Working with JAWS: Keystroke Quick Reference Chart

Using the JAWS screen reading software requires that the user know a large set of keystroke combinations to get the most from the application.

Daily users must first master a multitude of keystrokes to use JAWS properly. As a service to the Web Accessibility, we provide the following abbreviated chart of Keystrokes.

For Web Browsing Using Internet Explorer:

While JAWS works with all Windows applications, the power of JAWS is that it relies on scripts associated with individual applications, allowing the association of keystroke combinations to specific functions within each application. The following associations then have been developed specifically for Internet Explorer.

Back a Page	ALT + LEFT ARROW or Backspace
Forward a Page	ALT + RIGHT ARROW
Move to Address Bar	ALT + D
List Links	INSERT + F7
Next Link	TAB
Prior Link	SHIFT + TAB
Next Visited Link	V
Prior Visited Link	SHIFT + V
Open Link	ENTER
Next Non Link Text	N or INSERT + ENTER
Prior Non Link Text	SHIFT + N or INSERT + SHIFT +ENTER
Skip past element	E
Next same element	S
Next different element	D
Next list	L
Next table	T
List Headings	INSERT + F6
Next Heading	H
Prior Heading	SHIFT + H
Enter Forms Mode	ENTER or NUM PAD SLASH
Move to First Form Field	CTRL + INSERT + HOME
Move to Next Form Field	F
Exit Forms Mode	NUM PAD PLUS
To get information on the current element	INSERT + F1
Next Frame	CTRL + TAB
List Frames	INSERT + F9
Reload Web Page	F5
Refresh JAWS	INSERT + ESC

Reading Tables:

JAWS automatically reformats tables so that the information is easier to read. JAWS will indicate when a table is present by indicating the number of columns and rows in the current table; it will also read the summary attribute if present. JAWS will also announce, "Table End", when it reaches the end of the table. In properly developed tables, JAWS users can also get the "cross reference" or cell association information (the associated <th> information), essential in comprehending large or complicated tables. Tables are always read in a linear fashion, from top left cell to bottom right cell, row by row, using normal JAWS reading keystrokes (Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Insert-Down Arrow, etc.) JAWS also offers these keystrokes to read information in a table:

Read the current cell	ALT - CTRL - CENTER
Table Cell Association	CONTROL - ALT - NUMPAD 5
Read Row	R
Next row	WINDOWS KEY + DOWN ARROW
Prior row	WINDOWS KEY + UP ARROW
Read the next cell	ALT - CTRL - RIGHT ARROW
Read the prior cell	ALT - CTRL - LEFT ARROW
Read Column	C
Read the cell below the current cell	ALT - CTRL - DOWN ARROW
Read the cell above the current cell	ALT - CTRL - UP ARROW
Move to the first cell in the table	ALT - CTRL - HOME
Move to the last cell in the table	ALT - CTRL - END

Miscellaneous Browsing Information:

• When using the Links List (INSERT + F7), links may be presented in the chronological order in which they appear on the page, or re-ordered alphabetically. The links can also be displayed as all, visited and unvisited. Within the Links List, links may also be search alphabetically by pressing the letter of the alphabet - for example pressing "S" would announce the first link starting with "S", pressing "S" again would announce the second link starting with "S", etc.
• When using the Headings List (INSERT + F6), JAWS users can navigate through the Headings using the numbers 1 through 6; when focused upon a specific Heading within the Headings List, by using "Enter" the reader will start reading at that point in the page. Headings list can also be sorted in tab order or in alphabetical order.
• Title Attribute - Currently this has to be configured in the JAWS configuration panel; you can either get title, alt, screen text longest, or user defined but you cannot get more than one.
• Longdesc Attribute - Support for Longdesc only appeared in JAWS version 4.02, earlier versions did not recognize this attribute.
• Scope Attribute or headers/id combinations - It appears that at JAWS Version 4.5, support for advanced table cell associations using these attributes is still not functional.

For Reading Text:

Say Character	NUM PAD 5
Switch between standard and military alphabet	NUMPAD 5 pressed twice quickly
Say Prior Character	LEFT ARROW
Say Next Character	RIGHT ARROW
Say Word	INSERT + NUM PAD 5
Spell Word	INSERT + NUM PAD 5 pressed twice quickly
Say Prior Word	INSERT + LEFT ARROW
Say Next Word	INSERT + RIGHT ARROW
Say Line	INSERT + UP ARROW
Say Prior Line	UP ARROW
Say Next Line	DOWN ARROW
Say Sentence	ALT + NUM PAD 5
Say Prior Sentence	ALT + UP ARROW
Say Next Sentence	ALT + DOWN ARROW
Say Paragraph	CTRL + NUM PAD 5
Say Prior Paragraph	CTRL + UP ARROW
Say Next Paragraph	CTRL + DOWN ARROW
Say to Cursor	INSERT + HOME
Say from Cursor	INSERT + PAGE UP
Say All	INSERT + DOWN ARROW
Say Color	INSERT + 5
Say Font	INSERT + F

For Temporarily Changing Voice Rate

During Say All:

Increase Voice Rate	PAGE DOWN
Decrease Voice Rate	PAGE UP

When not in Say All:

Increase Voice Rate	ALT + CTRL + PAGE DOWN
Decrease Voice Rate	ALT + CTRL + PAGE UP
Restore Normal Voice Settings	INSERT + ESC

Informational:

Interrupt Speech	CTRL
Say Window Title	INSERT + T
Say Window Prompt and Text	INSERT + TAB
JAWS Find	CTRL + INSERT + F
JAWS Find Next	INSERT + F3
Say Top Line of Window	INSERT + END
Say Bottom Line of Window	INSERT + PAGE DOWN
Say Selected Text	INSERT + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW
Get Application Version	CTRL + INSERT + V
Jaws cursor which is used to move the mouse	NUMPAD MINUS
PC cursor	NUMPAD PLUS

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