JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is a commercial screen reader for Windows
developed by Freedom Scientific, now part of Vispero. It is the most widely
used screen reader in enterprise and government environments, and is
particularly prevalent among professional screen reader users who have used
it for many years. Testing with JAWS is important for organisations whose
products are used in corporate or government contexts.
[1]
JAWS is a paid product. Freedom Scientific offers:
Download from: https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/
Recommended browser pairing: Chrome or Edge. JAWS has strong
support for both Chromium-based browsers.
The JAWS modifier key is Insert by default.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Insert + F1 | JAWS help |
| Insert + F5 | Select a different verbosity level |
| Insert + F6 | Headings list |
| Insert + F7 | Links list |
| Insert + F3 | Find a string on the page |
| H | Next heading |
| Shift + H | Previous heading |
| R | Next landmark region |
| K | Next link |
| F | Next form field |
| T | Next table |
| B | Next button |
| Insert + Z | Toggle virtual cursor on/off |
| Tab | Next interactive element |
| Escape | Exit form field or component |
| [2] |
Like NVDA, JAWS operates in two primary modes:
Virtual cursor (browse mode) — JAWS reads all page content using its
own virtual representation of the page. Single-letter navigation shortcuts
work in this mode. This is the default reading mode.
Forms mode — Activated when JAWS enters a form field or interactive
widget. Keystrokes pass to the page. JAWS announces "forms mode on" when
switching. Exit with Escape or NumPad Plus.
JAWS handles the mode switch automatically in many cases, but custom widgets
with incorrect ARIA roles may fail to trigger the correct mode.
[1]
Step 1 — Check the page title
JAWS announces the page title on load. Verify it is descriptive and
identifies both the specific page and the site.
Step 2 — Navigate by headings
Open the Headings list (Insert + F6) for an overview, then use H to move
through headings sequentially. Verify the hierarchy is logical and headings
are descriptive when heard in isolation.
Step 3 — Navigate by landmarks
Press R to move through landmark regions. Verify a main landmark is present
and that navigation regions have labels where multiple nav landmarks exist.
Step 4 — Test the links list
Open the Links list (Insert + F7). Review all link text. Flag any links
labelled "click here", "here", "more", "read more", or similar generic text.
Step 5 — Test form fields
Tab to each form field. JAWS should announce label, type, and state.
Enter invalid data and submit — verify JAWS announces error messages
and that they are associated with the relevant fields.
Step 6 — Test custom widgets
For tabs, accordions, dialogs, and other custom components, verify:
Step 7 — Test dynamic content
Trigger status messages and live content updates. Verify JAWS announces
them via live regions. Note that JAWS handles aria-live="assertive"
more aggressively than NVDA — test both to ensure announcements are
appropriate.
JAWS and NVDA do not always behave identically. Differences include:
Testing with both NVDA and JAWS is the most thorough approach for
Windows screen reader coverage.
Last edited Apr 7, 2026, 7:32 PM · P**** J****