Practical guide · Updated June 2026
How to set up a Windows PC for someone who just lost their sight
If you (or someone you love) just lost their sight as an adult, here is the smallest, most practical sequence of steps to make a Windows PC usable in the first week. No 300-page manuals, no $1,440 software purchase required.
Right now, before anything else: turn on Narrator
Windows has a built-in screen reader called Narrator. It is not as powerful as JAWS or NVDA, but it works out of the box, requires no install, and lets a blind user start using the computer immediately.
To turn it on: press Ctrl + Win + Enter. The same shortcut turns it off.
That is the entire first step. The computer is now usable. Everything else in this guide is making it better.
Install NVDA (free, takes 5 minutes)
Narrator is fine for emergencies. NVDA is what most blind Windows users actually use day-to-day. It is free, open-source, supports far more applications than Narrator, and has a much larger community of users helping each other learn it.
- Open a browser (Edge is fine, it works well with Narrator).
- Go to nvaccess.org.
- Download the latest NVDA installer. It is a small file (~50 MB).
- Run the installer. Accept the defaults — they are sensible for a first-time user.
- Reboot when prompted.
After install, NVDA starts automatically with Windows. Press Ctrl + Alt + N to start/restart it manually if needed.
NVDA is donation-supported. If you find it useful after a few months, consider donating to NV Access — they keep the project alive for everyone.
Recommended browser configuration
For a newly-blind user on Windows, Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome are both well-supported by NVDA. Stay away from less common browsers (Brave, Vivaldi, Opera) for the first few months — they have intermittent accessibility issues.
Two settings to change in Edge or Chrome on day one:
- Increase the default zoom to 125% or 150% if any residual vision exists (Settings → Appearance → Page zoom).
- Enable "Caret browsing" (press F7 in either browser) so arrow keys move a text cursor through page content — much easier for screen-reader users than clicking links by tab-navigation alone.
Email setup
For Gmail or Outlook.com users, the web app works fine with NVDA. For workplace email (Microsoft 365), the desktop Outlook client is generally more accessible than the web version — install it if it's available.
One critical setting: turn off Outlook's "conversation view" (View → Show as Conversations → uncheck). It saves space visually but creates a nightmare for screen-reader navigation.
The small list of shortcuts to learn first
The mistake every newly-blind user makes is trying to memorize all 300+ NVDA shortcuts at once. Don't. The first week, learn these and only these:
| Shortcut | What it does |
|---|---|
| Insert + Q | Quit NVDA (rare, but you'll need it) |
| Insert + N | Open NVDA's main menu |
| Tab / Shift+Tab | Move focus forward/backward through links and form fields |
| Down arrow | Read next line (in any document or web page) |
| Up arrow | Read previous line |
| H | Jump to next heading on a web page |
| K | Jump to next link |
| Ctrl | Stop NVDA from talking (silence the current sentence) |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open applications (built-in Windows shortcut) |
That's it for week one. Add more shortcuts as needs arise, not before. NVDA's full keyboard guide is online (nvaccess.org/keyCommands) when you're ready.
What to skip (for now)
- Braille displays. They're expensive ($2,000+) and only useful after months of practice. Don't buy one in week one.
- JAWS. NVDA does almost everything JAWS does for free. Buy JAWS only when a specific application (like Bloomberg Terminal) requires it.
- Voice-control software. Windows Voice Access is built for motor disabilities, not blind users; it will frustrate. (Skip ahead to the "next-step tools" section for what works better.)
- Changing system settings extensively. NVDA defaults are well-tuned. Resist the urge to tweak.
Next-step tools (after week one)
Once the basics feel comfortable, three additional tools are worth knowing about:
- Be My Eyes (free) — phone app that connects you to a sighted volunteer (or an AI) for visual help with physical-world things (mail, signage, products). bemyeyes.com.
- Seeing AI (free, Microsoft) — phone app that reads text, recognizes faces, describes scenes. Pairs well with Be My Eyes.
- Darvy — a voice-first assistant for blind Windows users. You hold Alt, say what you want ("read my email", "open Chrome and search for X"), and it does it. Runs alongside NVDA. Reduces the keyboard-shortcut learning curve. 3-day free trial, from $55/month after, at darvy.ai.
Ongoing learning resources
- AppleVis — Apple-focused but the forum covers Windows too, very active community.
- Blind Bargains — news, podcast, deals on AT.
- NFB (nfb.org) and ACB (acb.org) — national advocacy orgs with state chapters that hold in-person trainings.
- Your state's Vocational Rehabilitation program — often pays for screen readers, braille displays, even job-related computers. Search "[your state] vocational rehabilitation".