curious regarding chrome settings

By Lee, 31 October, 2024

Forum
Windows

Hi guys,

Have any of you managed to change Google Chrome settings using JAWS? I've JAWS2023 and windows 10. I can't figure out how to do this. Can open the settings page no issue. Can arrow down to each of the options and JAWS says for example performance menu, on startup menu etc. However, that is it. If I press enter on say startup menu JAWS says forms mode on then a second later forms mode off. Bu tabbing, or arrowing doesn't show any sub options. Somehow I did manage this once but cannot reproduce how I made it work. Using NVDA if you enter on the menu options tabbing then shows you the sub-options that you can change. So I'm either doing something wrong or JAWS doesn't work with Chrome settings which is stupid.

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Comments

By Lee on Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 18:01

Doing a web search on this comes up with lots of stuff non relevant.

By Brian on Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 18:01

Hi Lee,

Unfortunately, it looks like you will have to use NVDA, or perhaps, even Narrator, to adjust your Chrome settings. I do not personally use chrome, but I cannot see why JAWS will not be able to do this. I am wondering if there are any scripts Specifically for Chrome with JAWS?

By TheBllindGuy07 on Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 18:01

NVDA works without problem, you just might have to switch in form mode to access the tree view depending on your settings but for the rest you can just brows the page normally and change each setting however you want.

By peter on Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 18:01

I am using JAWS 2025 and do not have any problems using or changing settings in Chrome.

In older versions of JAWS they started using a new method of detecting text on the screen since the old OSM ("Off Screen Model") was not working with a number of applications because of changes Microsoft was making under the hood in Windows. This resulted in JAWS not seeing text that was on the screen in many aplications.

When this transition startted happening, JAWS started using a model called GDI Hooking to see what was on the screen. So that people could still use programs for which the OSM model still worked, JAWS had a setting whereby you could change the model being used to detect text.

If you go into the JAWS Settings with JAWSKey+F6 for the default configuration, do a search for "Accessibility". This will bring up a setting called "Use Accessibility Driver".

If the checkbox is checked for this item, you are using the old driver. If you uncheck this, you will be using the newer method for detecting text. See if unchecking this (if this option is in JAWS 2023) will improve your situation. Here is the desription of this setting found in the JAWS Settings:

"The accessibility driver is a system level driver installed by our software that has been used for many years to provide screen information to JAWS. This information is known as the Off Screen Model (OSM) and is used primarily by review cursors like the JAWS Cursor and Invisible Cursor as well as by JAWS scripts. As Windows 10 increasingly uses different methods of displaying information, this legacy accessibility driver no longer works in many cases.
Clearing this check box configures JAWS to use new API Accessibility Monitor technology we developed in order to help overcome the missing information previously obtained from the Accessibility Driver.
You can also assign a keystroke to the ToggleScreenCaptureMethod script using the Keyboard Manager to quickly toggle this setting.
This check box is selected by default."

Hope that helps.

--Pete

By Lee on Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 18:01

Pete, wow that was detailed. Thanks so much for this info. Have now solved the issue.

By peter on Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 18:01

@Lee
Great - Glad I could help.

There are so many settings and configurations that also change over the years that it is hard to know everything that can be done and changed with JAWS.

One other very new but valueable resource that might help you and others is the FS Companion.

FS Companion is now built into new versions of JAWS, but it can also be used on the web at:
https://fscompanion.freedomscientific.com/

Basically, this is an AI tool that was trained on all of the JAWS help and instructional documentation as well as the documentation for Microsoft Office apps. Using this tool you can aks how to perform a certain task with JAWS or how to use particular settings. The response will provide detailed information based on your query along with the hotkeys used to perform the task. Although the tool is still officialy in beta, it is pretty good and usually gives very helpful responses.

Give it a shot some time and enjoy!

--Pete