How to make the most of your Windows PC’s accessibility features

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Windows 11 is the most diverse version of the operating system. It is easy to find and operate the accessibility features in this version of Windows.

The centralized list of assistive features will be led to by the new accessibility pane in the menu options in settings. Once you have selected the feature you want to modify, you can use a minimum of clicks and bar slides to do so.

All features are active throughout Windows 11 and on most Microsoft products until you turn them off. The accessibility features are useful for both short and long term assistance needs.

Microsoft plans to launch a new line of Microsoft adaptive accessories in the fall of 2022. There is an adaptive mouse in the lineup. These accessories can be used to replace traditional PC gear with more helpful alternatives.

Where to start

To start setting up accessibility features, click on the blue Windows Start icon on the taskbar and then on the settings icon. The icon for accessibility is marked by a human figure on the left side of the setting window.

You can see a complete list of built-in features in the accessibility section. Pick from the list and follow the instructions to personalize features to your liking.

There are numerous improvements in Windows 11 that are technically designed to aid access for those who need it, but also have wide appeal as a matter of convenience or aesthetic preference. Even with tried and true functions, expect to be surprised. New sound schemes that indicate Windows startup are examples. New color and contrast schemes make the screen clearer and easier to see.

Any accessibility tools can be activated at any moment. It is a good idea to walk through the setup process in order to be able to use your device in the way you please. Some accessibility features, such as eye- tracking, may require additional hardware to be installed.

Vision Accessibility Features

The features in this or any of the other categories offer a variety of options. Click on the feature you want to use and you'll be able to make your choices.

• Text size: the size of the text throughout Windows
• Visual effects: the ability to make some window backgrounds transparent, add (or shut off) animation effects, or adjust the brightness of the display
• Mouse pointer and touch: the size of the mouse pointer and the ability to add a circle on the screen where you touch it
• Text cursor: the appearance of the cursor
• Magnifier: the ability to increase the size of your screen content
• Color filters: adjustments for color blindness
• Contrast themes: the ability to adjust for low vision or light sensitivity

• Narrator: Last, but certainly not least, on this list of accessibility enhancements is Narrator, a text-to-voice screen reader. If you click on the Narrator button in the list of Vision accessibility features, you’ll be taken to a page where you can customize the feature in interesting and useful ways, such as adding different voices, changing voice pitch and reading speed, syncing with a braille display, decreasing verbosity, and controlling reader voice volume. These customizations can also be accomplished via your voice commands.

Hearing Accessibility Features

• In the Hearing category, you’ll find an Audio feature that controls everything in the way of sound, such as audible notifications and audio controls.
• The other feature here is Captions, which includes options for tweaking the style of your captions.

Interaction accessibility features

There is a wide range of features in the interaction category.

• Speech: lets you control your device and dictate text using Windows Speech; it also includes voice typing
• Keyboard: you can adjust the use of your keyboard with sticky keys (which let you press one key at a time for key combinations), change the sensitivity of the keyboard, and use an online keyboard
• Mouse lets you use your numeric keyboard instead of a mouse pointer, and lets you adjust the onscreen pointer’s size and color
• Eye control: if you need to, you can use an external eye tracker to enable eye control of your computer

Windows 11 has a lot of accessibility features that can be used by those who need it or who just want to take advantage of it.

Most of the accessibility features are simple to use. If you need technical support for any of the Windows 11 accessibility features, you can call the Disability Answer Desk. There is an option for hard of hearing users to use a videophone. The number is in the U.S.