A quick reference for people learning NVDA, the free screen reader for Windows from NV Access. It covers everyday reading, web browsing and settings commands using the desktop keyboard layout.
In this guide, NVDA means the NVDA key. By default this is Insert, and either Insert key works, including the one on the number pad. This guide uses the desktop layout. If you choose the laptop layout, you can also set Caps Lock as the NVDA key in NVDA's Keyboard settings, and a few commands change; we note the main ones below. To turn Caps Lock on or off while it is your NVDA key, press it twice quickly.
Getting started
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Start NVDA (shortcut set up when NVDA is installed) | Control + Alt + N |
| Quit NVDA | NVDA + Q |
| Stop NVDA talking | Control |
| Pause or resume speech | Shift |
| Open the NVDA menu | NVDA + N |
| Change speech mode (talk, beeps, on demand or off) | NVDA + S |
| Turn sleep mode on or off for the current app | NVDA + Shift + S (laptop: NVDA + Shift + Z) |
Reading text
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Read everything from here onwards (Say All) | NVDA + Down Arrow (laptop: NVDA + A) |
| Read the current line | NVDA + Up Arrow (laptop: NVDA + L) |
| Read the next or previous line | Down Arrow or Up Arrow |
| Read the next or previous word | Control + Right Arrow or Control + Left Arrow |
| Read the next or previous character | Right Arrow or Left Arrow |
| Read selected text | NVDA + Shift + Up Arrow (laptop: NVDA + Shift + S) |
| Hear the formatting where the cursor is | NVDA + F |
| Read what is on the clipboard | NVDA + C |
Where am I?
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Hear the window title | NVDA + T |
| Hear the item that has focus | NVDA + Tab |
| Read the whole window or dialog | NVDA + B |
| Read the status bar | NVDA + End (laptop: NVDA + Shift + End) |
| Hear the time (press twice quickly for the date) | NVDA + F12 |
| Hear the battery level | NVDA + Shift + B |
Web pages: moving around
These single-letter keys work in browse mode, which NVDA uses for reading web pages. Add Shift to go backwards, for example Shift + H for the previous heading.
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Move to the next heading | H |
| Move to the next heading at a certain level | 1 to 6 |
| Move to the next link | K |
| Move to the next link you haven't visited | U |
| Move to the next form field | F |
| Move to the next button | B |
| Move to the next edit field | E |
| Move to the next list | L |
| Move to the next landmark | D |
| Move to the next image | G |
Web pages: lists and modes
NVDA usually switches to focus mode on its own when you move into a text field.
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| List headings, links, landmarks and more | NVDA + F7 |
| Switch between browse mode and focus mode | NVDA + Space |
| Leave focus mode and go back to browse mode | Escape |
| Turn single-letter navigation on or off | NVDA + Shift + Space |
| Find text on the page | NVDA + Control + F |
| Find the next match | NVDA + F3 |
| Hear where a link goes | NVDA + K |
Tables
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Move to the next table | T |
| Move to the next cell in the row | Control + Alt + Right Arrow |
| Move to the previous cell in the row | Control + Alt + Left Arrow |
| Move to the cell below | Control + Alt + Down Arrow |
| Move to the cell above | Control + Alt + Up Arrow |
Speech and settings
The synth settings ring lets you change rate, volume, pitch and voice without opening a menu. On the laptop layout, add Shift, for example NVDA + Shift + Control + Up Arrow.
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Pick a setting in the synth settings ring, such as rate or volume | NVDA + Control + Right Arrow or NVDA + Control + Left Arrow |
| Raise or lower the chosen setting | NVDA + Control + Up Arrow or NVDA + Control + Down Arrow |
| Open Speech settings | NVDA + Control + V |
| Open General settings | NVDA + Control + G |
| Open Keyboard settings | NVDA + Control + K |
| Turn speaking of typed characters on or off | NVDA + 2 |
| Turn speaking of typed words on or off | NVDA + 3 |
Help and handy extras
| To do this | Press |
|---|
| Turn input help on or off | NVDA + 1 |
| Pass the next key straight to the app, ignoring NVDA | NVDA + F2 |
| Turn the screen curtain on or off, to make the screen black for privacy | NVDA + Control + Escape |
| Read text in an image or inaccessible app using Windows OCR | NVDA + R |
Tip: press NVDA + 1 to turn on input help. Then press any key or combination to hear what it does, without it doing anything. Press NVDA + 1 again to turn it off. You can find the full list of commands in the NVDA menu (NVDA + N), under Help, then Commands Quick Reference.
