Screen-Reader Troubleshooting and Recovery Manual

First-time keyboard guide

Use this short routine before following the Screen-Reader Troubleshooting and Recovery Manual procedures. It explains exactly how the keyboard directions in this manual work.

Press a single key

1. Find the named key without pressing it if possible.
2. Press and release the key one time. Do not hold it unless the step specifically says to hold it.
3. Stop and listen to the full screen-reader announcement before pressing another key.

Press a keyboard combination

1. When a command contains a plus sign, such as Ctrl+S, hold down the first key.
2. While continuing to hold the first key, press and release the final key once.
3. Release the first key. The plus sign is not a key and should not be pressed.
4. Listen for the expected result described in the procedure. If nothing changes, verify that the correct application or webpage has focus and try the command once more.

Press a sequence of keys

1. When keys are separated by commas or the word “then,” press and release them in order instead of holding them together.
2. After each key, listen for a menu, tab, control, or new screen before continuing.
3. If the announcement does not match the step, press Escape once to close the current menu or dialog and restart that procedure.

Know which navigation key to try

• Tab and Shift+Tab: move forward and backward among buttons, links, fields, and other controls.
• Arrow keys: move inside menus, lists, groups of choices, text, and many screen-reader reading views.
• Enter: opens the selected item or activates the focused command.
• Space: activates many buttons and checks or clears checkboxes. In a text field, Space types a space.
• Escape: cancels or closes the current menu, list, or dialog without intentionally accepting a change.

Verify before moving on

1. Listen for the window, page, or application name so you know where focus is.
2. Perform only one numbered step.
3. Compare what the screen reader announces with the “What should happen” information in the procedure.
4. If the result is wrong, stop. Use the procedure’s recovery directions, Escape to cancel, or Ctrl+Z to undo when that command is supported.
5. Continue only after you can identify the result. Save completed work with Ctrl+S whenever the application supports saving.

Basic how-tos

Identify the active window

What you will learn: Complete identify the active window independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: JAWS: Insert+T. NVDA: NVDA+T. Narrator: Narrator key+T.

1. Stop typing so you do not change unknown content.
2. Press the command for your screen reader.
3. Listen for the application, document, or dialog title.
4. If it is wrong, press Alt+Tab once and check the title again.

What should happen: A useful window or document title.

If that does not happen: Test speech in another safe window before closing anything.

Practice: Repeat identify the active window with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Identify the focused control

What you will learn: Complete identify the focused control independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: JAWS: Insert+Tab. NVDA: NVDA+Tab. Narrator: Narrator key+Tab reads the current item in common configurations.

1. Press the focus-information command.
2. Decide whether focus is in text, a button, a list, browser content, or a dialog.
3. Press Tab once.
4. Request focus information again and compare the result.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Check for a modal dialog, protected screen, or screen-reader mode intercepting keys.

Practice: Repeat identify the focused control with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Use keyboard help without performing commands

What you will learn: Complete use keyboard help without performing commands independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: JAWS: Insert+1. NVDA: NVDA+1. Narrator input learning: Narrator key+1.

1. Turn keyboard help on.
2. Press the command you are unsure about.
3. Listen to its name or description.
4. Press the keyboard-help command again to turn help off.

What should happen: Key descriptions without the normal actions occurring.

If that does not happen: Stop pressing uncertain commands and open the screen reader’s Commands or Help documentation.

Practice: Repeat use keyboard help without performing commands with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Recover when speech stops

What you will learn: Complete recover when speech stops independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: Windows+Ctrl+Enter toggles Narrator. Ctrl+Alt+N starts NVDA when its desktop shortcut is configured. JAWS can be started from its desktop shortcut or Start menu.

1. Press a volume key and confirm the computer is not muted.
2. Check headphones, speakers, Bluetooth, and the selected output device.
3. Try the screen reader’s start command once.
4. Wait at least ten seconds and test with a safe key such as Windows.
5. Use a second screen reader temporarily if necessary.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Save work with Ctrl+S where safe, then ask for sighted or remote assistance before restarting.

Practice: Repeat recover when speech stops with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Advanced how-tos

Switch between browse and forms interaction

What you will learn: Complete switch between browse and forms interaction independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: JAWS: Insert+Z toggles the virtual cursor. NVDA: NVDA+Space toggles browse and focus modes.

