Accessibility for Docs editors

The Google Docs editors are designed to work with screen readers, braille devices, screen magnification, and more.

Apply a screen reader

If you already utilise screen reader software on your computer, such every bit ChromeVox, NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver, follow these steps to become started with the Docs editors.

Step one: Turn on Docs screen reader support

The offset fourth dimension you use the Docs editors with a screen reader, y'all demand to turn on Docs screen reader back up:

  1. Go to Google Docs and open a document.
  2. In the Tools bill of fare, select Accessibility settings.
  3. Select Turn on screen reader back up.

Optional: In your Google Business relationship, visit Accessibility settings, so turn on Screen reader.

Step 2: Cheque your screen reader settings

For some screen readers, you might need to adjust your settings when y'all use the Docs editors. Check your screen reader instructions beneath.

ChromeVox

If you use ChromeVox on Chrome Os, you don't need to do any additional setup to use the Docs editors.

NVDA

On Windows, for the best experience, employ the latest version of NVDA with the latest version of Chrome or Firefox.

Docs, Slides, and Drawings

  1. Go to Google Docs and open a document.
  2. Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear anything, go to the Tools menu, select Accessibility settings, and so select Turn on screen reader support. Y'all should hear "Screen reader back up enabled."
  3. Printing NVDA + Ctrl + k, then turn off Speak typed characters and Speak typed words.
  4. Optional: Modify your NVDA startup keyboard shortcut then that it doesn't disharmonize with the Docs editors. The default NVDA keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + Alt + n, is commonly used in the Docs editors (for example, Ctrl + Alt + n then g navigates to the next image in a document). To change your NVDA keyboard shortcut, open up Properties from the NVDA shortcut. On the Shortcut tab, edit the Shortcut key so information technology doesn't conflict with the Docs editors (for example, Ctrl + Alt + \).

Sheets and Forms

To get started in Sheets or Forms, simply turn on screen reader support as described in Step 1 to a higher place.

Tip: Focus manner generally provides a meliorate experience than browse mode. To switch between focus and browse modes, press NVDA + Spacebar.

JAWS

On Windows, for the best experience, use the latest version of JAWS with the latest version of Chrome or Firefox.

Docs, Slides, and Drawings

For Docs, Slides, and Drawings, follow these steps to accommodate your JAWS settings:

  1. Get to Google Docs and open up a document.
  2. Listen for these words: "Screen reader support enabled." If you don't hear anything, become to the Tools menu, select Accessibility settings, then select Plow on screen reader support. Y'all should hear "Screen reader support enabled."
  3. If you utilise Firefox:
    • ​Set central echoing to no echoing: Printing JAWS + 2 until you hear "None."
    • Turn off the virtual cursor: Press JAWS + z until y'all hear "Employ virtual PC cursor off." Then printing JAWS + z + z until you hear "The virtual cursor volition be turned off for all applications."
    • Conform forms options: Make sure that the focus is on the height toolbar, then press JAWS + v. In the settings window, search for "Forms options" and uncheck both "Car forms mode" and "Forms way off when new page loads." Then press OK.
    • Tab from the address bar through the Docs toolbar controls until you hear application mode announced, then press Escape to return to the editing area.

Sheets and Forms

To get started in Sheets or Forms, simply plow on screen reader support equally described in Step 1 in a higher place.

Tip: Forms mode generally provides a meliorate experience than virtual mode.

VoiceOver

Google Docs editors are uniform with VoiceOver on the latest version of macOS. The recommended browser is Google Chrome.

For the best experience, turn off VoiceOver's Quick Nav feature by pressing the left and right arrows at the aforementioned time.

Docs, Slides, and Drawings

  1. Go to Google Docs and open up a document.
  2. Mind for these words: "Screen reader back up enabled." If you don't hear annihilation, become to the Tools menu, select Accessibility settings, and so select Turn on screen reader support. Yous should hear "Screen reader support enabled."
  3. If you've turned on "Automatically speak the webpage" in VoiceOver, you'll hear the screen reader. Printing Escape to return your focus to the editing area.
  4. Press VoiceOver + Shift + downwards arrow to interact with the editable text.

Sheets and Forms

To get started in Sheets or Forms, simply turn on screen reader back up equally described in Step 1 above.

