In the Keyboard category, uncheck " Speak typed characters" and check " Speak typed words" (optional).This will make it easier to see what is being read. In the Vision category, check "Enable Highlighting".To change the speech rate later, press NVDA + Ctrl + ↑/ ↓. Choose a comfortable speech Rate and Volume.Then choose your preferred voice from the list of available Voice options. Under Synthesizer, select "Change", and choose one of the built-in Microsoft synthesizers. The default voice can be difficult to understand. Select Preferences > Settings and then make the following changes: To open the NVDA menu, press NVDA + N and then use ↑/ ↓/ ←/ → and Enter to navigate the menu. Once NVDA is running, we recommend making a few changes to the default settings. Uncheck "Show this dialog when NVDA starts".To toggle Caps Lock functionality while NVDA is running, press Caps Lock twice.
This puts the NVDA key closer to the Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys, which are also used for many commands.
You can download NVDA for free (Windows only). Remember that many screen reader users do not use a mouse, so try using only the keyboard as you become more comfortable with NVDA. Slow down the reading speed and take your time.
Don't get discouraged if things still seem confusing after only a few minutes. If you are new to screen readers, plan on spending some time (perhaps a few hours) becoming comfortable using NVDA. For a more detailed information on using NVDA, see our list of NVDA keyboard shortcuts or the NVDA User Guide.
This article is designed to help new or novice NVDA users learn how to test web content. NVDA is a free screen reader for Windows computers. You are here: Home > Articles > Using NVDA to Evaluate Web Accessibility Article Contents WebAIM Training Using NVDA to Evaluate Web Accessibility