Glossary
Screen reader
A screen reader is software that reads what is on a computer or phone screen aloud, or sends it to a braille display, so that people who are blind or have low vision can use the device. The most used screen readers on Windows are JAWS and NVDA, and VoiceOver is the one built into Apple devices.
Updated October 16, 20264 cited facts, each traced to its source
A screen reader is software that reads the contents of a screen out loud, using synthesized speech, or sends them to a refreshable braille display that raises braille characters under the user's fingers. The software reads the text, the names of buttons and menus, and the position of the cursor, and the user moves through the screen with keyboard commands or, on phones, with touch gestures.
A screen reader turns the screen into speech or braille
The screen reader reads the structure of the software on the screen, such as headings, links, form fields and buttons, and announces each one as the user moves to it. A page that is built with proper headings and labels is far easier to use this way than one that is only a picture of text. That is why accessibility guidance tells developers to label controls and mark up headings.
Most screen reader users on desktops use JAWS or NVDA
WebAIM's tenth survey of screen reader users, run in December 2023 and January 2024, asked which product people use as their primary screen reader on a desktop or laptop. The answers were close between the two leading Windows products. JAWS was the primary reader for 40.5 percent of respondents 1, and NVDA for 37.7 percent 2. VoiceOver, the reader built into macOS, was the primary choice for a much smaller share, 9.7 percent 3.
| Screen reader | Platform | Primary desktop or laptop use in WebAIM's 2024 survey |
|---|---|---|
| JAWS | Windows | 40.5 percent 1 |
| NVDA | Windows | 37.7 percent 2 |
| VoiceOver | macOS | 9.7 percent 3 |
The survey is a self-selected sample of people who chose to take part, so it over-represents people who are already active in web accessibility. The shares describe primary use among those respondents, not the whole population of blind people.
On phones, the built-in readers are VoiceOver on iPhone and TalkBack on Android, and they are used with touch gestures rather than keyboard commands.
Example: dictating a document in Word for Windows
A screen reader user who wants to write without typing every word can use speech input. In Word for Windows, dictation starts from the keyboard: while editing a document in Word, press Alt+H, D or Alt+Back quote (`) 4. The user then speaks the text. Checking it is still the screen reader's job: the user moves through the document with the reader and listens to each sentence. Microsoft's guide to dictating with a screen reader describes the Word steps for this.
The starting shortcut is a key press, so it does not depend on sight. Knowing where the cursor is still does, which is why the two tools are usually used together.
Why it matters for dictation
Dictation and a screen reader solve different problems. A screen reader gives output: it turns the screen into sound or braille. Dictation gives input: it turns speech into text, so the hands do less work. For a blind user, dictation removes much of the typing, while the screen reader still provides the checking. For someone with a motor disability who does not use a screen reader, dictation may be the whole solution.
Voice features and screen readers can compete for the same keys and commands, so a user who relies on both should test them together before depending on either. The guide to dictation for blind and visually impaired people covers the setup choices, and the question on whether dictation works with a screen reader gives a short answer.
Related terms
- VoiceOver: Apple's screen reader, built into macOS and iOS.
- Voice control: Apple's feature for controlling a Mac with spoken commands, which can be used alongside a screen reader.
- Assistive technology: the broad category of tools that includes screen readers, magnifiers and speech input.
Guides that cover it
Evidence
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Related terms
- Speech to Text for Accessibility, RSI and DisabilitiesThe topic this term belongs to
- Access to WorkAccess to Work is a UK government grant for people with a disability or health condition who need support to do their job. GOV.UK says it can help pay for specialist equipment and assistive software, among other support, and that the grant does not affect other benefits and does not have to be paid back.
- Assistive technology (AT)Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment or product system that increases, maintains or improves what a person with a disability can do. Speech recognition, voice control and screen readers are common examples.
- Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is a clinical practice area that supplements or compensates for impairments in speaking or understanding language. It uses tools such as picture boards, letter boards and speech-generating devices, and it is augmentative when used alongside speech and alternative when used instead of speech.
- CART captioningCART captioning is a live text service in which a trained captioner types what is said, usually on a stenotype machine, and the words appear on a screen as they are spoken. CART stands for Communication Access Realtime Translation, and it is also called real-time captioning.
- De Quervain's tenosynovitisDe Quervain's tenosynovitis is a painful condition in which tendons that move the thumb become irritated where they pass through a narrow tunnel on the thumb side of the wrist. Repeated thumb and wrist movements, such as texting, can worsen it.
- Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is UK government support for students with a disability, mental health problem or long-term illness, to cover study costs that come from the condition. It depends on individual needs rather than household income, and it does not have to be paid back.
- DysarthriaDysarthria is a speech disorder that happens when brain or nerve damage changes the way the muscles used for speaking work, so speech can sound slow, slurred or hard to understand. Speech recognition trained on typical voices can make more errors with this speech, so accuracy depends on the person and the software.
- DysgraphiaDysgraphia is a difficulty with writing that does not match a person's cognitive level and age, even after adequate instruction. It can affect letter formation, spacing, spelling, writing speed and composition, and speech to text lets a person get their words onto the page without writing each letter by hand.
- Individualized Education Program (IEP)An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written statement for a child with a disability, developed, reviewed and revised under the federal IDEA regulations. For US students, it is the school's plan for the special education and services the child needs, and the team must consider whether the child needs assistive technology.
- Median nerveThe median nerve is one of the main nerves of the arm. It runs from the forearm through the wrist into the hand, giving feeling and movement to parts of the hand.
- Reasonable accommodationA reasonable accommodation is a change to the job, the workplace or the equipment that lets a qualified person with a disability do the work. Under U.S. law, employers with 15 or more employees must provide one unless it would impose an undue hardship.
- Repetitive strain injury (RSI)Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an umbrella term for pain and damage to muscles, tendons and nerves that builds up from repeated movements, held postures or sustained effort, felt in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and neck.
Pages that use this term
- Speech to Text for Accessibility, RSI and DisabilitiesTopic
- Dictation for Blind and Visually Impaired PeopleGuide
- Do blind people use voice typing?Question
- Does dictation work with a screen reader?Question
- Does JAWS work with Dragon NaturallySpeaking?Question
- How do blind people type on a computer?Question