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The following commands are essential to
know in order to be able to start, exit and alter NVDA
settings.
Ctrl + Alt + N will
start NVDA (installer version only)
Insert + N will get you into your preferences menu (where you can make changes or access the user manual)
Ins + Q will exit NVDA (this is for
both the installer and portable versions)
Please note: Where it refers to the NVDA
key in the user manual, this can be the Insert key, the
extended Insert key, or the Caps Lock key. It is also known
as a modifier key. (For example, if the Insert key is used
as the modifier key, then you press Insert + the letter Q to
quit NVDA. If however you chose your Caps Lock key to be
your modifier key, then it would be Caps Lock + the letter Q
to quit).
If you have low vision, are you aware of
the Windows magnifier add-on which can be installed into
NVDA? You can get NVDA to voice the magnification levels up
to 16 times, tell you when you change to another magnifier,
announce when it changes from lens to full screen mode, and
much, much more.
The Windows magnifer addon can be obtained from https://addons.nvda-project.org/addons/winMag.en.html
To listen to an audio tutorial on the basics of using the
Windows magnifier addon, please visit the following link https://www.dropbox.com/s/fqcy8wcp2djcl7c/using%20windows%20magnifier%20with%20nvda.MP3?dl=1
The following tutorial will show you how to install an addon, install multiple addons and also how to remove them. The tutorial takes you through the addon store and its different sections. The addon manager has been renamed to the addon store from NVDA 2023.3 onwards.
To listen to an audio tutorial on
installing multiple addons and removing them etcetera,
please go to the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1f3xovxjkt3e1w6nzdp7r/installing-multiple-addons-and-removing-them-in-nvda.MP3?rlkey=se6l05wy3sp6ah2hugwtd5404&dl=1
This is another way of starting NVDA from a USB
stick by interacting with the autoplay menu.
Have you noticed that after upgrading to a
Windows 8 or 10 computer, that whenever you insert a USB
stick, you get the above message and do not know how to
interact with it? It
wants you to tap on the screen, but if you do not have a
touch screen device it will not happen that way. If I wanted
to start a copy of NVDA from a USB stick, I would do the
following. I would move a copy of NVDA 2017.2 (or higher)
onto the USB stick, making sure it is the package you
download from the NVACCESS website at http://www.nvaccess.org
You will need to move the file onto a USB
stick. Once you have moved the file onto the USB stick, you
will have to make sure that the security message does not
come up when you go to click or press Enter on the file at
startup. Do this by unchecking this option. When you press
the Enter key or click on it, it should start automatically
with the documentation screen and the three options that are
available to you. They are: install NVDA, make a portable
copy for a USB stick, or run as a temporary copy.
You can have other files and folders on your
USB stick, but make sure they do not start with the letter
N.
Insert the USB stick into the USB hole on your
computer and you should hear two sounds. Just after the
second sound, make sure you press the Windows key + letter V
(for victory), then press the Enter key. A context menu will
come up. Press the letter O to open the folder, then press
the Enter key. You are now inside the USB stick. Now, press
the letter N (so the focus ends up on the NVDA 2017.2.exe
file) then press the Enter key. A couple of seconds later
NVDA should start up. You should hear a musical tune, then
after you have agreed to the documentation, you will be
given three options (1 to install NVDA to the computer, 2 to
make a USB copy onto a USB stick, and 3 to run as a
temporary copy). If you choose the first option, just follow
the directions to install the copy of NVDA. There will be a
talking installer that will speak out the steps, or you can
run NVDA as a temporary copy. Just minimize the screen and
use NVDA as usual.
If you do the above process too slow after the
second sound, the above process may not work and will have
to be repeated until you get NVDA up and running this way.
You will pick up pretty quickly when to do it. If you have a
copy of NVDA running on your computer, you can still use the
Windows key + V (for victory) after the second sound, then
press the Enter key to bring up the context menu. You can
then arrow down to make a choice.
