Getting Started Testing with NVDA

Testing screen reader accessibility is an essential step in reviewing your content. NVDA is a free screen reader available for download for Windows that reads aloud page content and relevant semantic info (such as headings, lists, and links). Use the following guidance to get started testing with NVDA, and to get a more comprehensive picture of accessibility.

Download:
Download NVDA to get started.

Browser Choice:
Screen readers work best with certain browser combinations. For NVDA the recommended browser is FIREFOX.

NVDA key:
NVDA uses a modifier, called the NVDA key, that is combined with other keys for screen reader keyboard commands. It can be set by the user to be either the CAPS LOCK or the INSERT key.

We’ll use CAPS LOCK as our NVDA key, but use whatever NVDA key you prefer.