Accessibility
Fluent Search includes a comprehensive accessibility system with screen reader support, text-to-speech, SFX audio cues, and high contrast mode — enabling full use of the application without relying on visual output.
Enabling accessibility features
Go to Settings → Accessibility, or launch Fluent Search with the -speechMode command-line argument to enable speech mode immediately on startup.
Speech mode
When speech mode is enabled, Fluent Search speaks all UI interactions through your screen reader or the built-in Windows speech engine.
What gets spoken
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Search results | "Switch to process App - Visual Studio Code, 3 out of 10" |
| Selected operation | "Open, hotkey Enter" |
| Result type | "App", "Process", "File" |
| Additional info | Information elements, context text |
| UI controls | "Toggle Dark mode - on", "Combo box Theme, selected value - Blue, press to expand" |
| Text boxes | "Search text box: hello" |
| Empty results | "Fluent Search did not find anything" |
Keyboard controls for speech
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl | Stop speech immediately |
| Ctrl+R | Repeat the last spoken text |
Supported screen readers
Fluent Search auto-detects your active screen reader and routes speech through it. Detection priority:
| Screen reader | Detection | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NVDA | Auto-detected when running | Supports speech and Braille output |
| ZDSR (争渡读屏) | Auto-detected when running | Chinese screen reader |
| JAWS | Auto-detected when running | Freedom Scientific JAWS |
| Windows SAPI | Fallback | Always available; uses Windows built-in voices |
If Auto detect is enabled (default), Fluent Search checks for NVDA first, then ZDSR, then JAWS. If none are running, it falls back to Windows SAPI (System.Speech).
Disable Auto detect to force Windows SAPI and customize the voice and speech rate.
SFX mode
When Use SFX is enabled, Fluent Search plays distinct audio cues for different result types instead of speaking the type name. This provides faster audio feedback for experienced users who recognize the sounds.
High contrast mode
Enable High contrast mode in Settings → Accessibility to apply a high-contrast theme that improves visibility for users with low vision.
Settings
All speech settings are in Settings → Accessibility under the Speech group.
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable speech mode | Off | Master toggle for all speech and screen reader features |
| Auto detect screen reader | On | Automatically detect NVDA, ZDSR, or JAWS. When off, uses Windows SAPI |
| Voice | (system default) | Choose a specific Windows SAPI voice (only when not using an external screen reader) |
| Speech rate | 1 | Speech speed from -10 (slow) to +10 (fast). Applies to Windows SAPI |
| Speak selected operation | On | Announce the selected operation when navigating results |
| Speak operation description | On | Speak the operation description (e.g., "Switch to process") |
| Speak result type | On | Speak the result type label (e.g., "App", "File") |
| Use SFX | Off | Play audio cues instead of speaking result types |
| Enable high contrast mode | Off | Apply a high-contrast visual theme |
Command-line accessibility
| Argument | Effect |
|---|---|
-speechMode |
Force-enables speech mode on startup, regardless of saved settings |
This is useful for setting up Fluent Search on a new machine where settings haven't been configured yet — launch with -speechMode and you can navigate Settings entirely by ear.
Tips
- Screen reader users: NVDA and JAWS are fully supported. Leave Auto detect on.
- SAPI voice selection is also available as a search operation — you can search for "voice" in Settings to quickly switch voices.
- Ctrl is your escape key for speech — press it anytime to stop the current announcement.
- If results navigate faster than speech can keep up, Fluent Search automatically cancels the previous announcement before starting the next one.