Introduction

Hello, I’m CathyAnne. In the last lesson, I showed you how to access the Taskbar, Notification Area, and Task View. Today, I’m going to discuss the Desktop, Start Menu and Taskbar settings, and give you a small test to gauge how much you’ve learned from the first four lessons in the Windows 11 with NVDA course.

Let’s start with the Desktop!

The Desktop

The Desktop occupies most of the Windows Desktop display. To focus on the Windows Desktop, use two commands:

- - WINDOWS KEY-D
  - WINDOWS KEY-M

WINDOWS KEY-D is a toggle. When you’re focused in an application and press WINDOWS KEY-D, focus is moved straight to the desktop.

Press WINDOWS KEY-D a second time and focus returns to the last accessed application.

When a command takes an action and reverses it, it’s a toggle. WINDOWS KEY-D is a toggle.

WNDOWS KEY-M moves focus to the Desktop but it’s a single-action command. You can’t reverse the command with the same keystroke because it isn’t a toggle. To reverse this command, add SHIFT.

SHIFT reverses Windows navigation. Press WINDOWS KEY-SHIFT-M to return focus to the last accessed application.

The Desktop List box

The Desktop is a list box and contains icons. Icons are small graphics that represent locations on your computer or the Internet.

The Desktop can’t be placed in a plain list. It always has icons. Icon Shortcuts can include:

- - Applications
  - Web sites
  - Folders
  - Documents
  - Email addresses
  - And more

Navigate the Desktop in several ways:

- - ALL FOUR ARROW KEYS
  - PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN
  - HOME and END
  - First letter navigation
  - First several letter navigation

When navigating with first letter navigation, notice the circular navigation. Focus moves to each icon that starts with the letter and returns to the first icon. Windows navigation is circular, you can’t get lost.

Press ENTER on an icon. The website, document, application, etc. opens

Press ALT-F4 to close applications.

Delete a Desktop Icon

To delete a Desktop icon:

- - Focus on the Desktop (WINDOWS KEY-D or WINDOWS KEY-M)
  - Navigate the Desktop and select an icon you want to delete
  - Press the DELETE KEY
  - The icon is deleted
  - Deleted Desktop icons are permanently deleted and are not moved to the recycle bin

Manage the Desktop

Use the Windows Application Menu to manage the Desktop. To open the Desktop Windows Application Menu, remove selection from the selected icon.

Select an icon and press CTRL-SPACEBAR. In Windows, CTRL-SPACEBAR toggles selection.

When you remove selection from an icon, focus is placed on the Windows Desktop.

Open The Windows Application Menu (WINDOWS APPLICATION KEY or SHIFT-F10 and let’s discuss some of the Desktop options.

Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate menu options.

The following options are available:

- - View – This is a submenu
    - Press ENTER to open a submenu
    - Press ESCAPE to close a submenu
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate submenu options
    - To enable an option press ENTER
    - The action is taken and the submenu closes
    - Return to the Windows Application Menu to continue managing the Desktop
    - The options include:
      - Large icons – Show large icons
        
        This is nice for low vision students
        
        You can also use the Windows keyboard accelerator CTRL-SHIFT-NUMBER ROW 2 to change the Desktop view to large icons
        
        The active icon view is “checked”
      - Medium icons – Show medium icons
        
        This is the default setting
        
        You can also use the Windows keyboard accelerator CTRL-SHIFT- NUMBER ROW 3 to change the Desktop view to medium icons
        
        The active icon view is “checked”
      - Small icons – Show small icons
        
        You can also use the Windows keyboard accelerator CTRL-SHIFT- NUMBER ROW 4 to change the Desktop view to small icons
        
        The active icon view is “checked”
      - Autoarrange icons – When this option is selected, Windows autoarranges the Desktop icons
        
        If someone tries to drag an icon to another location using the mouse, Windows ignores the action
      - Align icons to grid – When this option is selected, Desktop icons are aligned on an invisible grid so they don’t overlap
      - Show Desktop icons – Toggle this option on or off to hide or display your Desktop icons
        
        When this option is checked (enabled), the Desktop icons are visible on the screen
        
        When this option is unchecked (disabled), the Desktop icons are hidden from view
        
        Activate this option again to show the Desktop Icons
        
        Sort By – This is a submenu
        
        Interact with this submenu the same way you did the View submenu
        
        Press ENTER to activate an option
        
        The action is taken and the menu closes
        
        Return to the menu to continue configuration
        
        Sort by options include:
        