Keyboard shortcuts and VoiceOver

VoiceOver shortcuts conflict with Docs editors menu shortcuts. To open the Docs menus, get-go use the VoiceOver pass-through keys Ctrl + Option + Tab, then type the Docs menu shortcut, such equally Ctrl + Option + f for the File menu. You tin can also quickly search the menus by pressing Selection + / and so searching for a term such as File.

If VoiceOver doesn't automatically focus on the correct role of the page (for example, if a dialog window appears), press Escape to render your focus to the editing surface area. So press VoiceOver + Shift + down arrow to return to the editing area.

Footstep 3: First editing

Acquire more than about using Docs editors with a screen reader in the following assist pages and videos.

  • Edit documents with a screen reader
  • Edit spreadsheets with a screen reader
  • Edit presentations with a screen reader
  • Edit forms with a screen reader
  • Edit drawings with a screen reader
  • Comment and interact with a screen reader

Tip: In Docs, Sheets, and Slides, you tin turn off the screen reader announcements about other people inbound, editing, or leaving the file. Learn how to turn off collaborator announcements.

Video tutorials

Screen reader videos for Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Use a braille display

Y'all can use a braille display to read and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawings.

Use Google Docs with a screen magnifier

You tin can apply a screen magnifier to zoom in equally you movement on a screen.

Important: Screen magnifiers are available in Chrome.

Mac:

  1. In the Chrome browser, open Google Docs.
  2. Nether "Tools," select Accessibility settings and then Turn on screen magnifier support.

If the magnifier doesn't follow where you are onscreen, you lot might demand to adjust your figurer settings. To turn on the magnifier on your computer:

  1. In "System preferences," select Accessibility and then Zoom and then Advanced.
  2. Plough on Zoom follows the keyboard focus.

For more information, visit the Apple support commodity How to zoom in or out on Mac.

Chrome Os:

  1. In the Chrome browser, open up Google Docs.
  2. Under "Tools," select Accessibility settings and then Plow on screen magnifier support.

To turn on the magnifier on your estimator:

  1. In "Settings," select Advanced and then Accessibility and then Manage accessibility features.
  2. Turn on Enable fullscreen magnifier or Enable docked magnifier. Learn more than well-nigh Chromebook magnification.

Windows: To find out how to utilize the screen magnifier, visit the Microsoft back up article Setting up and using Magnifier.

Type with your voice

You tin type with your voice in documents or in presentation speaker notes. (This feature is only bachelor in Chrome browsers.)

Use keyboard shortcuts

The Docs editors include keyboard shortcuts for navigation and editing.

To open a list of keyboard shortcuts while you're editing a file, press Ctrl + / (Windows, Chrome Bone) or ⌘ + / (Mac).

More than keyboard shortcuts:

  • Docs shortcuts
  • Sheets shortcuts
  • Slides shortcuts
  • Forms shortcuts

Use impact input with a screen reader

With some computers and screen readers, you can bear upon the computer screen to motion the cursor and enter text.

Touch input works in Docs, Sheets, and Slides using the following screen readers and browsers:

  • On Chromebooks, use the ChromeVox screen reader with Chrome 67 or later.
  • On Windows, use the JAWS screen reader with Firefox or the latest version of Chrome.

Impact input with ChromeVox

To use touch on input with ChromeVox on a Chromebook:

  1. Cheque your Chromebook accessibility features for the following settings:
    • Turn off Enable select-to-speak.
    • Plough on Enable on-screen keyboard.
  2. Open a document, spreadsheet, or presentation.
  3. In the Tools bill of fare, select Accessibility settings.
  4. Select Plow on braille support.
  5. In the editing surface area, use the on-screen keyboard.
  6. Outside the editing surface area, swipe and touch the screen equally you would usually. Larn about using Chromebook touch screen accessibility.

Touch input with JAWS

To use touch input with JAWS on Windows with Firefox or the latest version of Chrome:

  1. Open a certificate, spreadsheet, or presentation.
  2. In the Tools menu, select Accessibility settings.
  3. Select Turn on braille support.
  4. In the editing area, employ JAWS Text Reading mode.
    • To cycle through the touch on modes to Text Reading mode, apply a two-finger rotate gesture. Larn about JAWS affect support.
  5. To move focus to the application menus, double-tap on the top of the screen. Utilize a iii-finger swipe or touch exploration to navigate.

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