Tails and the GNOME desktop include assistive technologies to support users with various impairments and special needs, and to interact with common assistive devices.

<h1 id="menu">Accessibility menu</h1>

You can activate several assistive technologies, like a screen reader or large text, from the accessibility menu in the top bar, the

[[!img lib/accessibility.png alt="" class="symbolic" link="no"]]

icon that looks like a person.

[[!img desktop/accessibility.png link="no" class="screenshot"
alt="Accessibility menu with the following options, all disabled
by default: High Contrast, Zoom, Large Text, Screen Reader, Screen Keyboard,
Visual Alters, Sticky Keys, Slow Keys, Bounce Keys, and Mouse Keys"]]

<h1 id="shortcuts">Keyboard shortcuts</h1>

<table>
<tr><td>Turn screen reader on or off</td><td>Alt+[[!img lib/start.png class="symbolic" link="no" alt="Super"]]+S</td></tr>
<tr><td>Turn zoom on or off</td><td>Alt+[[!img lib/start.png class="symbolic" link="no" alt="Super"]]+8</td></tr>
</table>

To access the accessibility menu using the keyboard:

Press <span class="keycap">Ctrl+Alt+Tab</span> to move the keyboard focus to the top bar.

Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to select the accessibility menu.

Press <span class="bold">Enter</span> to open the menu.

Use the up and down arrow keys to select items in the menu.

Press <span class="bold">Space</span> to toggle the selected item.

Press <span class="bold">Esc</span> to close the menu.

<h1 id="reader">Screen reader</h1>

To hear screen elements spoken to you, turn on the **Screen Reader** from the
accessibility menu ([[!img lib/accessibility.png alt=""
class="symbolic" link="no"]]).

[GNOME Help: *Orca* Screen Reader](https://help.gnome.org/users/orca/stable/)

<h1 id="keyboard">Screen keyboard</h1>

If you prefer a pointing device over the keyboard, turn on the **Screen
Keyboard** from the accessibility menu ([[!img lib/accessibility.png
alt="" class="symbolic" link="no"]]).