Mastering JAWS Text Navigation

JAWS provides comprehensive keyboard commands for efficient reading and navigation. This guide organizes these commands into logical groups with clear usage instructions.

For laptop reading commands, see our Mastering JAWS Laptop Keyboard Commands for Efficient Reading and Navigation.

Character Navigation

LEFT ARROW – Say Prior Character

Reads the character immediately before the cursor position without moving focus.

RIGHT ARROW – Say Next Character

Reads the character immediately after the cursor position without moving focus.

NUM PAD 5 – Say Current Character

Announces the character at the current cursor location.

NUM PAD 5 twice quickly – Say Character Phonetically

Spells the current character using the phonetic alphabet (e.g., “A as in Alpha”). Arrow keys will continue reading phonetically until another command is used.

NUM PAD 5 three times quickly – Say ASCII/Hex Value

Reads the ASCII value of the current character. Enable hexadecimal output in Settings Center under the Images and Symbols group.

Word Navigation

CTRL+LEFT ARROW or INSERT+LEFT ARROW – Say Prior Word

Reads the word immediately before the cursor position, and the cursor will on first letter of that word.

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW or INSERT+RIGHT ARROW – Say Next Word

Reads the word immediately after the cursor position, and the cursor will on first letter of that word.

INSERT+NUM PAD 5 – Say Current Word

Announces the word at the current cursor location without moving focus.

INSERT+NUM PAD 5 twice quickly – Spell Word

Spells the current word letter by letter. Arrow keys will continue spelling adjacent words until another command is used.

Sentence Navigation

ALT+NUM PAD MINUS – Say Prior Sentence

Moves to and reads the previous sentence, and the cursor will on the first letter of that sentence.

ALT+NUM PAD PLUS – Say Next Sentence

Moves to and reads the next sentence, and the cursor will on the first letter of that sentence.

ALT+NUM PAD 5 – Say Current Sentence

Reads the entire sentence containing the cursor.

Line Navigation

UP ARROW – Say Prior Line

Reads the line above the current cursor position.

DOWN ARROW – Say Next Line

Reads the line below the current cursor position.

INSERT+UP ARROW – Say Current Line

Reads the entire line containing the cursor without moving focus.

INSERT+UP ARROW twice quickly – Spell Current Line

Spells the current line character by character.

INSERT+HOME – Say to Cursor

Reads text from the start of the line to the cursor position.

INSERT+PAGE UP – Say from Cursor

Reads text from the cursor position to the end of line which is always blank.

Paragraph Navigation

CTRL+UP ARROW-say prior paragraph

Reads paragraph before cursor, and cursor will on the first letter of that paragraph.

CTRL+DOWN ARROW-say next paragraph

Reads paragraph after cursor, and cursor will on first letter of that paragraph.

CTRL+NUM PAD 5-say current paragraph

Reads current paragraph without changing the cursor focus.

Document Navigation

HOME-beginning of current line

Cursor moves to the start of current line.

END-end of current line

Cursor moves to the last edge of current line.

CTRL+HOME-top of document

Cursor moves to the top of document and reads first line.

CTRL+END-bottom of document

Cursor moves to the last edge of document which is always blank.

INSERT+DOWN ARROW – Say All

Reads the entire document from the current position. Use LEFT/RIGHT ARROW to rewind/fast-forward during reading.

CTRL+INSERT+DOWN ARROW – Start Skim Reading

Quickly browses the document by jumping through content chunks.

CTRL+INSERT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW – Skim Reading Dialog

Opens a dialog to customize skim reading speed and mode.