NVDA- How To Change Your Modifier Key

Hello in this 3 minute video, I talk you through how to change your modifier key in NVDA.

The modifier key is a turbo charged shortcut key that can be pressed with other keys in order to make NVDA do something, such as quit- which is NVDA key + Q!

My copy of NVDA uses the insert key but there are alternatives and in this video, I show you how.

The video comes with a full set of subtitles, but if you prefer to read from a transcript please find it below.

Start of Video Transcript

Hello, everyone. It is James from the Visual Impairment Team in Devon.

In this video, I will quickly show you how to change what key to use as your modifier key when using NVDA.

The NVDA modifier key is specific key on a user’s keyboard that when pressed together  with other keys, gets the screen reader to perform various functions.

It acts like a turbo charged shortcut key.

By default the NVDA key is set as the Insert key but you can change this by pressing the Control key and the Insert key and the K key all together.

A dialogue box appears which shows your options for your NVDA modifier key.

You have a choice of three options- either to use caps lock, the insert key on your number pad (which is only applicable to users with desktop keyboards) or the “extended insert” key.

Because I use it on a laptop, I have selected the “extended insert” key as my modifier.

If you want to change your modifier, then press TAB to scroll through the different options.

Once you have focused on the key that you are currently using, NVDA will read out “check box checked” press the spacebar. NVDA will say “not checked”.

Now TAB to key that you want to select and press the spacebar to select it.

Press enter to confirm the changes.

That’s it. You have changed your NVDA modifier key.

Thanks for watching my video demonstrating how to change the NVDA modifier key.  If this video has helped you, please share it with your friends, colleagues  and family.

I have created lots of other videos relating to NVDA- a link to the playlist can be found in the description.

If you have any comments or questions or anything to add to the discussion, please leave them below.

End of Video Transcript