Windows Narrator for Beginners

              Windows Narrator is Microsoft’s built-in screen reader, designed to provide basic screen reading capabilities and does not require additional downloads or purchases. Narrator is an integrated accessibility feature that reads text on the screen allowed. Narrator is especially useful for writing emails, browsing the web, or working on documents. Although narrator is not as advanced as JAWS or NVDA, it is a reliable and free option that works with the windows operating system. I think it is important to learn the basics of narrator for situations such as getting a new computer and needing to download your preferred screen reader, or your screen reader freezes and you need narrator to be the backup screen reader.

              There are two ways to activate narrator:

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Windows Key + Enter Key.
2. Open the settings app (Windows + I); go to Ease of Access; Narrator; toggle the switch on. Please note you may need sighted assistance if you are using the settings app until you turn narrator on.

When narrator is used for the first time, a window will open with a QuickStart guide, which provides an introduction to its features. I recommend going through the guide completely so you can learn all the features narrator has to offer.

Key features of Narrator

1. Use Tab and Shift + Tab to move through items such as links, buttons, or forms. Press enter to select an item.
2. Use Caps Lock + Arrow Keys to read text.
3. Scan Mode makes it easier to browse content. Toggle it on or off with Caps Lock + Spacebar.
4. Narrator offers different voices to choose from. You can change the voice speed and pitch in the settings. All the voices are pretty good, and I hope you will experiment to see which one you like.
5. Narrator can read text by character, word, line, or paragraph, giving you more flexibility in how you read.

The advantages of narrator are it is built in and free, ease of use for beginners, and the continuous updates provided by Microsoft. The challenges with narrator are that it may not be ideal for advanced users, limited web navigation compared to other screen readers, and fewer customization options for highly specific tasks. Let me know your experiences with narrator in the comments.