To listen to an audio tutorial please go to the
following link
How to install
NVDA to your computer using Narrator from the NVACCESS
website
This tutorial
will cover using Windows Narrator on a Windows 10 computer
where there is no copy of NVDA around anywhere. It will
cover: starting up Narrator, locating the Microsoft Edge
web browser, going to the location bar and entering in the
web address for NV access. Then, we will look at how to
locate the download link, download a copy of NVDA to your
computer and how to set it up.
Please note
Since the
tutorial was done I found out you could put Narrator into
scan mode where some quick navigation keys can be used on
a website. To put Narrator into scan mode, press the Caps
lock key + Spacebar to turn it on and off. When it is in
scan mode, you can use the Tab key, H for headings, I or K
for links and the letter D and P. Also, there is an audio
tutorial at the end of this written tutorial.
The easiest way
is to follow the basic tutorial to obtain a copy of NVDA
from the NV access website.
On your Windows
10 computer, start your copy of Narrator with the Windows
key + the Enter key (or you could type in Narrator into
the Windows run dialogue box by pressing the Windows key +
letter R). After pressing the Enter key, a message will
come up when it starts talking. Say yes to this message.
Next, press the Windows key + the letter M to minimize
everything on the screen.
You will need to
use the Tab key to move around the Windows 10 desktop.
When you start tabbing you will hear Narrator say start
button (etcetera). You will need to tab 3 or 4 times so
you can locate the Microsoft Edge browser. The left and
right arrow keys might be needed after tabbing to locate
it. When it is found, press the Enter key on it and the
browser should open. After it has opened, press the Ctrl
key + the letter L to get to the location bar. Backspace
it then type in the following http://www.nvaccess.org
then press the Enter key. When the NVACCESS webpage comes
up, it would be a good idea to use the Ctrl + Home key to
get to the top of the page. Next, you will
need to use the Tab key (until you hear Narrator say
downloads link) then press the Enter key.
After the
downloads page comes up, you might need to go to the top
of the page again with Ctrl key + the Home key. Next, you
will need to use the Tab key until you hear Narrator say
currency converter. When you hear it spoken, tab again and
you will hear Narrator say radio button 30 dollars. Arrow
up until you hear Narrator say skip donation this time.
You should only have to arrow up once. Next, tab until you
hear narrator say this is a required field (this is just
past the privacy statement). You may have to arrow up and
down to find this box.
Next, enter in
your email address, then arrow to the download button,
then press the Enter key. A notification screen will come
up either to open it or download it to your computer. Use
the Alt key + the letter N. This should hopefully focus it
on the save button, which will download it to your
computer. Press
the Enter key or Spacebar to start the download. It will
now download a copy of NVDA to your computer. NVDA should
be downloaded to your Downloads folder on your computer.
This is the default folder for saving downloaded files in
Windows. Next,
press the Windows key and when it comes up in the search
box type Downloads, then press the Enter key. This should
put you in the Downloads folder. Locate the file (for
example NVDA 2016.4) then press the Enter key. There may
be a dialogue screen that might come up, if this is the
case tab to the run button then press the Enter key. You
will hear a musical tune come up and NVDA will start
talking as well along with Narrator. You do not have to
read the documentation screen so you can tab to the check
box and check it with the space bar to say you agree. Tab
again and you will be given 3 options. These are: to
install NVDA to your computer, to make a portable copy or
to run as a temporary copy. Pick the first option then
follow the directions to install NVDA to your computer. In
the case where the UAC screen comes up, unless it is in
focus it will not be spoken out. If NVDA seems like it is
taking too long to install, use the Alt key + the Tab key
to try and bring the UAC screen into focus. This might
have to be done a couple of times (if more than 2 windows
are open). When it does, tab to the yes button, then press
the Enter key and you will then hear a message saying NVDA
has been installed. Press the Enter key on the ok button
then NVDA should start up. If it is a totally fresh copy
of NVDA, you will also get a message asking you if you
want to set the Caps Lock key as a modifier key; and also
one asking you if you want the message box to show again.
