Screen Reader Navigating Webpages Using NVDA

Owned by Laurie Fox
Last updated: Jul 30, 2024 by Laurie Fox
2 min read

 

Below you can find keyboard commands for navigating and testing web page accessibility using the NVDA screen reader, a free download compatible with PCs using Windows 10 and later.

Recommended Combinations of Browsers & Screen Readers

Mac

Safari + VoiceOver

Windows:

  • Firefox + NVDA

  • Chrome + NVDA

  • IE + JAWS + NVDA

  • Edge + Narrator

Mobile

  • iOS: Safari + VoiceOver

  • Android: Chrome + TalkBack (Firefox + TalkBack is secondary)

The Basics

Function

Keyboard Command

Turn NVDA on

Control + Alt + N

Turn NVDA off

Insert + Q

Control

Mute

Headings

H

Go to next heading of level [1-6]

Num pad [1-6]

Show all Headings

Insert + F7

Show all Links

Insert + F7

Goto next link

K

Goto next unvisited links

U

Goto Graphics

G

Goto landmarks

D

Go backwards: Headings, landmarks, table, focusable items

Shift + [H, T, D, Tab, etc]

Toggle between:

  •     Radio buttons

  •     <select>list items

  •     Tabs (ARIA widget)

  •     Tree view items (ARIA widget)

  •     Menu items (ARIA widget)

Up and down, left and right arrow keys

Reading Text

Function

Keyboard Command

Continuous reading whole page

Insert down arrow, or Num Pad +

Read next line

Insert down arrow, or Num Pad +

Read next focusable item(e.g link, button)

Tab

Say prior line

Up arrow or Num Pad 7

Say previous line

Down arrow or Num Pad 7

Start of a line

Shift + Num Pad 1

End of line

Shift + Num Pad 9

Say previous sentence

Alt + up arrow

Say next sentence

Alt + down arrow

Go to next paragraph

Crt + up arrow, or Q

Spell word

Num pad 5 Twice quickly

Spell current line

Insert + up arrow twice quickly

Navigating Tables

Function

Keyboard Command

Go to Tables

T

Go to next (previous) table

(Shift + T)

Cell to right

Ctrl + Alt + Right Arrow

Cell to left

Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow

Cell below

Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow

Cell above

Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow

Forms

Function

Keyboard Command

Next form

F

Next focusable item

Tab

Next button

B

Checkbox: Select and deselect

Spacebar

Checkbox: Next

X

Open combo box

Alt + down arrow

Browse/Select option

Down arrow or first letter

Select multiple options

Shift + down or up arrow

Next combo box

C

Radio buttons: Toggle buttons

Up or down arrow

Next radio button

R

Toggle between forms and browser mode

Insert + spacebar

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