A logo with an infinity symbol inside a circle, where one loop holds a book and the other loop has a third eye.

Navigation IN Google Docs With Screen Readers

by | Feb 5, 2024 | Google Docs | 0 comments

Navigation in Google Docs

Google Docs is designed to be accessible to individuals who use screen readers, and it works well with popular screen reader software like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver. Here’s a general guide on how to navigate and use Google Docs with a screen reader:

  1. Open Google Docs:
    • Go to the Google Docs website (docs.google.com) and sign in with your Google account if you’re not already logged in.
  2. Create or Open a Document:
    • You can create a new document by clicking the “+ Blank” button or open an existing document from your Google Drive.
  3. Basic Navigation:
    • Screen readers usually have keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate. For instance, use arrow keys to move through the content.
  4. Document Structure:
    • Use the screen reader’s commands to identify the structure of the document, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and links.
  5. Headings:
    • Google Docs allows you to use headings for better document structure. Use “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” etc., for titles and subsections. Screen readers can navigate through headings for a document overview.
  6. Links:
    • Screen readers will announce links. To activate a link, press the Enter or Spacebar key. To move to the next link, use screen reader shortcuts.
  7. Lists:
    • Screen readers can identify and navigate through lists. Lists can be bullet points or numbered lists.
  8. Tables:
    • Navigate tables using your screen reader’s table navigation commands. Tables in Google Docs are accessible, and screen readers can read cell contents.
  9. Images and Alt Text:
    • Google Docs allows you to add alt text to images. Be sure to add descriptive alt text so screen readers can convey the information to users who can’t see the images.
  10. Commenting and Suggesting Edits:
    • If you are collaborating with others, you can access and respond to comments and suggestions made by others in the document. Screen readers will announce these comments.
  11. Keyboard Shortcuts:
    • Familiarize yourself with screen reader-specific keyboard shortcuts, as well as Google Docs keyboard shortcuts. These can significantly improve your navigation and editing speed.
  12. Spell Check and Proofreading:
    • Google Docs provides spelling and grammar suggestions. Screen readers will announce these suggestions, allowing you to make corrections.
  13. Document Changes:
    • If multiple people are collaborating on a document, your screen reader will announce any changes made in real-time.
  14. Save and Share:
    • Use your screen reader to save your document and share it with others. You can specify sharing settings and permissions.
  15. Accessibility Settings:
    • Google Docs has accessibility settings that allow you to customize your experience. You can access these settings by going to “File” > “Accessibility settings.”

Menus & Tabs in Google Docs

Google Docs has a menu bar and various tabs that provide access to a wide range of features and options for creating and editing documents. Here’s an overview of the main menus and tabs you’ll find in Google Docs:

File Menu:

This menu contains options related to document management, such as creating new documents, opening existing ones, saving documents, and printing.

Edit Menu:

The Edit menu offers various editing options, including cut, copy, paste, find and replace, and spelling and grammar check.

View Menu:

The View menu provides options to adjust the zoom level of the document, enable or disable various viewing modes (such as print layout, compact controls, and full screen), and show or hide rulers and gridlines.

Insert Menu:

The Insert menu allows users to insert various elements into their documents, such as images, drawings, links, tables, equations, and special characters.

Format Menu:

The Format menu provides options to format text, paragraphs, and other elements in the document, including font styles, font sizes, text alignment, line spacing, and indentation.

Tools Menu:

The Tools menu contains additional tools for document editing and management, such as spelling and grammar check, word count, document outline, and various add-ons.

Table Menu:

The Table menu offers options to insert, delete, and format tables in the document, as well as options to adjust table properties such as borders, shading, and alignment.

Add-ons Menu:

The Add-ons menu provides access to third-party add-ons that can extend the functionality of Google Docs with additional features and tools.

Help Menu:

The Help menu contains links to help resources, including documentation, keyboard shortcuts, and the Google Docs Help Center.

Alongside the menus, you’ll find tabs such as:

  • Home: The Home tab typically contains commonly used formatting options for text, paragraphs, and other document elements.
  • Insert: The Insert tab provides quick access to options for inserting various elements into the document, such as images, links, and tables.
  • Format: The Format tab offers additional formatting options for text, paragraphs, and other document elements beyond those available in the Home tab.
  • Tools: The Tools tab provides access to tools for document editing, management, and collaboration, such as spelling and grammar check, word count, and document outline.

