JAWS FAQ

What is JAWS?

JAWS, Job Access With Speech, is a screen reader that provides access to the Microsoft Windows operating system as well as many popular applications for browsing the web, reading email, working with documents and spreadsheets, and much more. Information is spoken aloud as it appears and changes on the computer screen. In addition to speech, text on the screen can also be displayed in braille using a compatible refreshable braille display. To learn more, visit our JAWS product information page.

Who is JAWS for?

JAWS is for any computer user whose vision loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse.

Is JAWS available in languages other than English?

JAWS is available in many languages, some of which are available from our download pages. Additional languages are also available from your local distributor in many countries.

What operating systems does JAWS work with?

JAWS installs and works with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7. Note that as Windows continues to change, new JAWS features may not be available in older versions of Windows.

What versions of Microsoft Office does JAWS work with?

JAWS works with Microsoft Office 365, or Microsoft Office 2016 and later. JAWS also supports older versions of Office (2013 and 2010) however there are no further enhancements coming for these older versions.

JAWS has been tested to perform best with the latest Windows operating systems and software applications. As new versions ofFreedom Scientific products are released, support for older software may not continue.

What web browsers work with JAWS?

JAWS works with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Support for Microsoft Edge is continuing to improve as well.

Can JAWS read PDF documents?

Yes, JAWS reads accessible PDF documents. It also contains an option to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on inaccessible scanned PDF documents so they can be read. If an inaccessible PDF is opened in Adobe Reader, JAWS displays a dialog asking if you want to OCR the document. Choose Yes to have JAWS recognize and display the text for reading.

Can I read my email with JAWS?

Definitely! Special attention has gone into the design of JAWS to make sure you have full access to email, especially with Microsoft Outlook from Office 365.

Does JAWS offer any magnification features for low vision users?

No, JAWS is intended for people who are not able to see the screen and need speech or braille to access Windows and applications. JAWS does however offer visual tracking features when reading web pages and PDF documents to help sighted teachers, parents, or testers have a better idea of where focus is on the screen as JAWS reads. If you have enough vision where you would benefit from more low vision features, then you should consider Fusion which offers both the screen reading features of JAWS and the screen magnification features of ZoomText to give you the best of both worlds.