Applies ToWindows 10
Windows 11Windows 10

This chapter describes a navigation and reading mode called scan mode. Scan mode lets you navigate apps, email, and webpages using the arrow keys. You’ll also be able to use common keyboard shortcuts to read text and jump directly to headings, links, tables, and landmarks.

Scan mode basics

To turn scan mode on and off, press Narrator + Spacebar.

Tip: The Narrator key is a modifier key in the Narrator commands. Both the Caps lock key and the Insert key serve as your Narrator key by default. For more info on the Narrator key, go to Chapter 2: Narrator basics or Appendix B: Narrator keyboard commands and touch gestures.

When scan mode is turned on, use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate apps and webpages. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate an item that you want to use, such as a button in an app, a link in a webpage, or a text box. 

Scan mode turns on automatically when you use Mail, Outlook, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Firefox. It also turns on automatically when you open any Windows app where you turned it on before.  

If you turn scan mode off for an app, it will remain off for that app until you turn it on again. Scan mode automatically turns off in edit fields so you can enter text. Press the Up or Down arrow key again to leave the edit field and resume scan mode.

Scan mode commands

When scan mode is turned on, use the following keys to navigate apps and webpages.

Note: If you are hearing silent stops in scan mode, this may be because Narrator is stopping at a punctuation mark. To have Narrator tell you about that punctuation, increase your punctuation verbosity by pressing Narrator + Alt + Left bracket ([) or Narrator + Alt + Right bracket (]).

Press these keys

To do this

Narrator + Spacebar

Toggle scan mode on or off

Enter Spacebar

Primary action

Shift + Enter Shift + Spacebar

Secondary action

Home

Move to and read the first character of a line

End

Move to and read the last character of a line

P

Read next paragraph

Shift + P

Read previous paragraph

Ctrl + Down arrow

Read next line

Ctrl + Up arrow

Read previous line

Ctrl + Right arrow

Read next word

Ctrl + Left arrow

Read previous word

Right arrow

Read next character

Left arrow

Read previous character

Ctrl + Home

Move to and read the first line of text

Ctrl + End

Move to and read the last line of text

Down arrow

Jump to next text or item

Up arrow

Jump to previous text or item

1

Jump to next heading at level 1

Shift + 1

Jump to previous heading at level 1

2

Jump to next heading at level 2

Shift + 2

Jump to previous heading at level 2

3

Jump to next heading at level 3

Shift + 3

Jump to previous heading at level 3

4

Jump to next heading at level 4

Shift + 4

Jump to previous heading at level 4

5

Jump to next heading at level 5

Shift + 5

Jump to previous heading at level 5

6

Jump to next heading at level 6

Shift + 6

Jump to previous heading at level 6

7

Jump to next heading at level 7

Shift + 7

Jump to previous heading at level 7

8

Jump to next heading at level 8

Shift + 8

Jump to previous heading at level 8

9

Jump to next heading at level 9

Shift + 9

Jump to previous heading at level 9

B

Jump to next button

Shift + B

Jump to previous button

C

Jump to next combo box

Shift + C

Jump to previous combo box

D

Jump to next landmark

Shift + D

Jump to previous landmark

E

Jump to next edit box

Shift + E

Jump to previous edit box

F

Jump to next form field

Shift + F

Jump to previous form field

G

Jump to next graphic or image

Shift + G

Jump to previous graphic or image

H

Jump to next heading

Shift + H

Jump to previous heading

I

Jump to next item

Shift + I

Jump to previous item

K

Jump to next link

Shift + K

Jump to previous link

R

Jump to next radio button

Shift + R

Jump to previous radio button

T

Jump to next table

Shift + T

Jump to previous table

X

Jump to next checkbox

Shift + X

Jump to previous checkbox

Selecting text in scan mode

Use these commands when you’re copying text from content areas like websites or email.

Press these keys

To do this

Shift + Right arrow

Select current character

Shift + Left arrow

Select previous character

Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow

Select current word

Ctrl + Shift + Left arrow

Select previous word

Shift + Down arrow

Select current line

Shift + Up arrow

Select previous line

Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow

Select current paragraph

Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow

Select previous paragraph

Shift + Home

Select to beginning of line

Shift + End

Select to end of line

Ctrl + Shift + Home

Select to beginning of document

Ctrl + Shift + End

Select to end of document

Shift + Page down

Select current page

Shift + Page up

Select previous page

F9

Mark the beginning or end of a block of text

F10

Select all text between a mark and the current point

Ctrl + C

Copy selection

Ctrl + X

Cut selection

Ctrl + V

Paste selection

Ctrl + A

Select all

Narrator + Shift + Down arrow

Read selection

Narrator + Shift + Down arrow twice quickly

Spell selection

Next: Chapter 4: Reading text

Go back to the Table of Contents

This chapter describes a navigation and reading mode called scan mode. Scan mode lets you navigate apps, email, and webpages using the arrow keys. You’ll also be able to use common keyboard shortcuts to read text and jump directly to headings, links, tables, and landmarks.

