Accessibility and Assistive Technology

Installing Read&Write Desktop Application

Updated on

What is Read&Write?

  • Read&Write lets everyone read, write, and express themselves more confidently. An easy-to-use toolbar makes documents, files, and web pages more accessible.
  • Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone needing little support with reading and writing at school or the workplace.
  • From hearing emails or documents read aloud to text prediction, picture dictionaries, summary highlighters, and a grammar, spelling, and confusable words checker, Read & Write makes many everyday literacy tasks simpler, quicker, and more accurate.

Read&Write for Windows

  • If you are an employee (staff, faculty, or adjunct), please get in touch with M. Patty Petersen at [email protected] for a license to access this software.
  • If you are a student:
    • Go to the Read&Write website and click on "Try Read&Write."
    • Select "Windows US EN" in the drop-down menu to start your download
Read and Write web page with download options with an arrow pointing to "Windows US EN"
  • Once the download is complete, navigate to your downloads folder in Windows and double click on the file "read&write.exe" to start the installation.
  • When prompted, select "Yes" to allow Read&Write to make changes to your device
  • A Read&Write installation wizard will pop up and guide you through the terms of service and the installation.
  • Once the installation window closes, navigate to your desktop and click on the Read&Write icon to launch the software.
  • When prompted, select Sign in with Microsoft and log in with your full Southern New Hampshire University email address and password to activate your Read&Write license.
Microsoft single sign in.
  • Once you have signed in successfully, the installation and setup are complete.
  • When you receive the first-time user screen, please press "Sign in with Microsoft.
Read and Write Sign in with Microsoft only

Note: If you are signed into the Google Chrome browser with a personal or work Gmail account, the Texthelp "Read & Write" Desktop Install will automatically authenticate with that email. "Need admin approval" denied permissions are going to appear.

  • You must sign out and ensure "Sync is off." You must select "Sign in with Microsoft."
Read and Write request for admin approval on a windows.

Read&Write for MacOS

  • Go to the Read&Write website and click on "Try Read&Write."
  • Select "Mac" in the drop-down menu to start your download.
Read and Write web page with download options with an arrow pointing to "Mac"
  • Once the download is complete, navigate to your downloads folder in MacOS and double click on the file "read&write.dmg" to start the installation. A new window will appear.
  • Drag the "Read&Write" icon to the Applications folder to begin installation.
Read and write application icon.
  • Navigate to your applications folder in MacOS and double click on the "Read&Write" icon.
  • If you get a dialog box asking, "Are you sure you want to open it? " select "Open."
    • When prompted to accept the user terms, choose "I accept the user terms."
    • When prompted for a sign-in method, choose Microsoft Sign in and log in with your full Southern New Hampshire University email address and password to activate your Read&Write license.
Microsoft single sing in.

Note: If you are signed into the Google Chrome browser with a personal or work Gmail account, the Texthelp "Read & Write" Desktop Install will automatically authenticate with that email. The "Need admin approval" denied permissions is going to appear.

  • You must sign out and ensure "Sync is off." You must enter your Microsoft as the option and "Sign in with Microsoft."
The need admin approval pop-up for read and wrtie on a Mac.
  • You will get the message "Read & Write wants access to control..." dialog box. Choose "OK."
  • Sign in as usual with your Microsoft Sign in and log in with your full Southern New Hampshire University email address and password.
  • The Read and Write icon will appear in the top right corner of your screen. Choose it to open the Read & Write toolbar.

Additional Resources:

Previous Article Creating Accessible links in Microsoft Teams
Next Article Installing Read&Write Browser Extensions
Still Need Help? Contact Us