Setting Up NVDA To Work In Google Docs

In this video I demonstrate the three steps that are needed in order for the screen reader NVDA to work in Google Docs.

The first step is to enable screen reader support in Google Docs and the second step is to alter some of the keyboard settings in NVDA.

The third step is optional but it involves changing the keyboard shortcut that you use to start NVDA.

My video includes a full set of subtitles but if you want to read a full transcript then please find it below.

Start of Video Transcript

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In this video I am going to quickly show you how to set up NVDA so that it works perfectly with Google Docs. This video applies to computers running Windows software.

NVDA is a screen reader that is used by people who are blind or visually impaired in order to help them use a computer.

Google Docs is part of Google Drive- Google’s online storage system with a version of Microsoft Office built in.

Google Docs has several dozen keyboard shortcuts that are built in and that can be used by a screen reader but in order for these to work in the best way possible, there are a few simple tasks to perform first.

As I said earlier, in this video I will be focusing on the screen reader NVDA.

Make sure that NVDA is up and running.

Open up a document, slide or drawing.

If NVDA says “screen reader support enabled” you can skip this step.

If you don’t hear that press Control + Alt + Z keys all together. NVDA should now say “screen reader enabled”.

Now we need to change some of the shortcuts that NVDA uses in order to stop it clashing with some of the shortcuts that are needed in Google Docs.

Press NVDA + Control + k to open the keyboard settings, then disable "Speak typed characters" and "Speak typed words."

Consider changing or removing your NVDA startup keyboard shortcut so that it doesn't conflict with the Docs editors.

The default NVDA keyboard shortcut, Control + Alt + n, is commonly used in the Docs editors; for example, Control + Alt + n then g navigates to the next image in a document.

To change your NVDA keyboard shortcut:

• Open Properties from the NVDA shortcut.
• On the Shortcut tab, update the Shortcut key field with a shortcut that doesn't conflict with the Docs editors, such as Control + Alt + \.

Thanks for watching this video.

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End of video transcript