What you'll learn:
- Browse mode vs focus mode
- Object navigation techniques
- Single-letter navigation
- Speech and braille settings
Quick Start
Understanding the NVDA key: Throughout this guide, you'll see references to "NVDA" as a modifier key. By default, this is either Insert or Caps Lock on your keyboard. When you see "NVDA+F7" for example, you hold down one of these keys and press F7. To start NVDA, press Ctrl+Alt+N. For preferences, press NVDA+N to open the NVDA menu.
Download NVDA free from nvaccess.org. Launch NVDA from the desktop shortcut or Start menu - it will announce "Welcome to NVDA" when loaded. Press NVDA+Down Arrow for Say All to read continuously from your cursor position. Use H to jump between headings on web pages for efficient navigation (H moves you between heading elements on pages for quick scanning). Press NVDA+F7 for the Elements List to get a quick page overview of links, headings, and form fields.
Essential Commands Reference
| Command | Action |
|---|---|
NVDA + Down Arrow | Say All (continuous reading) |
NVDA + F7 | Elements List (links, headings, form fields) |
NVDA + Space | Toggle browse/focus mode |
H / Shift + H | Next / Previous heading |
NVDA + N | Open NVDA menu (for preferences and settings) |
NVDA + T | Read window title |
NVDA + Tab | Read focused object |
NVDA + B | Say all text in browse mode |
NVDA + Numpad 4/6 | Move to previous/next object |
Ctrl + NVDA + Page Up/Down | Adjust speech rate |
Step-by-Step Tutorial Guide
Getting Started
- Download NVDA from nvaccess.org (free and open source)
- Launch NVDA from the desktop shortcut or press Ctrl+Alt+N
- Wait for the announcement "Welcome to NVDA"
- NVDA automatically begins reading screen content
- Press Ctrl to silence speech at any time
- Use NVDA+F1 for context-sensitive help
Basic Reading
- Press NVDA+Down Arrow to start continuous reading (Say All)
- Use Up/Down Arrow keys to read line by line
- Press Left/Right Arrow to read character by character
- Use Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow to read word by word
- Press NVDA+L to read the current line (not NVDA+Numpad 5)
Web Navigation
Understanding web navigation: The single-letter commands (H for headings, K for links, F for form fields) let you jump directly to specific elements on web pages. This is much more efficient than reading every word sequentially.
- Ensure you're in browse mode (NVDA announces "Browse mode" when entering web pages)
- Press H to jump to the next heading, or Shift+H for previous
- Use number keys 1-6 to jump to specific heading levels (1 for h1, 2 for h2, etc.)
- Press K to move between links, Shift+K for previous
- Use F to navigate form fields, Shift+F for previous
- Press NVDA+F7 to open the Elements List for quick navigation
- Use B to jump between buttons
- Press T to navigate tables, Shift+T for previous
Browse Mode vs Focus Mode
- Browse mode allows navigating with single-letter commands
- Focus mode allows you to type and interact with form controls
- NVDA automatically switches to focus mode when entering form fields
- Press NVDA+Space to manually toggle between modes
- Listen for "Browse mode" or "Focus mode" announcements
Object Navigation
- Use NVDA+Numpad 4 to move to previous object
- Use NVDA+Numpad 6 to move to next object
- Press NVDA+Numpad 2 to move to first child object
- Press NVDA+Numpad 8 to move to parent object
- Use NVDA+Numpad 5 to activate the current object
Adjusting Settings
- Press NVDA+N to open the NVDA menu, then select Preferences
- Use Ctrl+NVDA+Page Up/Down to adjust speech rate quickly
- Access Speech Settings for voice, rate, pitch, and volume adjustments
- Configure braille display settings if using a braille device
- Set up keyboard layouts and input methods
- Create configuration profiles for different applications
Quick Tips
- Press Ctrl to silence speech instantly
- NVDA+F1 gives help for the current context
- Use NVDA+S to toggle speech mode (off, talk, or beeps)
- NVDA is portable - run it from a USB drive without installation
- Press NVDA+Q to quit NVDA
Pro tip:
NVDA's Elements List (NVDA+F7) is incredibly powerful - use it to quickly navigate to any heading, link, or form field on a webpage.
Practice & Learning Resources
Free Online Resources:
- NVDA User Guide: Press Insert+F1
- JAWS Training: Freedom Scientific Training
- WebAIM Articles: webaim.org
- RNIB Tech Support: rnib.org.uk
Practice Websites:
- BBC: bbc.co.uk
- GOV.UK: gov.uk
- Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
- WebAIM Practice Page: WebAIM Practice Page
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