Chrome works with the screen reader built into your device or one you install: ChromeVox on Chromebooks, Narrator, NVDA or JAWS on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac and iPhone, and TalkBack on Android. You don’t need to switch anything on inside Chrome first. Chrome’s accessibility support is off by default and turns on automatically when a screen reader asks for it. Turn on your screen reader, then open Chrome.
How to Enable ChromeVox on a Chromebook
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Z on any page to turn ChromeVox on or off.
- Or, at the bottom right, select the time, then select Settings > Accessibility.
- Under text-to-speech, turn on the screen reader.
- On a Chromebook tablet, press and hold Volume down + Volume up for 5 seconds.
Using Chrome with NVDA on Windows
- Download and install NVDA from the official NVDA website if you haven’t already.
- Start NVDA, then open Chrome.
- Press NVDA + Space to switch between browse mode and focus mode. The NVDA key is Insert by default.
Using Chrome with VoiceOver on macOS
- Press Command + F5 to turn VoiceOver on or off.
- Open Chrome. VoiceOver commands use the VoiceOver modifier, which is Control + Option by default (or Caps Lock).
- To change VoiceOver settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver.
Chrome’s Own Accessibility Settings
Chrome has a few settings that help screen reader users. Open chrome://settings/accessibility, or select More > Settings > Accessibility:
- Get image descriptions from Google: if an image has no useful description, Chrome tries to provide one. To do this, images are sent to Google.
- Live Caption: captions for audio and video played in Chrome.
- Navigate pages with a text cursor: caret browsing, also turned on or off with F7.
- Show a quick highlight on the focused object.
Exploring Chrome’s Accessibility Tree and ARIA Support
Chrome builds an accessibility tree from each page. This is what screen readers read, and it includes the ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes that web developers add. Developers can inspect it in DevTools:
- Press F12 or Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows/Linux) or Command + Option + I (Mac) to open DevTools.
- In the Elements panel, select an element, then open the Accessibility tab to see its ARIA attributes and computed properties.
- Turn on Show accessibility tree there to replace the DOM tree with the full-page accessibility tree. Google’s accessibility features reference covers the rest.
| Screen Reader | OS Compatibility | Chrome Support |
|---|---|---|
| ChromeVox | ChromeOS | Built-in |
| NVDA | Windows | Yes |
| VoiceOver | macOS | Yes |
| JAWS | Windows | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chrome work with JAWS on Windows?
Yes, Chrome is compatible with JAWS on Windows. Keep both Chrome and JAWS up to date for the best results.
How do I update Chrome to ensure the best screen reader support?
Select More > Help > About Google Chrome, and Chrome checks for updates. Our guide on how to update Chrome has the steps for every device.
Why is ChromeVox not working on my Chromebook?
Press Ctrl + Alt + Z to turn it on, or check that the screen reader is on in Settings > Accessibility. If the issue persists, restart your Chromebook.
What is the shortcut to quickly enable VoiceOver on a Mac?
Press Command + F5 to toggle VoiceOver on or off on macOS.
Does Chrome support ARIA roles?
Yes. Chrome exposes ARIA roles and attributes in its accessibility tree, which is what screen readers use.