Scan mode basics

To turn scan mode on and off, press Narrator + Spacebar.

Tip: The Narrator key is a modifier key in the Narrator commands. Both the Caps lock key and the Insert key serve as your Narrator key by default. For more info on the Narrator key, go to Chapter 2: Narrator basics or Appendix B: Narrator keyboard commands and touch gestures.

When scan mode is turned on, use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate apps and webpages. Press Enter or Spacebar to activate an item that you want to use, such as a button in an app, a link in a webpage, or a text box.

Scan mode turns on automatically when you use Mail, Outlook, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Firefox. It also turns on automatically when you open any Windows app where you turned it on before.

If you turn scan mode off for an app, it will remain off for that app until you turn it on again. Scan mode automatically turns off in edit fields so you can enter text. Press the Up or Down arrow key again to leave the edit field and resume scan mode.

Scan mode commands

When scan mode is turned on, use the following keys to navigate apps and webpages.

Note: If you are hearing silent stops in scan mode, this may be because Narrator is stopping at a punctuation mark. To have Narrator tell you about that punctuation, increase your punctuation verbosity by pressing Narrator + Alt + Plus sign (+) or Minus sign (-).

Press these keys

To do this

Narrator + Spacebar

Toggle scan mode on or off

Enter Spacebar

Primary action

Shift + Enter Shift + Spacebar

Secondary action

Home

Move to and read the first character of a line

End

Move to and read the last character of a line

P

Read next paragraph

Shift + P

Read previous paragraph

Ctrl + Down arrow

Read next line

Ctrl + Up arrow

Read previous line

Ctrl + Right arrow

Read next word

Ctrl + Left arrow

Read previous word

Right arrow

Read next character

Left arrow

Read previous character

Ctrl + Home

Move to and read the first line of text

Ctrl + End

Move to and read the last line of text

Down arrow

Jump to next text or item

Up arrow

Jump to previous text or item

1

Jump to next heading at level 1

Shift + 1

Jump to previous heading at level 1

2

Jump to next heading at level 2

Shift + 2

Jump to previous heading at level 2

3

Jump to next heading at level 3

Shift + 3

Jump to previous heading at level 3

4

Jump to next heading at level 4

Shift + 4

Jump to previous heading at level 4

5

Jump to next heading at level 5

Shift + 5

Jump to previous heading at level 5

6

Jump to next heading at level 6

Shift + 6

Jump to previous heading at level 6

7

Jump to next heading at level 7

Shift + 7

Jump to previous heading at level 7

8

Jump to next heading at level 8

Shift + 8

Jump to previous heading at level 8

9

Jump to next heading at level 9

Shift + 9

Jump to previous heading at level 9

B

Jump to next button

Shift + B

Jump to previous button

C

Jump to next combo box

Shift + C

Jump to previous combo box

D

Jump to next landmark

Shift + D

Jump to previous landmark

E

Jump to next edit box

Shift + E

Jump to previous edit box

F

Jump to next form field

Shift + F

Jump to previous form field

H

Jump to next heading

Shift + H

Jump to previous heading

I

Jump to next item

Shift + I

Jump to previous item

K

Jump to next link

Shift + K

Jump to previous link

R

Jump to next radio button

Shift + R

Jump to previous radio button

T

Jump to next table

Shift + T

Jump to previous table

X

Jump to next checkbox

Shift + X

Jump to previous checkbox

Selecting text in scan mode

Use these commands when you’re copying text from content areas like websites or email.

Press these keys

To do this

Shift + Right arrow

Select current character

Shift + Left arrow

Select previous character

Ctrl + Shift + Right arrow

Select current word

Ctrl + Shift + Left arrow

Select previous word

Shift + Down arrow

Select current line

Shift + Up arrow

Select previous line

Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow

Select current paragraph

Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow

Select previous paragraph

Shift + Home

Select to beginning of line

Shift + End

Select to end of line

Ctrl + Shift + Home

Select to beginning of document

Ctrl + Shift + End

Select to end of document

Shift + Page down

Select current page

Shift + Page up

Select previous page

F9

Mark the beginning or end of a block of text

F10

Select all text between a mark and the current point

Ctrl + C

Copy selection

Ctrl + X

Cut selection

Ctrl + V

Paste selection

Ctrl + A

Select all

Narrator + Shift + Down arrow

Read selection

Narrator + Shift + Down arrow twice quickly

Spell selection

Next: Chapter 4: Reading text

Go back to the Table of Contents

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