These menus and tabs aim to organize the extensive range of features and tools available in Google Docs, making it easier for users to navigate and utilize its capabilities effectively.

Shortcut Key Commands in Google Docs

Google Docs offers a variety of keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate, format, and edit documents more efficiently. Here are some commonly used shortcut key commands in Google Docs:

Navigation and Selection:

  • Move to the beginning of a line: Home (PC) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac).
  • Move to the end of a line: End (PC) or Command + Right Arrow (Mac).
  • Move to the beginning of a document: Ctrl + Home (PC) or Command + Up Arrow (Mac).
  • Move to the end of a document: Ctrl + End (PC) or Command + Down Arrow (Mac).
  • Select text: Shift + Arrow keys.
  • Select from the cursor to the beginning or end of the line: Shift + Home (PC) or Shift + End (PC) or Shift + Command + Left Arrow (Mac) or Shift + Command + Right Arrow (Mac).

Basic Text Formatting:

  • Bold: Ctrl + B (PC) or Command + B (Mac).
  • Italic: Ctrl + I (PC) or Command + I (Mac).
  • Underline: Ctrl + U (PC) or Command + U (Mac).
  • Strikethrough: Alt + Shift + 5 (PC) or Command + Shift + X (Mac).
  • Superscript: Ctrl + . (period) (PC) or Command + . (period) (Mac).
  • Subscript: Ctrl + , (comma) (PC) or Command + , (comma) (Mac).

Paragraph Formatting:

  • Align left: Ctrl + Shift + L (PC) or Command + Shift + L (Mac).
  • Align center: Ctrl + Shift + E (PC) or Command + Shift + E (Mac).
  • Align right: Ctrl + Shift + R (PC) or Command + Shift + R (Mac).
  • Justify: Ctrl + Shift + J (PC) or Command + Shift + J (Mac).
  • Bulleted list: Ctrl + Shift + 8 (PC) or Command + Shift + 8 (Mac).
  • Numbered list: Ctrl + Shift + 7 (PC) or Command + Shift + 7 (Mac).
  • Increase indent: Ctrl + ] (PC) or Command + ] (Mac).
  • Decrease indent: Ctrl + [ (PC) or Command + [ (Mac).

Document Actions:

  • Save: Ctrl + S (PC) or Command + S (Mac).
  • Undo: Ctrl + Z (PC) or Command + Z (Mac).
  • Redo: Ctrl + Y (PC) or Command + Y (Mac).
  • Cut: Ctrl + X (PC) or Command + X (Mac).
  • Copy: Ctrl + C (PC) or Command + C (Mac).
  • Paste: Ctrl + V (PC) or Command + V (Mac).
  • Select all: Ctrl + A (PC) or Command + A (Mac).

Headers and Footers:

  • Insert header: Ctrl + Alt + H (PC) or Command + Option + H (Mac).
  • Insert footer: Ctrl + Alt + F (PC) or Command + Option + F (Mac).

Tables:

  • Insert table: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + T (PC) or Command + Option + Shift + T (Mac).
  • Move to the next cell: Tab (PC and Mac).
  • Move to the previous cell: Shift + Tab (PC and Mac).
  • Add a new row at the bottom: Tab at the end of the last cell in the table (PC and Mac).

Comments:

  • Insert comment: Ctrl + Alt + M (PC) or Command + Option + M (Mac).
  • Open comment thread: Ctrl + Alt + R (PC) or Command + Option + R (Mac).
  • Navigate between comments: Ctrl + Alt + N (PC) or Command + Option + N (Mac).

These are some of the most commonly used keyboard shortcuts in Google Docs. You can also access a full list of keyboard shortcuts by pressing Ctrl + / (PC) or Command + / (Mac) within Google Docs, which opens a panel displaying all available shortcuts for quick reference. Additionally, you can customize and create your own keyboard shortcuts in Google Docs by going to “Tools” > “Preferences” > “Keyboard shortcuts.”