How to Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key 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.

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.

You can now choose what modifier key you want to use in Narrator commands. Both the Caps Lock and Insert keys serve as your Narrator key by default. You can use either of these keys in any command that uses the Narrator key. The Narrator key is referred to as simply “Narrator” in commands.

If you’re using a Japanese 106 keyboard, Insert and NonConvert are your default Narrator keys.

If you like, you can lock the narrator key. If turned on, you do not have to press the Narrator key (Caps lock or Insert) to enter a command. For example, to read the next word, press L instead of Narrator + L.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off to lock the Narrator key for your account in Windows 10.


 CONTENTS:

  • Option One: Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key using Keyboard Shortcut
  • Option Two: Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key in Settings
  • Option Three: Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key using a REG file





OPTION ONE

Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key using Keyboard Shortcut


1. While Narrator is turned on, press the Narrator + Z keys to toggle on or off (default) lock the Narrator key for what you want.






OPTION TWO

Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key in Settings


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

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

2. Click/tap on Narrator on the left side, and turn on or off (default) Lock the Narrator key so I don't have to press it for each command for what you want on the right side under Choose keyboard settings. (see screenshot below)

3. You can now close Settings if you like.

Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key in Windows 10-lock_the_narrator_key.jpg






OPTION THREE

Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key 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

LockNarratorKeys DWORD

0 = Off
1 = On


1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Turn On Lock the Narrator Key

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_ON_Lock_the_Narrator_key.reg

Download


 3. To Turn On or Off Lock the Narrator Key

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_OFF_Lock_the_Narrator_key.reg

Download

4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

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

7. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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