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Navigating Webpages Using Voiceover Screen Reader

Navigating Webpages Using Voiceover Screen Reader

Owned by Linda Ludlum
Last updated: Jan 30, 2025 by Anjali Shiyamsaran
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.

Basic Commands

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

Navigate Headings

Ctrl + Opt + Cmd+ H

Click Link

Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar

Read Sentence

Ctrl + Opt + S

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

Open Rotor

Ctrl + Opt + 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 + Opt + A

Navigating Page Elements

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

Next Links

Control + Opt + Command + L

Next Graphic

Control + Opt +Command + G

Next Form Control

Control + Opt +Command + J

Next Frame

Control + Opt +Command + F

Next List

Control + Opt +Command + X

Read Character

Control + Opt + C

Previous Character

Control + Opt + Shift + Left Arrow

Next Character

Control + Opt + Shift + Right Arrow

Read Visible Window

Control + Opt + Shift + W

Navigating Tables

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

One Cell Forward (Begin Table)

Control + Opt + Right Arrow

One Cell Backwards

Control + Opt + Left Arrow

One Cell Down

Control + Opt + Down Arrow

One Cell Up

Control + Opt + Up Arrow

Read Row in Table

Control + Opt + R

Read Column Header

Control + Opt + C

Control + Option + Shift + C

Control + Opt + Shift + C

Navigate Aria Landmarks

Function

Keyboard Command

Function

Keyboard Command

Open Rotor

Control + Opt + U

Navigate to list of landmarks

Left/Right Arrow

Navigate through the list of landmarks

Up/Down Arrow

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