Windows Narrator

Scan Mode, element lists, reading commands and speech settings for Windows Narrator on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

What you'll learn:

  • Starting and stopping Narrator and using the Narrator modifier key
  • Scan Mode navigation on web pages and documents
  • Links, Headings and Landmarks lists (Narrator+F7, Narrator+F6, Narrator+F5)
  • Voice, speech rate and volume customisation

Quick Start

Understanding the Narrator key: Throughout this guide (using Narrator's default Standard keyboard layout), Narrator refers to the Narrator modifier key—by default Caps Lock or Insert. When you see Narrator+R, hold down Caps Lock (or Insert) and press R.

Start or stop Narrator at any time with Windows+Ctrl+Enter. Press Narrator+R to read continuously from your current cursor position, and press Ctrl to silence speech. In Scan Mode on web pages, press H to jump between headings, K to jump between links, Narrator+F7 for a list of links, or Narrator+F6 for a list of headings.

Essential Commands Reference (Standard Layout)

CommandAction
Windows + Ctrl + EnterStart or stop Narrator
Narrator + RRead continuously from current position
Narrator + I / Narrator + ORead current line / Read next line
Narrator + SpacebarToggle Scan Mode on or off
H / Shift + HNext / Previous heading (in Scan Mode)
K / Shift + KNext / Previous link (in Scan Mode)
Narrator + F7Open list of links on the page
Narrator + F6Open list of headings on the page
Narrator + F5Open list of landmarks on the page
Narrator + TRead current window title
Narrator + TabRepeat the item with focus
Narrator + Plus / MinusIncrease or decrease speech rate (speed)
Ctrl + Narrator + Plus / MinusIncrease or decrease speech volume

Step-by-Step Tutorial Guide

Getting Started

  1. Press Windows+Ctrl+Enter to turn on Narrator
  2. Press Ctrl at any time to stop Narrator speaking
  3. By default, both Caps Lock and Insert act as your Narrator modifier key
  4. Press Narrator+1 (number row) to turn on Input Learning, which tells you what any key or command does when you press it (press Narrator+1 again to turn Input Learning off)
  5. Press Narrator+F1 to open the full list of Narrator commands

Basic Reading

  1. Press Narrator+R to read continuously from the cursor
  2. In Scan Mode, use the Up and Down Arrow keys to read line by line
  3. Press Narrator+I to read the current line, Narrator+O to read the next line, or Narrator+U to read the previous line (in Standard keyboard layout)
  4. Press Narrator+K to read the current word (press twice quickly to spell it)
  5. Use Left and Right Arrow keys in Scan Mode to read character by character

Scan Mode Navigation

  1. Scan Mode turns on automatically in supported apps such as Microsoft Edge and remembers whether you left it on or off in other applications
  2. Press Narrator+Spacebar to toggle Scan Mode on or off manually
  3. When Scan Mode is on, Up and Down Arrow move through the page and single-letter shortcuts jump between headings, links and controls
  4. When you press Enter on an edit box, Narrator turns Scan Mode off temporarily so you can type text; pressing Down Arrow or Escape returns to Scan Mode

Web Navigation & Element Lists

Understanding web navigation: With Scan Mode on, single-letter keys and element lists let you explore web pages without reading every line:

  1. Press H for the next heading, or Shift+H for the previous heading
  2. Press number keys 1–6 to move to a specific heading level
  3. Press K for the next link, or Shift+K for the previous link
  4. Press F for the next form field, B for the next button, or E for the next edit box
  5. Press D for the next page landmark (navigation, main, banner)
  6. Press T for the next table
  7. Press Narrator+F7 to open a searchable list of all Links on the page
  8. Press Narrator+F6 to open a searchable list of all Headings on the page
  9. Press Narrator+F5 to open a searchable list of all Landmarks on the page

Using Element Lists

  1. Open the list you need: Narrator+F7 (Links), Narrator+F6 (Headings) or Narrator+F5 (Landmarks)
  2. Start typing to filter the list, or use the Up and Down Arrow keys to browse items
  3. Press Enter to jump to the selected item (or activate a link directly)
  4. Press Escape to close the list without moving focus

Customising Narrator

  1. Press Windows+Ctrl+N to open Narrator Settings in Windows Settings
  2. Press Narrator+Plus or Narrator+Minus to adjust speech rate (speed)
  3. Press Ctrl+Narrator+Plus or Ctrl+Narrator+Minus to adjust speech volume
  4. Press Narrator+V to cycle verbosity levels (how much detail Narrator announces about controls)
  5. Add natural voices in Settings → Accessibility → Narrator → Add natural voices on Windows 11

Quick Tips

  • Press Ctrl to stop speech immediately
  • Press Windows+Ctrl+N to open Narrator settings in Windows Settings
  • Use Narrator+Control+F to search for a specific word or phrase on the current page
  • Remember that Narrator+F7 (Links) and Narrator+F6 (Headings) match the F7/F6 convention used in JAWS

Short practice exercise:

Open a web page in Microsoft Edge, press Narrator+F6 to open the Headings list, arrow down to a heading and press Enter to move there, then press Narrator+R to hear the section read aloud.

Practice & Learning Resources

Official Help & Free Online Resources:

Well-Structured Websites for Practising Navigation:

  • GOV.UK: gov.uk (clear headings, landmarks and simple form controls)
  • BBC: bbc.co.uk (headings, regions and article links)
  • Wikipedia: wikipedia.org (nested headings, tables and internal links)
  • WebAIM NVDA Guide & Practice: WebAIM NVDA Article

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