        Name
        
        Size
        
        Item Type
        
        Date Modified
        
        Refresh – Refresh the Desktop display
        
        If you have added or deleted icons, refresh the display to align and sort them in the specified order
        
        Undo Delete – If you delete an icon, use this option to restore the last deletion
        
        New – This is a submenu through which you can add items to the Desktop
        
        More on this in another lesson
        
        Display Settings – Open Display Settings in the Windows Settings Window
        
        Personalize – Open Personalize Settings in the Windows Settings Window
        
        Open in Terminal – This opens a Window with a command line interface
        
        Show more options – This expands the menu to show more options. These options may include graphics card settings

Select a View and how your icons are sorted. Using the Windows Application Menu, you can manage the Desktop display.

Next, let’s discuss Start Menu Settings.

Personalize the Start Menu

There are a variety of Start Menu customizations. Configure the Start Menu in Start Menu settings. You can return to these Settings and fine-tune them at any time.

Let’s discuss Start Menu Settings.

Start Menu Settings

Open Start Settings in the Windows Start Menu:

- - Open the Start Menu (WINDOWS KEY or CTRL-ESCAPE)
  - Type “Start Settings” without the quotes
  - Focus is placed on the “Start Settings” search result
  - Press ENTER to open the Settings Window

Focus is placed in an edit box at the top of the Window. Beneath the edit box is a list of property sheets. Focus is already on the Start Menu property sheet.

Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to navigate Start Menu options.

Configure the following:

- - A set of radio buttons configures the Start Menu layout
    - Navigate to the “More Pins” radio button
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to navigate radio buttons
    - Press SPACEBAR to select a radio button
    - When a radio button is selected, the rest are unselected
    - Choose from:
      - More pins – Show more pinned applications. Pinned applications are beneath the search edit box
      - Default – The default layout with a balance of pinned applications and recommended documents
      - More recommendations – Show more recommended documents at the bottom of the Start menu

Press TAB to navigate the remaining Start Menu options. Configure the following:

- - Show recently added apps
    - This is a button
    - Recently installed applications are displayed at the top of the All Apps list
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle the button on and off
  - Show most used apps
    - This is a button
    - Show the apps you use most at the top of the All Apps list
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle the button on and off
  - Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer
    - This is a button
    - When this button is on, recently accessed documents and locations are shown in Windows jump lists
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle the button on and off
  - Folders – Select which folders appear on the Start Menu toolbar preceding the power options button
    - Press SPACEBAR to open a list of folders you can add to the Start Menu
    - Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to select folders
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle the buttons on and off
    - Options include:
      - Settings
      - File Explorer
      - Documents
      - Downloads
      - Music
      - Pictures
      - Videos
      - Network
      - Personal Folder

After configuring Start Settings, close Windows Settings (ALT-F4).

The Start Menu is configured.

To access the Start Menu folders:

- Open the Start Menu (WINDOWS KEY or CTRL-ESCAPE)
- Press SHIFT-TAB to focus on the Account button
- Press RIGHT and LEFT ARROW to navigate Start Menu folders and power options

Personalize the Taskbar

Taskbar settings customize Taskbar and Notification Area (System Tray) applications.

To open Taskbar Settings:

- - Open the Start Menu
  - Search for and activate “Taskbar Settings” without the quotes

The Taskbar Settings interface opens.

Taskbar Settings

Taskbar Settings open in the Windows Settings Window. The Window has a search edit box at the top left. Beneath the search edit box are a series of settings property sheets.

Taskbar settings are on the right side of the Settings Window. Press TAB and SHIFT-TAB to navigate controls.

Press TAB until focus is on the “Show All Settings” button. Read the focused control with NVDA (NVDA-TAB). If the button is “collapsed” press SPACEBAR to expand Taskbar settings.

The following controls are enabled when the “Show All Settings” button is expanded.

- - Search – This option configures whether a search box is displayed on the left side of the Windows Taskbar
    - This is a combo box
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to select an option
    - Choose from
      - Hide
      - Search icon only
      - Search icon and label
      - Search box
    - Press TAB to move to the next control
  - Task View – This is a button
    - The Task View button is displayed on the left side of the Taskbar
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle buttons
  - Widgets – This is a button
    - A Windows widgets button is displayed on the left side of the Taskbar
    - When the Widgets button is activated, Windows widgets are displayed on the left side of the Window
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle buttons
  - Chat – This is a button
    - A teams button is on the left side of the Taskbar
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle buttons

The next control is a “System Tray Icons grouping” button. Read the focused control. To configure these settings, this button should be expanded.

