Chapter 3: Using scan mode

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

Scan mode basics

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

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.

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

Scan mode basics

Scan mode commands

Selecting text in scan mode

Scan mode basics

Scan mode commands

Selecting text in scan mode

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