If you do not want it to show again, it will need to be
unchecked. Next, tab to the ok button then press the Enter
key and NVDA will be ready to go. You should also hear a
startup sound and NVDA will start shortly after. You can
then use the Alt + Tab keys to bring up Narrator, then use
the Alt + F4 keys to close the copy of Narrator. Now, you
will only hear the voice of NVDA and not the two of them
like before.
You can focus
NVDA to the desktop by pushing the following shortcut
(which is the Windows key + the letter D).
If this is your
first time using NVDA and
if NVDA is not running, you can use the Alt + Ctrl key +
the letter N to start your copy of NVDA.
To get into the
preferences of NVDA (where you can make changes etcetera)
you can use the NVDA key + the letter N. This is also
where the user manual is located under the help section.
To quit your
copy of NVDA use the NVDA key + the letter Q. Where I
refer to the NVDA key this is a modifier key and can be
the Insert key, the extended Insert key or the Caps Lock
key. You will use one of these to quit your copy of NVDA
(for example the Insert key + the letter Q).
If you have an
earlier version of Windows, you could start up Windows
Narrator by pressing the Windows key + the letter R (to
bring up the Windows run dialogue box); then by typing in
Narrator, and pressing the Enter key. Narrator should come
up talking.
To obtain your
copy of NVDA from the nvaccess website, it would be the
same sort of process as above, but you will need to locate
the Internet Explorer browser which is found on Windows
computers.
To listen to an
audio tutorial on how to install NVDA to your computer
using Narrator from the NVaccess website, please visit the
following link
This is a new feature that has been integrated into NVDA. When the NVDA key and the letter Q have been used to quit NVDA - it will give you 3 options before NVDA is turned off. These will be to quit NVDA, restart NVDA or to disable all add-ons in NVDA. Pick the option you want (by arrowing up or down the combo box), then tab to the ok button and that action will be performed.
This feature can be turned on or off through the general settings section in NVDA...Show exit options when exiting NVDA. To show the feature each time you want to close NVDA, simply leave it checked, or just uncheck this option so this feature is not shown when you exit NVDA.
If the disable NVDA addons option is chosen,
all add ons in NVDA will be disabled. To re-enable all of your
add ons again, simply restart NVDA.
From NVDA 2024.3 an NVDA folder will be created when making a portable copy of NVDA. Before this, you had to name the folder and then have all the files put into it; otherwise it would splatter it on the USB stick or wherever you were putting it. The following tutorial will show you how to create a portable copy of NVDA with an NVDA folder; and also copy your configurations and addons across to an USB stick (or wherever you point it to).
To listen to an audio tutorial on creating a portable copy of
NVDA with an NVDA folder, please go to the following link at
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yi7pt7kgia81c5tfph5w6/creating-a-portable-copy-of-nvda-with-an-nvda-folder.MP3?rlkey=k0x3xxj92a6g7t8crhxuywkcf&dl=1
This audio
tutorial will show you how to install a hard drive version of
NVDA onto your computer (from a portable version on a USB
stick). This can only be done from a portable version of NVDA.
The link can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/s/ijeohsgruhxwqta/creating%20a%20harddrive%20version%20of%20nvda%20from%20a%20portable%20version.MP3?dl=0
From NVDA
2016.1, there has been a new feature put into NVDA. This
feature can be found under the synthesizer settings section
in NVDA. To quickly get to this menu, press the Ctrl
key + NVDA key + the letter S.
When this menu
is first opened, NVDA will land on the supported
synthesizers section. You can use your up or down arrow keys
to change to another synthesizer. The same can be done for
the other combo boxes below.
The next time
you tab it will land you on the output section where you can
output the audio to a headphone or speakers etc. The next
time you tab, NVDA will land on the audio ducking mode
section. It is a matter of changing the settings to how you
would like to hear it.
