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Windows 10 accessibility improves for the vision impaired
3 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
The May 2020 update comes withWindows 10accessibility updates for people with low or no vision.
In the latest stable iteration ofWindows 10, Microsoft improves the text cursor visibility, provides a better Magnifier function, makes welcomed changes in Narrator, andimproves the Narrator’s Outlook experience.
What are the Windows 10 accessibility improvements?
We recently made text and pointers easier to personalize inWindows 10. Millions of people prefer larger text, and larger and brighterpointersto makeWindows 10easier to see and use.
Perhaps not surprisingly, many low vision users asked us to continue to make it easier to work with text cursors. More specifically, they told us that text cursors are difficult to find when they are too thin and don’t contrast enough with text.
, writes Jeff Petty,Windows Accessibility Program Manager Lead in theWindows Blog.
Text cursor is a lot more visible
For starters, you can and add a textcursor indicator by clicking on theTurn on text cursorindicator, then drag the slider below to make it as big as you want it like in the picture below.
You can also choose a bright color for the indicator so you make sure you don’t miss it.
If the indicator is too much for you, there is another option (outlined at step 3), to make the regular cursor wider.
Magnifier follows your cursor
The Magnifier option now follows your mousepointer, so that you don’t have look hard for thepointer. The mousepointerwill now always be in the center of thedisplay.
Another very useful newfeatureis the narration. Magnifier now includes Play, Pause, Next sentence. Moreover, arguably the most useful button is theread from here,
If you click on it and select a reaction of text, you will only hear that part read out loud, not the whole text or page.
Magnifier works everywhere, in browsers, and with otherapplicationslike Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Magnifier will highlight each word that is spoken and will scroll content into view if it is not currentlydisplayed.
Narrator is easier to use
Microsoft made the reading more natural, andredesigned Narrator soundsfor efficiency.
For example, rather than having to hearscan onorscan offwhen switching between scan mode and other modes, now you can choose to hear tones instead of the words. By default, both the words and sounds are turned on, to learn the new sounds.
Other Narrator improvements include automatically starting reading web pages from the top of the page, a page summary on-demand, and disambiguating links with titles likeClick herewithout having to press the link to see where it goes.
Narrator now supports Firefox, and they added support for rich text in Chrome and Firefox so that it’s easier now to read content on sites like Wikipedia.
Narrator in Outlook is beter
Microsoft also improved the Narrator’s experience with Outlook. Now it’s faster and easier to sort out mail. They improved the message reading experience by automatically starting to read the message when you open it.
Tell us what you think about the accessibility improvements inWindows 10with a line in the comments section below.
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More about the topics:All the Windows 10 tips you need to Know
Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, Claudiu is focused on whatever comes new from Microsoft.
His abrupt interest in computers started when he saw the first Home Computer as a kid. However, his passion for Windows and everything related became obvious when he became a sys admin in a computer science high school.
With 14 years of experience in writing about everything there is to know about science and technology, Claudiu also likes rock music, chilling in the garden, and Star Wars. May the force be with you, always!
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Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, with 14 years of experience in writing on everything there is to know about science, technology, and Microsoft
