Navigating Webpages Using Voiceover Screen Reader

Owned by Linda Ludlum
Last updated: Jul 25, 2023 by Chris Sandefer
2 min read



Below you can find keyboard commands for navigating and testing web page accessibility using the VoiceOver screen reader, a built-in assistive technology in Apple products.

Recommended Combinations of Browsers & Screen Readers

Mac

Safari + VoiceOver

Windows

  • Firefox + NVDA

  • Chrome + NVDA (Chrome is our secondary browser with NVDA; Firefox is primary)

  • IE + JAWS

  • Edge + Narrator

Mobile

  • iOS: Safari + VoiceOver

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

Activating VoiceOver

  1. Press Command + F5 keys to toggle VoiceOver on and off.

  2. VoiceOver can be toggled on and off from the Systems Preferences panel in the Accessibility settings.

  3. Stop Voiceover Talk Back by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

Basic Commands

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

Navigate Headings

Ctrl + Opt + Cmd+ H

Click Link

Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar

Read Sentence

Ctrl + Opt + Cmd

Enter Page

Ctrl +Opt + Down Arrow

Exit Page

Ctrl +Opt + Up Arrow

Navigate Backwards

Ctrl + Opt + Shift +  Up Arrow

Jump to Top Of Page

Caps + U

Read Word

Ctrl+ Opt + W

Navigate by Rotor

The "rotor" is a menu window in VoiceOver which presents lists of Web elements such as headings, links, images, and other Web elements.

 

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

Rotor

Ctrl + Alt + U

Close Rotor

Escape

Next Window

Right Arrow

Previous Window

Left Arrow

One List Item Down

Down Arrow

Go to Item

Enter or Return

Read After Item

Control + Option + A



Navigating Page Elements