Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) Screen Reader for Windows:
Last Updated February 8th, 2026. Included in this website page are the following sections. About NVDA. Online Resources to Learn NVDA. The NVDA Modifier Key. The NVDA Menu. Changing the NVDA Voice. Using NVDA with Vision. Input Help Mode. Basic NVDA Key Commands. Managing Windows. Managing Internet Browser Tabs. Navigating the Internet Browser. Editing Text. Reading with NVDA. End of list.
About Non-Visual Desktop Access:
Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free to download screen reader for Windows computers. NVDA can be used with NVDA keyboard commands, Windows keyboard commands, and hearing what the mouse pointer is on.
The Non-Visual Desktop Access Website Link.
Download Non-Visual Desktop Access Website Page Link.
NVDA Add-ons Store Website Page Link.
The NVDA Modifier Key:
The NVDA Modifier Key is used with most NVDA key commands. For example, the key command to open the NVDA menu is the NVDA Modifier Key then the letter N key. For a user with the Caps Lock key as the NVDA Modifier Key, the key command would be Caps Lock key then the letter N key.
By default, the Insert key on the numberpad with numlock off or the Insert key are the NVDA Modifier Keys. The Caps Lock key can be used in addition to or instead of the default options.
The NVDA Menu:
Open the NVDA Menu key command. NVDA Key then the letter N key.
The NVDA menu allows you to control NVDA's settings, access help, save or revert your configuration, modify speech dictionaries, access additional tools, and exit NVDA. When the menu comes up, you can use the arrow keys to navigate the menu, and use the Enter key to activate an item.
Changing the NVDA Voice:
To change the NVDA voice, open the NVDA Menu. Then go to Preferences and then go to Settings.
To change the language, go to the General section.
To change the voice type, speaking rate which is how fast the voice speaks, voice pitch, and speaking volume go to the Speech section.
To change how much NVDA speaks when typing, go to the Keyboard section.
Using Non-Visual Desktop Access Screen Reader with Vision:
Enhancing visual aspects such as colors and mouse size as well as using the Magnifier Feature may help those with low vision see details on the screen and while hearing them read aloud with NVDA. Visual focus highlights can be added by going to the Preferences section in the NVDA Menu, then the settings section, and then the vision section. Red highlight for the navigator object and dark blue for the system focus.
Input Help Mode:
Input Help Mode key command. NVDA Key then the number 1 key.
While in Input Help Mode, performing any input gesture (such as pressing a key or performing a touch gesture) will report the action and describe what it does, if anything). The actual commands will not be performed while in Input Help Mode.
Basic NVDA Key Commands:
Start or Restart NVDA key command. Control key, then Alt key, and then the letter N key.
Open the NVDA Menu key command. NVDA Key then the letter N key.
Use the arrow keys and the Tab key to move around the screen.
Use the Control Key with the arrow keys to move word-by-word or section-by-section.
To select something, type Enter.
Exit NVDA key command. NVDA Key then the letter Q key, and then Enter key.
Pause or restart speech key command. Shift key.
Stop speech key command. Control key.
Report time and date key command. NVDA Key then F12 key.
Report battery status key command. NVDA Key, then Shift key, and then the letter B key.
To go back to the desktop, type Windows then the letter D.
To go to the taskbar items at the bottom of the screen, type Windows then the letter T.
To go to the system tray located at the bottom right corner of the screen, type Windows then the letter B.
Managing Windows with NVDA:
Switch between open windows such as settings and Google Chrome, press and hold the Alt key then press the Tab key.
To minimize a window, type Windows then down arrow key. To fully minimize the window, type Windows then down arrow key again.
To maximize a window, type Windows then up arrow key.
To close a window, type Control then letter W.
Managing Internet Browser Tabs with NVDA:
To hear the tab title type the NVDA Key then the letter T.
To move from one area to another, type the letter D key.
To open a new tab, type Control then the letter T key.
To switch between open tabs, type Control then Tab.
Close current tab, type Control then the letter W.
To close all open tabs, type Alt then F4.
To go back to the last website page, type Alt then the left arrow key.
To go forward a website page, type Alt then the right arrow key.
To refresh a website page, type F5.
To bookmark a website page, type Control then the letter D key.
Navigating the Internet Browser with NVDA:
To go to the address bar, type Control then the letter L key.
To go to the bookmark manager, type Control, then Shift, then the letter O key.
To go to downloads, type Control then the letter J key.
To go to the Google Chrome Menu or Microsoft Edge Menu, type Alt then the letter F key.
Editing Text with NVDA:
To move to the next available edit text location such as a search feature, enter Browse Mode by typing NVDA Key and Space then type the letter E key.
To delete the character to the left of the text cursor, type Backspace.
To delete the character to the right of the text cursor, type Delete.
To copy the highlighted text, type Control then the letter C key.
To paste the last item from the clipboard, type Control then the letter V key.
To open the Clipboard Menu, type Windows then the letter V key.
To paste the text as plain text, type Control, then Shift, then the letter V key.
To apply the bold format to highlighted text, type Control then the letter B key.
To find text, type Control then the letter F key.
To find and replace text, type Control then the letter H key.
To highlight all text, type Control then the letter A key.
To highlight one character at a time, hold down the Shift key and use the left or right arrow key.
To highlight one word at a time, hold down the Shift key and the Control key then use the left or right arrow key.
To move the text cursor to in front of the first character, type the Home key.
To move the text cursor to after the last character, type the End key.
To highlight one section such as a paragraph at a time, place the text cursor in front of the first character or after the last character. Hold down the Shift key and the Control key then use the up or down arrow key.
To highlight the current text line from the beginning, place the text cursor in front of the first character then hold down the Shift key and type the End key.
To highlight the current text line from the end, place the text cursor after the last character then hold down the Shift key and type the Home key.
Reading with NVDA:
To start reading from the current position, type NVDA key then the down arrow key for the desktop keyboard or NVDA key then the letter A key for the laptop keyboard.
To read the current line, type NVDA key then the up arrow key for the desktop keyboard or NVDA key then the letter L key for the laptop keyboard.
To have NVDA spell the current line, type NVDA key then the up arrow key two times quickly for the desktop keyboard or NVDA key then the letter L key two times quickly for the laptop keyboard.
To have NVDA spell the current line with the phonetic alphabet, type NVDA key then the up arrow key three times quickly for the desktop keyboard or NVDA key then the letter L key three times quickly for the laptop keyboard.
To read word-by-word or section by section, type Control then left or right arrow key.
To read character-by-character, use the left or right arrow keys.
To read heading-by-heading, switch to Browse Mode by typing NVDA Key and Space then type the letter H key to move heading-by-heading if available. To move by specific heading type such as level two headings, type the number 2 key.