Audio Ducking
Mode
On Windows 8
and above, this option allows you to choose if NVDA should
lower the volume of other applications while NVDA is
speaking, or all the time while NVDA is running.
• No Ducking:
NVDA will not lower the volume of other audio
• Duck when
outputting speech and sounds: NVDA will only lower the
volume of other audio when NVDA is speaking or playing
sounds. (This may not work for all synthesizers)
• Always duck:
NVDA will keep the volume of other audio lower the whole
time NVDA is running
There is a
shortcut to toggle between these modes (which is) the NVDA
key + Shift + D.
Please note
this feature is only available in the installer version of
NVDA 2016.1 and onwards.
To listen
to an audio tutorial on this new feature please go to https://www.dropbox.com/s/c0iysj9dyat2vue/The%20new%20audio%20ducking%20feature%20in%20NVDA%202016.MP3?dl=0
Disabling and enabling of add-ons in NVDA (from version 2016.3 onwards)
Under the “manage add on” section (where you can
see which add on/s you have installed) a new “disable/enable
add on” button has been put in. If for any reason you have
trouble with any of your add on/s, and you are trying to
figure which one it might be, they can be disabled one by one.
It is a matter of locating an add on, then tabbing to the
disable button, then pushing the Enter key. You will then need
to tab to the close button, and press the Enter key. NVDA will
need to be restarted for the add on to be disabled. Say yes,
and NVDA will be restarted with the add on disabled.
You can do this one by one to see which add on
might be causing the problem.
If you have located the add on causing the
problem, it can be removed. Any of the addons that were
disabled can be re-enabled quickly by going to each add on,
then tabbing to the enable addon button, then pressing the
Enter key. Next, tab to the close button, then press the Enter
key. NVDA will need to be restarted, so say yes and NVDA will
be restarted and the add on will now be re-enabled.
The
reporting of formatting information in a supported
document in browse mode
If the NVDA
key + the letter F is only pressed once, it will quickly
report the formatting information in a supported document.
If the NVDA key + the letter F is pressed twice, the formatting information will be brought up in a small window. This will put NVDA into browse mode; (this is where you can use the up and down arrow keys to review the formatting information line by line, word by word or character by character). When finished reviewing the formatting information, simply press the Escape key for the window to disappear and return to the document.
Please note: This
feature is available from 2016.2 onwards.
To listen
to an audio tutorial please go to https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgd1lp261bkr3va/Reporting%20of%20formatting%20information%20in%20a%20supported%20document%20in%20browse%20mode.MP3?dl=0
In Microsoft Excel, you can now use the Elements List (NVDA + F7) to allow listing of charts, comments and formulas. To use support for reading charts in Microsoft Excel, select the chart using the Elements List (NVDA + F7) and then use the arrow keys to move between the data points.
In this audio
tutorial, it will cover the basics of copying information,
saving that information to a file such as doc or mp3, then
moving that file to a digital talking book machine or another
portable device (such as an mp3 player). The
file can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/s/phh8cu2n3ivf89i/how%20to%20copy%20a%20file%20to%20another%20device.MP3?dl=0
The following steps
must be done first for NVDA to start from a USB stick. The
USB stick must be labelled. To make it easier to find, the
USB stick was labelled QQQ. Next a copy of NVDA 2015.3 was
put onto the USB stick (for example 2015.3.exe). Make sure
the checkbox that comes up when you click on the file is
unticked. This is the one with the security warning when
you click on the file. When this is unticked, NVDA will
start automatically when the file is clicked on. This will
also give you 3 options (for example: 1 to install a copy
of NVDA to your machine, 2 to make a portable copy for a
USB stick, or 3 to run as a temporary copy).
Next, insert your USB stick. The autoplay menu will not usually come up, so don’t count on it. Press the Windows key + the letter E to bring up file explorer in Windows 10. You cannot access your USB stick from this section. Shift/tab once. This will put you into a tree view.
