Screen readers
A screen reader is software that reads the page aloud and lets the user move through it with keys or touch gestures. The scanner simulates what a screen reader announces. This page is for testing with the screen readers themselves. It covers how to start each one, the key commands used in testing (checked against each vendor's documentation), and a checklist of what you should hear, built from your scan. For VoiceOver, Test with VoiceOver gives every step, on a Mac and an iPhone, and how to record VoiceOver automatically.
Key commands for each screen reader
Running a screen reader automatically
| Screen reader | How it can be automated | Status here |
|---|---|---|
| VoiceOver on macOS | Guidepup, an open-source library, controls VoiceOver from code and records every phrase it speaks. Our runner script compares those phrases with the simulation for the same page. | The runner script is written. It needs a Mac with 2 security settings changed. Test with VoiceOver, Part 3 lists each setting, how to run the script and how to undo the settings. |
| NVDA on Windows | Guidepup controls NVDA the same way. | Needs a Windows computer. Not set up yet. |
| JAWS | No open-source tool can control JAWS. Test it by hand with the commands above. | Tested by hand only. |
| Mobile screen readers | Test VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android by hand, on a phone. | Tested by hand only. |