1. Request focus information and identify the web control.
2. Use browse mode to read headings, links, and surrounding instructions.
3. Move to the edit field or interactive control.
4. Switch to focus/forms interaction only when needed.
5. Return to browse mode after completing the control.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Press Escape once, check focus, and avoid repeatedly toggling modes without listening for confirmation.

Practice: Repeat switch between browse and forms interaction with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Recover from a trapped dialog

What you will learn: Complete recover from a trapped dialog independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: Tab and Shift+Tab inspect controls. Escape cancels many dialogs. Alt+F4 closes the active window.

1. Read the window title and focused control.
2. Move through the dialog once with Tab and Shift+Tab.
3. Choose Cancel if available.
4. Press Escape only when canceling is safe.
5. Use Alt+F4 only after deciding whether unsaved work or a confirmation may appear.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Do not hold keys down. Use Alt+Tab to check whether a hidden confirmation opened behind another window.

Practice: Repeat recover from a trapped dialog with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Restart in the safest order

What you will learn: Complete restart in the safest order independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: Ctrl+S saves in many applications. Alt+F4 closes the active application. Windows+X, U, R restarts Windows.

1. Save work and confirm the filename and location.
2. Restart only the affected application first.
3. If the problem continues everywhere, restart the screen reader.
4. Restart Windows only after files are saved and applications are closed.
5. After restart, test one simple task before reopening everything.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Stop before repair or reinstall. Back up settings and record the error, application, and steps that caused it.

Practice: Repeat restart in the safest order with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Collect useful information for support

What you will learn: Complete collect useful information for support independently with keyboard or screen-reader feedback.

Before you begin: Open the relevant application or device screen and use a fictional, public, or nonprivate practice item.

Exactly how to do it

Keyboard commands: Windows+V opens clipboard history when enabled. Windows+Shift+S opens Snipping Tool for a helper when visual capture is appropriate.

1. Write the application and screen-reader names and versions.
2. Record the exact task and commands used.
3. Copy the complete error message.
4. State what was expected and what happened instead.
5. List the safe troubleshooting already attempted.

What should happen: The intended item, setting, or result is available and can be verified before you continue.

If that does not happen: Describe what the screen reader announced word for word; do not guess at visual details.

Practice: Repeat collect useful information for support with a second safe practice item, then explain the commands you used.

Complete recovery routine when the computer seems stuck

Follow these steps in order. Stop as soon as normal speech and keyboard control return.

1. Take your hands off the keyboard for two seconds so an accidental held key does not continue sending commands.
2. Press the screen reader’s command for the current window title. If a title is announced, the screen reader is running and you can identify the active application.
3. Press Tab once, then Shift+Tab once. Listen for two different controls. If focus moves, the application is responding even if the screen looks unchanged.
4. Press Escape once to close an open menu, suggestion list, or dialog. Do not press Escape repeatedly because later presses may close something you wanted to keep.
5. Press Alt+Tab once, pause, and listen for the newly selected application. If it is not the application you need, continue using Alt+Tab slowly until the correct title is announced.
6. If you are on a webpage, press Tab to test focus mode and use a heading-navigation command to test browse mode. Toggle the screen reader’s browse/forms mode only after identifying which mode is active.
7. If speech is silent, use the screen reader’s speech-toggle command once. Wait several seconds. Check physical volume and mute controls before restarting software.
8. Save work with Ctrl+S if the application still accepts commands. Then restart only the screen reader and test the window-title command again.
9. If the screen reader does not recover, close only the affected application with Alt+F4, reopen it, and return to the saved work.
10. Restart Windows only after the previous steps fail. Record the application name, last successful action, keys pressed, and any error message so the problem can be reproduced safely.

Success check: Speech returns, the active window is identifiable, Tab changes focus, and the expected reading or typing command works again.

Quick command list

• Insert+T / NVDA+T / Narrator+T: window title
• Insert+Tab / NVDA+Tab: focused control
• Insert+1 / NVDA+1 / Narrator+1: keyboard help
• JAWS Insert+Z: virtual cursor
• NVDA+Space: browse or focus mode
• Alt+Tab: switch windows
• Escape: cancel or close many dialogs
• Ctrl+S: save
• Alt+F4: close active window
• Windows+Ctrl+Enter: toggle Narrator