Press the letter Q
once, this will land you on your USB stick. This will not
matter what drive letter it comes up with as you will land
in the right place when you press the letter Q. You will
then have to press the Enter key once. Next, tab once and
you will land inside of your USB stick where your copy of
NVDA is. Press the letter N, so it lands on your copy of
NVDA (for example 2015.3). Press the Enter key, and your
copy of NVDA will start up on the new computer.
Make sure you have no other files/folders
starting with the letter N in the main root directory of the
USB stick as you may not be able to start your copy of NVDA.
If NVDA does not
start up, some of the reasons could be: There is exe
blocking software on that computer, or you may not have
unticked the security box on your copy of NVDA.
To listen to an
audio tutorial on how to start NVDA (via a USB stick) on a
Windows 10 machine, please go to
NVDA can run from a CD on a
Windows 10 machine. You must have NVDA 2015.3 and above
for NVDA to work.
If you do decide to make a CD
version of NVDA you will need to do the following:
Create a folder/directory to put your files into
(for example you could name it CD version of NVDA). While NVDA is
running, make a portable copy of NVDA, and place it into
the folder you have just made. Make sure within the folder
you create a directory/folder called NVDA and have all of
NVDA’s files go into that folder/directory.
Please note: They need to be unzipped into the
folder called CD version of NVDA – and NOT into the NVDA
folder).
Download the zip file from the dropbox account and
unzip the contents of the file into your newly created
folder/directory that you named CD version of NVDA. These
files can be obtained from the following dropbox account
link:
Now when you look at the newly
created directory/folder (called CD version of NVDA), you
should see the following: an NVDA folder with files in it,
an autorun.inf file and a start.bat file.
Select the files
and burn them to your CD. After your CD has been burnt, it
should be a matter of putting your newly created NVDA CD
into the DVD drive and shortly after NVDA should start up
on your Windows 10 machine.
Please note: If NVDA doesn’t start up, it may be
because the auto play menu is disabled in Windows 10. You
may need to go into the auto play section and set it to
run or install under the software section. If this is the
case, NVDA can still be started by doing the following:
Press the Windows key + the letter R. This will bring up
the Windows run dialogue box and is only used if the auto
play menu has not been enabled. Next, type in the
following... E:\start.bat then press the Enter key. NVDA
should start up shortly after that.
You might have to try another drive letter if E:\
doesn’t work. For example D:\start.bat or another drive
letter (for example F:\start.bat).
If you would like to update your version of NVDA at
a later date, just redo the process with the updated
version of NVDA (for example using NVDA 2016.1, then you
can burn a new disk).
To listen to an audio tutorial on starting
NVDA from a CD on a Windows 10 computer please visit the
following link https://www.dropbox.com/s/ahq9vmlg99ad0f5/starting%20nvda%20from%20a%20cd%20on%20a%20windows%2010%20computer.MP3?dl=0
The zip file that you will need to do this
can be found here https://www.dropbox.com/s/j266lcy5ipyqpvn/Files%20needed%20to%20auto%20run%20nvda%20from%20a%20cd.zip?dl=0
As an example, when you shift/tab once and land in
the tree view, press the letter T to take you to “this
PC”. Press the Enter key, then tab once. Press the letter
Q, this will land you on your USB stick. Press the Enter
key again, then press the tab key. You will now be inside
your USB stick. Press the letter S, so you land on the
start.bat file, then press the Enter key and NVDA will
start up for you.
The following audio tutorial is a
demonstration of what some of the Vocaliser voices sound
like. In particular, the following sound samples are English
voices that you can use with NVDA. https://www.dropbox.com/s/8hr27l372tpxhm1/Vocaliser%20english%20sound%20samples%20for%20nvda.MP3?dl=0
For the most up to date link for Nuance
Vocaliser voices, please refer to the section called
Supported Speech Synthesisers in the NVDA user manual.
Please note, unless things change, if you download it on the
1st day of the month you will have about 2 weeks to trial
the voices. After this time (around the 14th or 16th of the
month), the voices will not work until you download them
again on the 1st of the following month.