Windows 10: Windows Narrator compatibility with PDF documents

Hi everyone,I'm currently working an accessibility job which has brought me to use Windows Narrator instead of my chosen screen reader NVDA. I've been really impressed with Windows Narrator until I came to start testing it with PDF documents.I've feel as though I've hit some real roadblocks that I wouldn't expect to, given the good experience I've had with using it as a web browser. Opening the PDF with a Web BrowserFirstly, I've moved away from trying to test any PDF document by opening it with a web browser. I find that both NVDA and Windows Narrator get a Heading Level 1 at the top of the

:)

 

windows 10 - pdf software compatibility

Xodo PDF Reader is an all-in-one PDF reader and PDF editor. It's free, no ads, no in-app purchases. Fastest PDF viewing engine and smooth navigation. Write directly on a PDF, highlight and underline text, and more. Fill PDF forms and sign documents. Take
notes on blank PDFs. Compatible with Windows 10.

Follow the steps to get it:

Click on START (showing on you taskbar). Select STORE from the list. Type in Xodo PDF Reader in the search window. Click on GET.

 

Win 10 Narrator reading PDFs

Thanks @Rhina Vib for the suggestion / pointer.

My version of Windows 2013 wasn't very helpful for this. When I try to open PDFs it says it has to convert them into an editable Word document. When attempting to do so it gives an error indicating that the PDF author does not grant permission for such
an operation and the open fails.

But the notion of using an application other than Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to read the PDF prompted me to try using the Windows Reader App. No luck there. It seems odd to me that a Microsoft App (Reader) doesn't work with Narrator and hence doesn't really
support Microsoft's own accessibility standards. But that is a different issue.

Microsoft Edge showed up in my context menu "open with" options for pdf files so I gave it a try and it works. Microsoft Edge opening the PDF worked with Narrator. Great.

I am unfortunately finding that many applications do not necessarily support (work with) Narrator. That is unfortunate.

 

Narrator

Hi,

Thank you for providing the information.

Based on the description, it appears that you are facing issues in getting the Read option in Adobe Reader to speak loud.

• Which version of Adobe Reader is installed on your computer?

I would suggest you to refer and follow the steps under page 43 from the link which may help you in
enabling the read loud options and check if it helps.

http://www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/reader/pdfs/reader7_accessibility.pdf

Enable the Read out Loud option and turn on Narrator and check if it helps.

Keep us posted to help you better.