NVDA
NVDA is a free, open source screen reader for Windows that allows blind and visually impaired users to access computers through speech and Braille. It's widely used as an alternative to expensive commercial screen readers.
free
open-source
windows
speech
braille
NVDA: Free Open Source Screen Reader for Blind & Visually Impaired
A free, open source screen reader for Windows, NVDA allows blind and visually impaired users to access computers through speech and Braille, offering a cost-effective alternative to commercial options.
What is NVDA?
NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a free, open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system. It allows blind and visually impaired users to access and interact with the Windows operating system and many third party applications through speech and Braille.
Some key features of NVDA include:
- Supports over 80 languages
- Voice synthesizers for speech output
- Supports Braille displays for Braille output
- Has built-in voices, or can use voices provided by Windows or third parties
- Web browsing support including support for popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Edge and others
- Customizable voices, speech verbosity, keyboard shortcuts, etc.
- Reads text-based documents, web pages, and interacting with various controls
- Completely free and open source
NVDA is very popular among the blind and visually impaired community as a free alternative screen reader compared to expensive commercial products. It is developed by NV Access in collaboration with the community. NVDA works on all modern versions of Windows desktop operating systems.
NVDA Features
Features
- Text-to-speech output
- Support for over 80 languages
- Braille display support
- Web browsing support
- Customizable voices and speech settings
- Scripting to automate tasks
- Magnification and screen enhancements
- Support for Microsoft Office and other applications
Pricing
- Free
- Open Source
Pros
Free and open source
Active development community
Highly customizable
Works well with most applications
Lightweight and fast
Supports many languages
Cons
Steep learning curve
Limited support for advanced Braille displays
Some stability issues
Lacks some features of commercial screen readers
Official Links
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