If you are new to using a screen reader, testing with one can be a frustrating experience. You might think that everything you are testing isn’t accessible when you may not know how to use a screen reader properly.
Getting started guides
Before testing with a screen reader, you must understand how they work. Please use the following guides to get started.
User guides
While screen readers behave similarly, they use different commands and ways of communicating information. Understanding the differences between screen readers is essential, as this insight will help you test more effectively.
The following external resources cover the basic commands you’ll need to know for screen reader testing:
- Turn the screen reader on and off.
- Stop and resume the screen reader’s speech.
- Read all the content on a page.
- Navigate around a page using arrow keys, shortcut keys and menus, or gestures and menus if using a mobile screen reader.
- Customise the screen reader settings, including the speech rate and voice type.
Desktop screen readers
NVDA (Windows)
NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) is a Windows screen reader best used with Firefox or Chrome.
To learn more about NVDA, use the quick links below or learn more in the complete NVDA user guide.
| Guide name | What’s in the guide |
|---|---|
| Starting and stopping NVDA | How to start and stop NVDA on your Windows computer. |
| Reading text with NVDA | How to read content on a page with NVDA, including by line, word or letter. |
| Navigating using shortcut keys with NVDA | How to get around the page using NVDA shortcut keys. |
| Navigating using the Elements list in NVDA | How to use the Elements list to jump to different page sections. |
| Customise the speech settings in NVDA | How to change the speech settings, including the speech rate and voice type. |
| Use the speech viewer in NVDA | How to use the speech viewer to view the text output of the screen reader. |
Narrator (Windows)
Narrator is a Windows screen reader best used with Microsoft Edge.
To learn more about Narrator, use the quick links below, or to find out more, use the complete guide for Narrator.
| Guide name | What’s in the guide |
|---|---|
| Stopping and starting Narrator | How to stop and start Narrator for Windows 10 and 11. |
| Reading text with Narrator | How to read text with Narrator, including how to read from the current location, line by line, and read by sentence, word or character. |
| Basic commands with Narrator | How to stop Narrator from speaking and use different keys for navigating. |
| Using modes in Narrator | How to use a reading and navigation mode called “scan mode” in Narrator. |
| Navigating with Narrator | How to navigate by different elements, including landmarks, headings and links in Narrator. |
| Customise settings in Narrator | How to change Narrator settings, including voice, verbosity, mouse and keyboard, cursor and Braille settings. |
VoiceOver (macOS)
VoiceOver for macOS is a Mac screen reader best used with Safari.
To learn more about VoiceOver for macOS, use the quick links below, or to find out more, use the VoiceOver for macOS user guide.
| Guide name | What’s in the guide |
|---|---|
| Turn VoiceOver on / off | How to turn VoiceOver on and off on a Mac. |
| Pause or mute VoiceOver | How to pause, mute and resume speech in VoiceOver. |
| Read text with VoiceOver | How to read content on a page with VoiceOver, including how to read by line and by sentence, word or letter. |
|
Navigating with VoiceOver Using the tab key with VoiceOver |
How to navigate with VoiceOver using the tab key, landmarks, and tables. |
| Use the rotor in VoiceOver | How to navigate directly to an item using the VoiceOver rotor. |
| Change voice settings in VoiceOver | How to change the voice settings, including rate and pitch. |
| Change verbosity settings in VoiceOver | How to change what and how much VoiceOver reads out. |
Mobile Screen Readers
VoiceOver (iOS)
VoiceOver for iOS is a screen reader for Apple mobile devices, best used with Safari.
To learn more about VoiceOver for iOS, use the quick links below, or to find out more, use the VoiceOver for iOS user guide.
| Guide name | What’s in the guide |
|---|---|
| Turn VoiceOver on / off on iOS | Find out how to turn VoiceOver on and off on a mobile device. |
| Learn VoiceOver gestures on iOS | Find out how to explore and speak items on the screen, scroll up, down, left and right, and take action on an item. |
| Use the rotor for VoiceOver on iOS | Find out how to navigate directly to an item using the VoiceOver rotor. |
| Use an external keyboard with VoiceOver | Understand how to use an external keyboard with VoiceOver, including the VoiceOver modifier key and keyboard commands. |
| Change settings in VoiceOver on iOS | Find out how to customise the settings for VoiceOver, such as the audio options, language, voice, speaking rate, and verbosity. |
Talkback (Android)
TalkBack is a screen reader for Android mobile devices, best used with Chrome.
To learn more about TalkBack, use the quick links below, or to find out more, use the TalkBack user guide.
| Guide name | What’s in the guide |
|---|---|
| Turn TalkBack on / off | How to turn TalkBack on and off on a mobile device. |
| Use the TalkBack menu and reading controls | How to use the TalkBack menu and reading controls to help you manage settings, use controls, and take action with TalkBack. |
| Use TalkBack gestures | How to use TalkBack gestures to navigate a screen, scroll, and take action on an item. |
| Navigate with TalkBack | How to use “explore by touch” and “swiping” to navigate and utilise the reading control options. |
| Browse the web with TalkBack | How to explore pages with reading controls, explore pages with a keyboard and read webpages in a simplified view. |
| Customise settings in TalkBack | How to customise TalkBack settings like feedback, speech rate, gestures, or braille keyboard. |