Last Updated on
April 23, 2023
Written by
Tech Assistant for blind Team

NVDA is an essential software for people with visual impairments. It is a free, open-source screen reader for Windows that allows users to access and interact with their computers. While NVDA offers a wide range of features, there are also add-ons that can help enhance its functionality and make it easier to use. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 essential NVDA add-ons.

1. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Add-on

   The OCR add-on allows NVDA to recognize and read text from images and PDFs. This add-on is incredibly useful for users who need to access text from images and PDFs that are not accessible through traditional means. With this add-on, users can easily navigate to an image or PDF, and NVDA will automatically recognize the text and read it out loud.

2. Microsoft Office Add-in

   The Microsoft Office add-in improves the user experience when using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. With this add-in, NVDA can navigate tables, read cell content, and announce formatting changes, making it easier for users to create and edit documents.

3. Remote Access Add-on

   The Remote Access add-on enables users to control a remote computer using NVDA. This is especially useful for people who work remotely or need to provide technical support. With this add-on, users can remotely access and control another computer, while NVDA reads out the screen.

4. Vocalizer Voices Add-on

   The Vocalizer Voices add-on provides additional synthetic voices for NVDA users. The add-on includes a range of male and female voices, including accents from around the world. This add-on can help users personalize their NVDA experience and make it easier to understand and listen to the computer.

5. Screen Curtain Add-on

   The Screen Curtain add-on is designed for users who prefer to navigate their computer without any visual distractions. The add-on turns off the computer screen while NVDA continues to read out the screen. This is especially useful for people who are sensitive to light or who prefer to focus on auditory cues.

6. Enhanced Touch Gestures Add-on

   The Enhanced Touch Gestures add-on provides additional touch gestures for NVDA users. This is especially useful for people who use touch screens or touchpads as their primary input device. The add-on includes gestures for scrolling, tapping, and swiping, among others.

7. Audio Themes Add-on

   The Audio Themes add-on provides NVDA users with additional sound schemes, including different sounds for different actions and events. This can help users differentiate between different actions and make it easier to understand what is happening on the computer.

8. Speech History Add-on

   The Speech History add-on allows NVDA users to review the last few lines of text that were spoken by NVDA. This can be useful for users who missed something that was spoken or need to review something that was previously spoken.

9. Easy Table Navigator Add-on

   The Easy Table Navigator add-on helps users navigate tables more easily. With this add-on, users can quickly navigate to different cells within a table using a series of keyboard commands. This can save users a significant amount of time and make working with tables more efficient.

10. Resource Monitor Add-on

    The Resource Monitor add-on provides NVDA users with information about their computer’s CPU usage, memory usage, and other performance metrics. With this add-on, users can monitor their computer’s performance and identify any issues that may be affecting their NVDA experience.

In conclusion, NVDA is a powerful and flexible screen reader software that can be further enhanced with the use of add-ons. While NVDA offers a range of features out-of-the-box, these add-ons can help enhance its functionality and make it easier to use for people with visual impairments. We hope this article has been helpful in identifying some of the essential NVDA add-ons.