Windows
Explore the various methods of configuring assistive technology on your Windows device.
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Narrator
Windows Narrator is both a screen reader for blind users and a text-to-speech tool for those with reading disabilities. Adjusting the Narrator settings can provide the optimal user experience associated with the student's abilities and disabilities.
Accessing the Narrator Settings:
Windows 10
- With keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl + Windows Logo + N
- With Mouse/Trackpad: Go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator
Windows 11
- With keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl + Windows Logo + N
- With Mouse/Trackpad: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Narrator
To start Narrator, press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter together. Press these keys again to stop Narrator.
To stop Narrator from reading at any time, press the Ctrl key.
Important: The Narrator key is a modifier key in the Narrator commands. Both the CapsLock and Insert keys are the Narrator key by default. The Narrator key is referred to as "Narrator" in commands.
Basic keyboard navigation:
| Action | Keyboard Shortcuts |
| Start or stop Narrator | Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter |
| Exit Narrator | Narrator + Esc |
| Move to the next item | Narrator + Right arrow |
| Move to the previous item | Narrator + Left arrow |
| Start reading continuously | Narrator + Down Arrow or Narrator + R |
Use the mouse cursor to read the text:
NOTE: CollegeBoard has observed that the Narrator cursor settings function better in Windows 11. Users that rely on Microsoft Narrator for text to speech on Windows 10 must navigate with the keyboard for an optimal experience. Bluebook is most compatible with Narrator when navigating with the keyboard using the user-defined Narrator key (Caps Lock or Insert) and the arrow keys.
Adjusting the level of detail (Verbosity)
To adjust the level of detail Narrator provides, go to the Narrator settings (Ctrl + Win Logo + N) and scroll down to Change what you hear when reading and interacting > Change the level of detail Narrator provides about text and controls:
- Text only (preferred by students with reading disability)
- Some control details
- All control details
- Some text details
- All text details (preferred by students who are blind)
You can also press Narrator + V or Narrator + Shift + V until you hear the level of detail you want.
Formatting
To hear formatting attributes, press Narrator + F. To hear the next group of formatting attributes, press Narrator + F again. To hear the previous group of formatting attributes, press Narrator + Shift + F.
Punctuation
To change how punctuation is read aloud, press:
- Narrator + Alt + Subtract (numeric keypad)
- Narrator + Alt + Minus sign (-)
- Narrator + Alt + Add (numeric keypad)
- Narrator + Alt + Plus sign (+)
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Content
- Some STEM content may contain acronyms, chemical equations, camelCase, or PascalCase that need to be announced clearly or verbatim by screen readers. To announce capital letters distinctly with varying pitch or spell out the content character-by-character:
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Narrator + 4 to change how capitalized text is read.
- Windows 10: Narrator settings > Change what you hear when reading and interacting > Change how capitalized text is read
- Windows 11: Narrator settings > Verbosity Level > Change how capitalized text is read
The available options for both versions are:- Don't Announce (default)
- Increase Pitch
- Say Cap
Manage Your Data and Services
To prevent diagnostic and performance data from automatically being sent to Microsoft, students must also adjust these settings:
Windows 10
Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator > Manage your data and services and turn
Get image descriptions, page titles and popular links and Help make Narrator better settings to Off.
Windows 11
In Settings > Accessibility > Narrator > Manage your data and services and turn Get image descriptions, page titles and popular links and Automatically send diagnostic and performance data settings to Off.
To learn more about Narrator, visit the Complete Guide to Narrator, and review Microsoft Narrator at a Glance (YouTube).
Speech Recognition/Voice Access
The Windows built-in speech recognition application must be configured on the device you will use for the exam. You must complete Speech Recognition Voice Training during configuration for optimal performance.
Note: Use of spell-check, grammar-check, word prediction, and cut-and-paste features is not permitted and must be disabled.
To use Windows Speech, follow the steps below for your operating system:
Windows 10: Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Speech > Turn on Speech Recognition.
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + S to turn on speech recognition
- Help the PC recognize a user's voice: Use Voice Recognition for Windows 10
Windows 11: Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Speech > Turn on Voice Access.
- Keyboard shortcut: Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + S to turn on speech recognition
- Help the PC recognize a user's voice: Use Voice Recognition for Windows 11
Tip: For Windows 10 or 11, to help with navigation and selecting elements in Bluebook, say “show numbers.“ Numbers will appear on the screen for every element/grid in the active window. Say an item's corresponding number to select it (e.g., “19, OK“).
Privacy and Diagnostics for Windows 10 and Windows 11
To prevent diagnostic and performance data from automatically being sent to Microsoft, students must also adjust these settings:
Windows 10 and Windows 11
Select Start > Settings > Privacy > Speech and turn the Online speech recognition setting to Off.
Zoom and Magnifier
With the zoom features, you can increase your screen resolution (font size). To zoom in/out, press Control +/-. To reset zoom, Press Control + 0.
To use Windows Magnifier:
- Windows 10: Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Magnifier > Turn on Magnifier.
- Windows 11: Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Vision: Magnifier > Turn on Magnifier switch
- Or press the Windows logo key + Plus sign (+). To turn off the Magnifier, press the Windows logo key + Esc.
Adjust the Magnifier view, as per student preference:
- Lens (Ctrl + Alt + L)
- Full Screen (Ctrl + Alt + F)
- Docked (Ctrl + Alt + D)
Color Filters
To use the Windows color filter:
Windows 10: Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters.
- Switch on the toggle under Turn on color filters.
- Then, select a color filter from the menu. Try each filter to see which one suits you best.
Windows 11: Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Vision: Color Filters
- Turn on color filters.
- Then, select a color filter from the list.