# Accessibility ## Screen readers MuseScore Studio supports NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on macOS. JAWS is not currently supported. Support for other screen readers varies. ### Speech on Windows If speech isn't working in MuseScore, try pressing `Alt`+`F` to focus the File menu, then press `Esc` twice to return to where you were in the app, at which point the screen reader should start working again. This tends to be needed if you start the screen reader after MuseScore is already running. As mentioned above, MuseScore's speech output with JAWS is not currently as complete as it is with Narrator or NVDA. | Screen Reader | Modifier key | On/off shortcut | Settings shortcut | | ------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ----------------- | | Narrator (built in) | `Narrator` = `Caps Lock` | `Win`+`Ctrl`+`Enter` | `Win`+`Ctrl`+`N` | | NVDA (free) | `NVDA` = `Ins` / `Caps Lock` | Off: `NVDA`+`Q` Toggle: `NVDA`+`S` | `NVDA`+`N` | | JAWS (paid) | `JAWS` = `Ins` / `Caps Lock` | Off: `JAWS`+`F4` | `JAWS`+`J` | ### Speech on macOS VoiceOver's Quick Nav mode must be turned off while using MuseScore 4. You can toggle Quick Nav on or off by pressing the `Left` and `Right` arrow keys simultaneously while VoiceOver is running, or via **VoiceOver Utility > Commanders**. MuseScore's interface is navigable with the tab cursor as well as with VoiceOver's own cursor. In general it's best to use the tab cursor because this matches the interface on other platforms, hence is what you will find described in most documentation and tutorials. When using the tab cursor, remember to use the arrow keys as well as `Tab` as described in Navigating the UI. VoiceOver's cursor can be used to reach areas of the application that are not yet accessible to the tab cursor. | Screen Reader | Modifier key | On/off shortcut | Settings shortcut | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------ | --------------- | ----------------- | | VoiceOver (built in) | `VO` = `Ctrl`+`Option` / `Caps Lock` | `Cmd`+`F5` | `VO`+`F8` | ### Speech on Linux On Linux it's necessary to start the screen reader running before you launch MuseScore, otherwise accessibility features will be disabled to save system resources (the same is true for all Qt applications on Linux). If you forget to do this, simply exit MuseScore and launch it again, this time with the screen reader running. Orca is the most feature-complete screen reader available for Linux. Orca is built into the GNOME desktop environment, so it's recommended that Linux users with accessibility needs use a distribution based on GNOME or one of its derivatives. | Screen Reader | Modifier key | On/off shortcut | Settings shortcut | | ----------------------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------ | | Orca (built into GNOME) | `Orca` = `Ins` / `Caps Lock` | `Super`+`Alt`+`S` | `Orca`+`Space` or run `orca --setup` | ## Keyboard access ### Navigating the UI MuseScore's UI (user interface) has a hierarchical system of keyboard navigation, which is different to what you may be used to in other applications. In MuseScore's system, the `Tab` key skips some controls to save time. If you want to reach these controls, you need to use the arrow keys as well as `Tab`. | Shortcut | Action | | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `F6` / `` ` `` / `Shift`+`F6` / `Shift`+`` ` `` | Move between UI sections (`` ` `` is the backtick or grave accent key, found near the `Tab` key or left `Shift` on most QWERTY keyboards). | | `Tab` / `Shift`+`Tab` | Move between control groups. | | `Up` / `Down` / `Left` / `Right` | Move between controls within a group. | | `Esc` | Stop interacting with an editable text control (so you can move away from it with the arrow keys). | | `Enter` / `Return` | Activate the current control. | | `Space` | Activate the current control or select an item in a list. | Please note that UI navigation shortcuts are fixed and cannot be changed, unlike the shortcuts for score navigation, which can be [customised in Preferences](https://handbook.musescore.org/en_gb/customization/keyboard-shortcuts). ### Navigating the score The following shortcuts are of particular value to accessibility users: | Shortcut | Action | | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `Right` / `Left` | **Move to next or previous note, chord, or rest.** | | `Alt`+`Right` / `Alt`+`Left` | **Move to next or previous element.** These shortcuts enable you to visit all kinds of notation elements, not just notes and rests. | | `Alt`+`Up` / `Alt`+`Down` | **Move to note above or below.** These shortcuts enable you to move between individual notes in a chord, and also to reach notes and rests in other voices and in other staves. | | `F2` / `Alt`+`Shift`+`E` | **Edit selected element.** Equivalent to double-clicking with the mouse. Use it to edit text objects or adjust the length of hairpins, slurs, and voltas (use the `Tab` key to change which end of the line you are adjusting). When you have finished editing, press `Esc` to return to Normal mode. | | `Menu` / `Shift`+`F10` | **Open context menu for selected element(s).** Equivalent to right-clicking with the mouse. It provides access to various options that depend on the element selected. Use this shortcut on a [range selection](https://handbook.musescore.org/en_gb/basics/selecting-elements#Selecting_a_range_using_the_keyboard) to provide access to [Bar properties](https://handbook.musescore.org/en_gb/notation/rhythm-meter-and-measures/measure-properties), and [Stave/Part properties](https://handbook.musescore.org/en_gb/notation/instruments-staves-and-systems/staff-part-properties). | Other aspects of keyboard navigation are described on pages throughout this handbook. All score navigation and manipulation shortcuts can be [customised in Preferences](https://handbook.musescore.org/en_gb/customization/keyboard-shortcuts). ## Video tutorials The following accessibility tutorials are designed to get you up and running with MuseScore, using your keyboard and screen reader. They don't cover every aspect of the program, but they should give you a solid foundation that will enable you can take full advantage of the rest of this Handbook. | Video | Topics covered | | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Installing MuseScore](https://youtu.be/TFdhtLIXLPc) | Installation of MuseScore on Windows, including Muse Hub and Muse Sounds. The process is similar on macOS and Linux, although on Linux you need to install Muse Hub and MuseScore separately. | | [Score setup](https://youtu.be/Fh45A6V3410) | Initial score setup, including choosing instruments, key signature, time signature, and other settings. | | [Entering music](https://youtu.be/mkZPsGYZ3QQ) | Basic note input. | | [Adding markings](https://youtu.be/oRrT4WpE0PY) | Using the palettes to add markings (e.g. dynamics) to your score. | | [The user interface](https://youtu.be/zxZ4OCBj00w) | Main window of the program, so you can understand where all the different panels, toolbars, and controls are, and how to reach them by keyboard. |