Technology can be a powerful tool for independence when it’s set up in the right way. Windows includes a range of built-in accessibility features designed to support people with sight loss, from screen magnification and colour adjustments to speech, reading and keyboard support.
This page brings together some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts to help you access these features quickly and confidently. Whether you are new to using accessibility tools or looking for easier ways to navigate your computer, these shortcuts can help you tailor Windows to suit your needs.
If you would like one-to-one support, guidance or step-by-step help, OpenSight’s Techspert Service is here to help you get the most from your technology.
Magnifier Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows logo key + Plus (+)
Turn Magnifier on
Windows logo key + Esc
Turn Magnifier off
Windows logo key + Plus (+) or Minus (-)
Zoom in or out when Magnifier is on
Ctrl + Alt + mouse scroll wheel
Zoom in and out using the mouse
Windows logo key + Ctrl + M
Open Magnifier settings
Ctrl + Alt + Arrow keys
Pan the screen in the direction of the arrow keys
Ctrl + Alt + I
Invert colours
Ctrl + Alt + F
Switch to full screen view
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 Ctrl + Alt + L
Switch to lens view
Ctrl + Alt + D
Switch to docked view
Ctrl + Alt + M
Cycle through views
Ctrl + Alt + R
Resize the lens using the mouse
Shift + Alt + Arrow keys
Resize the lens using the keyboard
Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar
Quickly view the entire desktop in full screen mode
Ctrl + Alt + Minus (-)
Toggle between your set magnification level and 1x magnification
Magnifier reading commands
Windows logo key + Plus (+)
Turn Magnifier on
Modifier key + Enter
Start, pause, or resume reading
Any key
Stop reading
Modifier key + Left mouse click
Read from the mouse pointer
Modifier key + H
Read previous sentence
Modifier key + K
Read next sentence
Additional accessibility keyboard shortcuts Â
Right Shift (hold for 8 seconds)
Turn Filter Keys on or off
Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen
Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock
Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Shift (press 5 times)
Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Num Lock (hold for 5 seconds)
Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Ctrl + E
Open Search (in most apps)
Windows logo key + A
Open Quick Settings
Windows logo key + Ctrl + C
Turn colour filters on or off
Windows logo key + H
Open voice typing
Windows logo key + Alt + H
Move keyboard focus to the voice typing dialogue
Windows logo key + Ctrl + N
Open Narrator settings
Windows logo key + Ctrl + S
Turn on Windows Speech Recognition
Windows logo key + Ctrl + O
Turn on the On-Screen Keyboard
Windows logo key + U
Open Accessibility settings
Windows logo key + W
Open Widgets
