Windows Accessibility Features for Vision – What Are They and How to Activate

Using technology can be tough for people with any level of vision loss. Without the right accessibility tools – it’s downright impossible. That’s why Windows provides an impressive list of accessibility tools for vision. These tools are designed to help people who are blind, have low vision, or have conditions like color blindness. Here’s how to find and use specific Windows accessibility features for vision.

Setting Up Windows to Fit Your Vision

For people with low vision or a vision disability, adjusting a few settings can really help. Most of these settings can be accessed in a single step.

Step 1: Launch the “Settings” app on your PC. Select “Accessibility” or “Ease of Access.” The name of the tab depends on the operating system you run.

From there, you can do the following:

#1 – Turn On Color Filters

People with color blindness have trouble distinguishing between certain colors. Using color filters in Windows can make this easier.

#2 – Change the Color Contrast

People with low vision might struggle reading text with poor contrast. In Windows, this can be resolved by changing the contrast settings.

#3 – Adjust the Size and Color of the Text

This simple change can make the screen much easier to see. Windows allows you to make the display text bigger or make everything bigger. The second option scales up your entire screen.

Using a Magnifier

If you’re struggling to read or see specific text or images, you can simply make your entire screen bigger. The Magnifier feature allows you to do this. To activate this handy feature, just press the Windows logo key and the plus sign at the same time. Your entire screen will instantly enlarge.

When you no longer need the Magnifier, press the Windows logo key and the minus sign simultaneously to turn it off.

Listening Instead of Watching

People who are blind or have extremely low vision won’t benefit much from changing up vision settings. They can, however, switch to listening instead of watching. This can be done by using the Narrator feature. This feature allows you to use your Windows PC without a mouse. Here’s how to activate it.

Step 1: Press the following combination of keys together: “Windows logo key + CTRL + N.”

Step 2: Turn on the “Use Narrator” option.

Now, you can start the Narrator whenever you need it by hitting the “Windows logo key + CTRL + Enter” combo. The same combination will also stop the Narrator.

Using Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is an accessibility tool built into specific Windows apps. You can use it with:

• Microsoft Edge
• Outlook
• Word
• Microsoft Teams
• PowerPoint
• OneNote
• Microsoft Forms

In most cases, you’ll be able to activate this feature in a few simple clicks. For instance, the Microsoft 365 apps have the “Immersive Reader” button readily available in the “View” tab. Once activated, this feature will read the text aloud to you. Alternatively, you can use it to change the appearance of your text across the listed apps.

Using Your Keyboard More Effectively

If you’re struggling with your PC’s screen, the keyboard can come to your rescue. All Windows accessibility features for vision are also available as shortcuts. You can find an exhaustive list on this link. The Narrator can also be controlled via keyboard shortcuts, all of which you can find here. You can also benefit from learning the general keyboard shortcuts for navigating around your device.