NVDA

Non Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a popular free (and open source) screen reader for Windows based computers.

Install

1. Download NVDA from their website.
2. The Focus Highlight plugin can make NVDA easier to use and learn for sighted users.

How to find your version

1. Open NVDA
2. Press Insert+N to open the NVDA menu
3. Click "Help"
4. Click "About"
5. The version is listed on the "About" dialog

Guides, Documentation, and resources

• NVDA User Guide
• NVDA issue tracker
• Deque guide

Modes

• Browse mode: This is the default mode when using a browser.
• Focus mode: With default NVDA settings, this mode will automatically turn on when navigating to certain interactive elements (such as radio buttons or text inputs, etc.). It can be manually turned on or off by use of <kbd>Insert</kbd> + <kbd>Space</kbd> keys.

Commands

The following are some common commands.

The default NVDA modifier key is set to: Insert

Common

Task	Command
Read next focusable item	Tab
Read next item	down arrow
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
Read previous item	up arrow

General

Task	Command
Activate Button	Enter or Space
Activate Link	Enter
Open Elements List	NVDA + F7
List headings	NVDA + F7
Exit focus mode	NVDA + space
Exit focus mode	NVDA + space
Read current item	Desktop: NVDA+NUMPAD 5 OR Laptop: NVDA+CTRL+i
NVDA Menu	NVDA + n
Pause speech	Shift
Read active window	NVDA + b
Report Title	NVDA + t
Toggle between browse and focus modes	NVDA + Spacebar
Turn Off	NVDA + Q
Turn On	Control + Alt + N
Keyboard command while in forms or application mode	<keyboard command>

Reading

Task	Command
Read next focusable item	Tab
Read next item	down arrow
Open Long Description	NVDA+d
Pause speech	Shift
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
Read previous item	up arrow
start reading from current position	NVDA + down arrow
Stop speech	Control

Forms

Task	Command	Notes
Activate Button	Enter or Space
Activate Form Control	Space
Exit focus mode	NVDA + space
Exit focus mode	NVDA + space
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.
Read next focusable item	Tab
Read previous focusable item	Shift + Tab
Toggle between browse and focus modes	NVDA + Spacebar
Keyboard command while in forms or application mode	<keyboard command>

Tables

Task	Command	Notes
Move to the start of the container	shift+comma	Will move to the start of the current container (list, table, etc)
Past the end of the container	comma	Will move past the end of the current container (list, table, etc)
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

Elements

Task	Command	Notes
Open Elements List	NVDA + F7
List headings	NVDA + F7
Next form field	f
previous form field	shift + f
Move to the start of the container	shift+comma	Will move to the start of the current container (list, table, etc)
Past the end of the container	comma	Will move past the end of the current container (list, table, etc)
Next block quote	q
Next button	b
Next checkbox	x
Next combo box (select)	c
Next edit field	e
Next embedded object	o
Next frame	m
Next graphic	g
Next heading	h
Previous heading	shift + h
Next heading of level	1-6
Next landmark	d
Next link	k
Previous link	shift+ k
Next list	l
Next list item	i
Next non-link text	n
Next radio button	r
Next separator	s
Next spelling error	w
Next table	t
Next unvisited link	u
Next visited link	v