Narrator

Narrator is a screen reader that is bundled with the Windows 10 operating system.

Install

Narrator is built in to the Windows 10 operating system. It can be enabled and configured in the Windows settings.

How to find your version

1. From the system search, type "About your PC"
2. Click "About your PC"
3. Scroll down to "Windows specifications"
4. Use the "version" listed there

Guides, Documentation, and resources

• Microsoft documentation
• Narrator Scan Mode Documentation
• Narrator commands
• Deque PDF guide

Modes

• Scan mode: Scan mode is enabled by default when using the Edge browser.

Commands

The following are some common commands.

The default Narrator modifier key is set to: Caps Lock or Insert

Common

Task	Command	Notes
Read next focusable item	Tab
Jump to next item (scan mode)	Down arrow	Requires scan mode
Read next item (item view, scan mode off)	Narrator + right arrow	Requires scan mode off
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
Jump to previous item (scan mode)	Up arrow	Requires scan mode
Read previous item (item view, scan mode off)	Narrator + left arrow	Requires scan mode off

General

Task	Command	Notes
Activate Item (primary action)	Enter or Space Bar	Required scan mode
Activate Item (secondary action)	Shift + enter or Shift + Spacebar	Required scan mode
Read item	Narrator + tab or Narrator + NUMPAD 5	Announces the current item
Read item (advanced)	Narrator + 0	Announces advanced information about the current item
Toggle Scan Mode on and off	Narrator + space	Enabled automatically when you use Microsoft Edge.
Leave scan mode	Narrator + space
Enter scan mode	Narrator + space
Turn Off	Windows + Enter
Turn On	Windows + Enter
Keyboard command while in forms or application mode	<keyboard command>

Reading

Task	Command	Notes
Cycle view backward	Narrator + Page Down	Cycles the type of item to be read when using the Read next item and Read previous item commands.
Cycle view forward	Narrator + Page Down	Cycles the type of item to be read when using the Read next item and Read previous item commands.
Next landmark	d
List landmarks	Narrator + F5
Move to main landmark	Narrator + N
List headings	Narrator + F6
Read next focusable item	Tab
Jump to next item (scan mode)	Down arrow	Requires scan mode
Read next item (item view, scan mode off)	Narrator + right arrow	Requires scan mode off
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
Jump to previous item (scan mode)	Up arrow	Requires scan mode
Read previous item (item view, scan mode off)	Narrator + left arrow	Requires scan mode off
Start reading from current position	Narrator + M
Stop reading	Control

Forms

Task	Command	Notes
Activate Item (primary action)	Enter or Space Bar	Required scan mode
Activate Form Control	Space
Read next focusable item	Tab
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
enter text	<enter text>	must be in a form or application context, and this is native browser behavior.
select next option	Down arrow	must be in a listbox context, and this is native browser behavior.
select previous option	Up arrow	must be in a listbox context, and this is native browser behavior.
select an option	Enter	must be in a listbox context, and this is native browser behavior.
Leave scan mode	Narrator + space
Enter scan mode	Narrator + space
Keyboard command while in forms or application mode	<keyboard command>

Tables

Task	Command
Move to next column	Control + Alt + Right arrow
Move to next row	Control + Alt + up arrow
Move to previous column	Control + Alt + Left arrow
Move to previous row	Control + Alt + down arrow
Read Column Header	Control + Shift + Alt + Up arrow
Read row header	Control + Shift + Alt + Left arrow

Elements

Task	Command
Next button	b
Next button	shift + b
Next heading	h
Previous heading	shift + h
Next form field	f
Next link	k
Previous link	shift + k