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UX Atlas
Plate TOOL·035 · ToolGrid F4 · Rev. 2026-08-14

NVDA

Free, widely used Windows screen reader, and the most practical starting point for manual testing.

ToolCraft conventionFoundational

Definition

An open-source screen reader for Windows with substantial real-world usage. Free availability makes it the default choice for teams beginning screen reader testing.

Craft convention. True because the industry converged on it. Breaking it costs familiarity, not correctness.

On this plate
  1. 1Definition
  2. 2Local chart
  3. 3Continue from here

Good for

  • Manual screen reader testing
  • Verifying semantics and announcements
  • Learning how screen readers work

Watch out for

Behaviour differs between screen readers and browsers. Testing with NVDA alone is a start, not full coverage.

Local chart

TOOL·035 · Region VII · Grid F4

This entry and the entries it is stated to connect with. Each line is labelled with what the connection means.

Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.

Often used with

These usually appear in the same screen or the same decision.

Nearby in the Atlas

Adjacent territory, found through shared tags rather than a stated link.