How to Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Windows 10


Narrator is a screen-reading app built into Windows 10.

Narrator lets you use your PC without a display or mouse to complete common tasks if you’re blind or have low vision. It reads and interacts with things on the screen, like text and buttons. Use Narrator to read and write email, browse the internet, and work with documents.

Specific commands let you navigate Windows, the web, and apps, as well as get info about the area of the PC you're in. Navigation is available using headings, links, landmarks, and more. You can read text (including punctuation) by page, paragraph, line, word, and character as well as determine characteristics like font and text color. Efficiently review tables with row and column navigation.

Narrator also has a navigation and reading mode called Scan Mode. Use it to get around Windows 10 using just the up and down arrows on your keyboard. You can also use a braille display to navigate your PC and read text.

Finally, you can personalize Narrator's voice to adjust the speaking rate, pitch, and volume as well as install some third-party text-to-speech voices.

If you like, you can turn on or off the following Narrator cursor settings to customize how you want:

Narrator cursor setting Description
Show the Narrator cursor on the screen The Narrator cursor is highlighted with a blue focus box.
Move my cursor with the Narrator cursor as Narrator reads text When this is turned on, Narrator will move the text insertion point when navigating by views such as characters and words.
Sync the Narrator cursor and system focus When this is turned on, the Narrator cursor and the system cursor will be synchronized when possible.
Read and interact with the screen using the mouse When this is turned on, Narrator reads what is under the mouse cursor. Use the numeric keypad to move the mouse.
Have the Narrator cursor follow the mouse Only available when "Read and interact with the screen using the mouse" is turned on. When this is turned on, the Narrator cursor will follow the mouse pointer.

This tutorial will show you how to customize the Narrator cursor settings for your account in Windows 10.

EXAMPLE: Narrator cursor on screen
Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Windows 10-narrator_cursor.jpg



 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Settings
  • Option Two: Customize Narrator Cursor Settings using a REG file





OPTION ONE

Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Settings


1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Ease of Access icon.

You can press the Win+Ctrl+N keys to directly open to Narrator settings.

2. Click/tap on Narrator on the left side, and check (on) or uncheck (off) the Use Narrator cursor settings you want to use on the right side. (see screenshots below)

3. You can now close Settings if you like.

Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Windows 10-narrator_cursor_settings-1.jpg Customize Narrator Cursor Settings in Windows 10-narrator_cursor_settings-2.jpg






OPTION TWO

Customize Narrator Cursor Settings using a REG file



The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Narrator

NarratorCursorHighlight DWORD

0 = Off - Show the Narrator cursor on the screen
1 = On - Show the Narrator cursor on the screen

FollowInsertion DWORD

0 = Off - Have the text insertion point follow the Narrator cursor when on Editable text
1 = On - Have the text insertion point follow the Narrator cursor when on Editable text

CoupleNarratorCursorKeyboard DWORD

0 = Off - Sync the Narrator cursor and system focus
1 = On - Sync the Narrator cursor and system focus

InteractionMouse DWORD

0 = Off - Read and interact with the screen using the mouse
1 = On - Read and interact with the screen using the mouse

CoupleNarratorCursorMouse DWORD

0 = Off - Have the Narrator cursor follow the mouse
1 = On - Have the Narrator cursor follow the mouse


1. Do the steps below for how you want to use Narrator cursor.

 2. Turn On or Off "Show the Narrator cursor on the screen"

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Turn_ON_Show_the_Narrator_cursor_on_the_screen.reg (default)

Download

OR

Turn_OFF_Show_the_Narrator_cursor_on_the_screen.reg

Download


 3. Turn On or Off "Have the text insertion point follow the Narrator cursor when on Editable text"

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Turn_ON_Move_my_cursor_with_the_Narrator_cursor_as_Narrator_reads_text.reg (default)

Download

OR

Turn_OFF_Move_my_cursor_with_the_Narrator_cursor_as_Narrator_reads_text.reg

Download


 4. Turn On or Off "Sync the Narrator cursor and system focus"

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Turn_ON_Sync_Narrator_cursor_and_system_focus.reg (default)

Download

OR

Turn_OFF_Sync_Narrator_cursor_and_system_focus.reg

Download


 5. Turn On or Off "Read and interact with the screen using the mouse"

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Turn_ON_Read_and_interact_with_screen_using_mouse.reg

Download

OR

Turn_OFF_Read_and_interact_with_screen_using_mouse.reg (default)

Download


 6. Turn On or Off "Have the Narrator cursor follow the mouse"

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 7 below.

Turn_ON_Have_Narrator_cursor_follow_the_mouse.reg

Download

OR

Turn_OFF_Have_Narrator_cursor_follow_the_mouse.reg (default)

Download

7. Save the .reg file(s) to your desktop.

8. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file(s) to merge it.

9. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

10. If Narrator is currently turned on, then turn it off and on to apply.

11. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file(s) if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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