Narrator Keyboard Shortcuts
Narrator Keyboard Shortcuts
Screen Reader Keyboard Shortcuts and Gestures > Narrator
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Narrator is the built-in screen reader that comes with Windows. Narrator has been around for a long time, but starting with Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, Narrator has matured significantly, making it a much more viable option for blind users than it ever was previously.
The main keystrokes for navigating the web with Narrator are shown in the tables below.
Note:
Narrator works best with Microsoft Edge. If you try to use it with any other browser, it may work for some things, but not as consistently as with Edge.
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Note:
Standard and Legacy keyboard layouts: Narrator has a Standard keyboard layout that is the default, and this guide uses the keystrokes from that layout. There is also a Legacy keyboard layout that uses a different set of keystrokes to accomplish the same actions possible in the Standard keyboard layout, although there are some actions added in the newer Standard keyboard layout which can't be used in the Legacy keyboard layout if the keystroke assigned for the new action conflicts with a legacy keystroke. See Microsoft's official Narrator guide appendix for a list of Legacy keyboard layout keystrokes.
Narrator key: By default, either Caps Lock or Insert can be used as the Narrator key. This guide refers to it as Caps Lock.
Narrator Views: Narrator has several navigation settings, called views. View types include items (default), characters, words, lines, paragraphs, headings, links, tables, and landmarks. Change view type using Caps Lock + Page Up or Caps Lock + Page Down (or Caps Lock + Control + Up Arrow or Caps Lock + Control + Down Arrow).
Scan mode: Scan mode allows quick navigation of a web page or application and enables specific keystrokes to navigate by elements such as headings, links, and landmarks. It also includes keystrokes for table navigation. Activate scan mode using Caps Lock + Space Bar.
Developer mode: Developer mode masks the screen, highlighting only the objects and text exposed programmatically to Narrator. This offers a visual representation of the accessibility of the information on the screen and what is exposed to Narrator through UI Automation.
The basics
| Topic | Task | Command |
|---|---|---|
| On/Off: | Turn Narrator on |  + Control + Enter |
| Turn Narrator off | + Control + Enter or Caps Lock + Escape |
|
| Reading: | Stop Reading | Control |
| Start reading continuously from this point on | Caps Lock +  or Caps Lock + Control + R |
|
| Read from beginning of page | Caps Lock + Control + I | |
| Read next item | Caps Lock +  |
|
| Read next focusable item (e.g. link, button) | Tab | |
| Read current item | Caps Lock + Tab | |
| Repeat last statement | Caps Lock + X | |
| Activate: | Link | Caps Lock + Enter |
| Button | Caps Lock + Enter | |
| Headings: | Go to next heading* | H |
| Go to next heading of level [1-6]* | 1 - 6 | |
| List all headings | Caps Lock + F6 | |
| Landmarks: | Go to next landmark/region* | D |
| Go to main content region* | Caps Lock + N | |
| Tables: | Go to next table* | T |
| Navigate table cells | Ctrl + Alt + or  or  or  |
|
| Links: | List all links | Caps Lock + F7 |
| Go to the next link* | K | |
| Navigate: | Rotate between: characters words lines paragraphs items form fields landmarks headings links and tables |
Caps Lock + Page Up or Caps Lock + Page Down or Caps Lock + Control + or Caps Lock + Control + |
| Toggle: | Developer Mode | Caps Lock + Control + F12 |
| Read: | Title and contents of window | Caps Lock + W |
| Go backward: | Go to previous heading, landmark, table, focusable item, etc. | Shift + [H, D, T, Tab, etc.] |
Reading text
| Topic | Task | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Line: | Say prior line | Caps Lock + U |
| Say current line | Caps Lock + I or Caps Lock + |
|
| Say next line | Caps Lock + O | |
| Document: | Go to start of document | Caps Lock + B or Caps Lock + Control + Home |
| Go to end of document | Caps Lock + E or Caps Lock + Control + End |
|
| Character: | Say prior character | Caps Lock + M |
| Say current character | Caps Lock + , (Comma) | |
| Say next character | Caps Lock + . (Period) | |
| Word: | Say prior word | Caps Lock + J or Caps Lock + Control + |
| Say current word | Caps Lock + K or Caps Lock + Control + 5 (Numpad) |
|
| Say next word | Caps Lock + L or Caps Lock + Control + |
|
| Paragraph: | Previous Paragraph | Caps Lock + Control + J |
| Current Paragraph | Caps Lock + Control + K | |
| Next Paragraph | Caps Lock + Control + L | |
| Spelling: | Spell item | Twice quickly: Caps Lock + Tab or Caps Lock + K or Caps Lock + 5 (Numpad) or Caps Lock + Control + 5 (Numpad) |
Scan mode
| Topic | Task | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle: | Toggle Scan Mode | Caps Lock + Space Bar |
| Primary: | Primary action (e.g. activate an item) | Enter or Space Bar |
| Secondary: | Secondary action (e.g. select or expand) | Shift + Enter or Shift + Space Bar |
| Next: | Next/previous line | Control + / Control + |
| Next/previous character | /  |
|
| Next/previous word | Control + / Control + |
|
| Next/previous paragraph | P / Shift + P | |
| Next/previous text or item | / |
|
| Next heading | H | |
| Next heading of level [1-6] | 1 - 6 | |
| Next table | T | |
| Next link | K | |
| Next landmark | D | |
| Next form field | F |
Tables
| Topic | Task | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Table: | Go to next table* | T |
| Cell: | Cell to right | Control + Alt + |
| Cell to left | Control + Alt + |
|
| Cell below | Control + Alt + |
|
| Cell above | Control + Alt + |
|
| Read: | Read row header | Control + Shift + Alt + |
| Read current row | Control + Shift + Alt + |
|
| Read column header | Control + Shift + Alt + |
|
| Read current column | Control + Shift + Alt + |
|
| Announce: | Announce location in table | Control + Shift + Alt + / (Forward Slash) or Control + Shift + Alt + 5 (Numpad) |
Touch gestures
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Read what's under your finger | Touch or drag a single finger |
| Activate primary action | Double tap |
| Activate secondary action | Triple tap |
| Quick double (or triple) tap | Hold with one finger, tap (or double tap) anywhere with another |
| Next or previous item | Flick right or left |
| Change view | Flick up or down |
| Stop reading | Two-finger tap |
| Change verbosity | Three-finger tap |
| Show commands for current item | Four-finger tap |
| Show context menu | Two-finger double tap |
| Read text attributes | Three-finger double tap |
| Open search mode | Four-finger double tap |
| Show all Narrator commands | Four-finger triple tap |
| Scroll | Two-finger swipe up, down, left, or right |
| Tab forward or backward | Three-finger swipe right or left |
| Read current window | Three-finger swipe up |
| Start reading on explorable text** | Three-finger swipe down |
| Enable (disable) semantic zoom | Four-finger swipe up (down) |
| Move Narrator cursor to beginning or end of unit | Four-finger swipe left or right |
*Scan mode only
**Although using this gesture will act similarly to the keyboard command to “Start reading continuously from this point on,” the difference is that when you use this gesture and then use the keyboard command or gesture to “Stop reading,” the focus remains where the reading began, instead of moving to where the reading was stopped.