0.19725.20058

 

I have uninstalled NVDA and reinstalled from scratch a couple of times over the last couple of years and it never works.

 

I've done all the Windows trouble shooting and it is not important enough to reinstall Windows since all other screen readers report the information just fine.

So this will be my final note about this.

I will keep supporting NVDA as a backup screen reader.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/CAKsDpFhxe5Y_fwKhpZwj-jiCOt3Y9o%3DygbnDbuuQevbUw3EBWA%40mail.gmail.com.

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,

Can you try one more thing:

1. From Outlook (classic) window, locate an unrad message.
2. Press NVDA+F1 to let NVDA show developer info.
3. Copy and paste the developer info (the part of the NVDA log that starts with “developer info” and to the end) as a reply to this message.

I suspect NVDA might not be recognizing Outlook message items correctly (the “read/unread” announcement comes from Outlook which should be picked up by NVDA but looks like “unread” isn’t). I’ll also assume you have also restarted NVDA with add-ons disabled (may need to look at this thread again to make sure).

Cheers,

Joseph

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/00c901dca0e4%24ed08b230%24c71a1690%24%40comcast.net.

[Richard Turner]

I marked your message Unread after reading it, then used it for the example.

 

 

Developer info for navigator object:

name: 'From joseph....@gmail.com, Subject RE: [NVDA] 26.1 beta 3 still will not tell me in MS 365 Outlook Classic if an email is read or unread, Received Wed 18-Feb-26 6:58 AM, Size 59 KB,'

role: LISTITEM

processID: 30548

roleText: None

states: FOCUSABLE, SELECTABLE, FOCUSED, READONLY, SELECTED

isFocusable: True

hasFocus: True

Python object: <appModules.outlook.UIAGridRow object at 0x0000024701BA2AD0>

Python class mro: (<class 'appModules.outlook.UIAGridRow'>, <class 'NVDAObjects.behaviors.RowWithFakeNavigation'>, <class 'NVDAObjects.UIA.UIA'>, <class 'NVDAObjects.window.Window'>, <class 'NVDAObjects.NVDAObject'>, <class 'documentBase.TextContainerObject'>, <class 'baseObject.ScriptableObject'>, <class 'baseObject.AutoPropertyObject'>, <class 'garbageHandler.TrackedObject'>, <class 'object'>)

description: ''

location: RectLTWH(left=16, top=337, width=346, height=79)

value: None

TextInfo: <class 'NVDAObjects.NVDAObjectTextInfo'>

appModule: AppModule(outlook, appName='outlook', processID=30548)

appModule.productName: 'Microsoft Outlook'

appModule.productVersion: '16.0.19725.20058'

appModule.helperLocalBindingHandle: c_void_p(2505436391392)

appModule.appArchitecture: 'x86'

windowHandle: 4328450

windowClassName: 'OutlookGrid'

windowControlID: 4704

windowStyle: 1442840576

extendedWindowStyle: 0

windowThreadID: 15480

windowText: 'Table View'

displayText: ''

UIAElement: <POINTER(IUIAutomationElement) ptr=0x24757b6b820 at 24701dfe750>

UIA automationID:

UIA frameworkID:

UIA runtimeID: (42, 4328450, 4, -800)

UIA providerDescription: [pid:30548,providerId:0x0 Main(parent link):Unidentified Provider (unmanaged:OUTLOOK.EXE)]

UIA className: LeafRow

UIA patterns available: SelectionItemPattern, LegacyIAccessiblePattern, ScrollItemPattern, InvokePattern, ValuePattern, GridItemPattern

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/002801dca0e6%24e5e080d0%24b1a18270%24%40gmail.com.

[Rui Fontes]

One thing I have noticed...

If I mark a message as not read and, immediately, press up arrow and again down arrow, NVDA announces Not read... If I do the same, NVDA no long announces not read...

The message is marked as read in seconds!

Best regards,

Rui Fontes
NVDA portuguese team

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/00f601dca0e9%2425bade60%2471309b20%24%40comcast.net.

[Gene Asner]

That's because the reading pane is on.

Gene

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/2f4f0de7-eb5f-4453-b169-bdc779e29df8%40gmail.com.

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,

The only differences I see are that you are using 32-bit Outlook (classic) and I am running 64-bit Outlook (classic) and you are on a newer Outlook build (mine is 16.0.19628). NVDA does recognize the messages list item correctly (supposed to be UIA grid object).

The “unread” status indeed comes from Outlook (classic) according to NVDA screen reader source code. What might be happening is that a possible communication breakdown between NVDA and Outlook in regards to COM (component object model). So, try:

1. Open NVDA menu/Tools.
2. Run COM registration fixing tool.
3. Follow the prompts (say “yes” when prompted).
4. Once the tool finishes, restart your computer for changes to fully take effect.
5. Open Outlook (classic) and see if that fixes the issue.
6. If it doesn’t, install the 64-bit Microsoft 365 suite and see if that makes any difference.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/00f601dca0e9%2425bade60%2471309b20%24%40comcast.net.

[Richard Turner]

I will do that Joseph.  But could you assist me in installing the 64-bit version?  I had noticed I have the 32-bit version on this newer Del laptop, which is running Windows 11, 64 bit…

I don't want to completely mess myself up but see no good reason to be running the 32-bit version outside of my own ignorance.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/003901dca0ea%249467e320%24bd37a960%24%40gmail.com.

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,

The Microsoft 365 page from Microsoft should offer 64-bit download by default. Ideally, you would run the COM Registration fixing tool first, checking how NVDA behaves in Outlook messages list, uninstall Microsoft 365 (32-bi), download the 64-bit installer from Microsoft, then install the donlwoaded package.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/000401dca0eb%245289e600%24f79db200%24%40comcast.net.

[Richard Turner]

Hi Joseph,

I ran the Comm Registration tool which took only a very few seconds and said it was successful.

I then rebooted and ran outlook, no change.

 

I assume that if I uninstall the 32 bit version and install the 64 bit version, I won't lose any data.

I also assume that means I have to set everything up again, like locations of folders for Word, OneDrive, etc. right?

I don't use the defaults…

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/004201dca0ec%249dd9e0a0%24d98da1e0%24%40gmail.com.

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,

Settings like OneDrive save location should not change across architectures.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/000201dca0ed%240edcb1b0%242c961510%24%40comcast.net.

[Cyrille BOUGOT]

Hi Richard

Could you just try the following to see if you have COM-related issues with your Outlook?

* select a message expected to be unread in the message list; just move the focus with arrows, do not press Enter on the message

* press NVDA+control+Z to open NVDA's Python cosole

* Copy and paste the following line in the input field, the one focused when you open the console, and press Enter:

nav.appModule.nativeOm.activeExplorer().selection.item(1).unread

* Press F6 to go to the output pane of the console

* Press control+A to select all its content and then control+C to copy it

* Paste it in a message here so we can look at it

Another thing: could you confirm that you have the viewing pane disabled? Else, your messages will switch to "Read" state as soon as you select them in the list.

Cheers,

Cyrille

[Richard Turner]

>>> nav.appModule.nativeOm.activeExplorer().selection.item(1).unread

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "<console>", line 1, in <module>

AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'activeExplorer'

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/04fbb361-93a7-4469-8721-0523eca12130n%40nvaccess.org.