These controls configure the Notification Area or “System Tray” icons.

Configure the following:

- - Pen Menu – This is a button
    - This option is for those who use a pen with Windows 11
    - A pen menu is displayed in the Notification Area (System Tray)
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle this button on and off
  - Touch keyboard icon – This is a combo box
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to select when the touch keyboard icon is displayed in the System Tray
    - Choose from:
      - Always
      - When no keyboard attached
      - Never
    - After selecting an option, press TAB to move to the next control
  - Virtual touchpad – This is a button
    - Place a virtual touchpad button in the System Tray
    - When this button is activated, a touchpad is placed on the display
    - Low vision and sighted users can use the touchpad in the same way they’d use a physical touchpad
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle this button on and off
  - Other System Tray Icons – This is a button that expands or collapses additional System Tray icon options
    - Read the focused control to verify its current state
    - To configure these options, this button should be expanded
  - If you enabled “Other System Tray Icons” configure the following:
    - Hidden Icon Menu – This is a button
      - This is the menu that displays applications running in the background and those configured to run from the Notification Area (System Tray)
      - Press SPACEBAR to toggle this button
      - I recommend displaying the Hidden Icon Menu as your screen reader can be configured to run from the System Tray and is displayed in this menu
    - Additional applications are listed
    - Each application is associated with an on/off button
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to review application names
    - Press TAB to focus on the application button
    - Press SPACEBAR to toggle buttons
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to continue reviewing available applications
    - Select and turn on the applications you want displayed in the Notification Area
    - Options may include:
      - Microsoft Office Applications
      - Windows Update Status
      - Your screen reader
      - And more

Press TAB until focus is on the “Taskbar Behaviors” button. Read the focused control with NVDA (NVDA-TAB). If the button is “collapsed” press SPACEBAR to expand these settings.

If the button is “expanded,” press TAB to configure additional Taskbar settings

The controls include:

- - Taskbar alignment – This is a combo box
    - Press UP and DOWN ARROW to select an option
    - Press TAB to move to the next control
    - Choose from:
      - Left – Taskbar buttons are aligned to the left side of the Window
      - Center- Taskbar buttons are aligned to the center of the Window
    - The remaining options are checkboxes. Press SPACEBAR to toggle checkboxes on and off.
      - Automatically Hide the Taskbar
        
        Hide the Taskbar unless focus is moved to the element
        
        Focus on the Taskbar by moving the mouse to the bottom of the screen or pressing WINDOWS KEY-T
        
        This option is nice for low vision and sighted users who want more room for documents on their display
        
        Press SPACEBAR to toggle the checkbox
      - Show badges on Taskbar
        
        When this option is enabled, small badges appear on Taskbar application buttons when new content arrives such as Mail, Facebook Messenger, Discord, etc.
        
        Press SPACEBAR to toggle this button on and off
        
        Show flashing on Taskbar apps
        
        Taskbar buttons will flash when an application has pending messages or alert boxes
        
        Press SPACEBAR to toggle the checkbox
      - Share any Window from my Taskbar
        
        When in a Microsoft Teams meeting, Taskbar buttons have split buttons that shares the Window with Teams participants
        
        Press SPACEBAR to toggle the checkbox
      - Select the far corner of the Taskbar to show the Desktop
        
        When this button is on, mouse users can click in the bottom right corner of the display to show the Windows Desktop
        
        Click a second time to return to the last open application
        
        Press SPACEBAR to toggle the checkbox0

After configuring Taskbar settings, press ALT-F4 to close the Settings Window. Your Taskbar is configured and ready for use!

Review

In this course, we’ve discussed the Start Menu, Taskbar, Notification Area (System Tray), and Desktop. Throughout these lessons, you’ve learned some NVDA commands and basic Windows concepts and controls. To text your skill, visit www.cathyanne.com for your first test. After answering the questions, review the answers to see how you did. Please share your experience in the comments below.

If you found this video helpful, please like, subscribe, and turn on notifications. I’m CathyAnne. A recording transcript is available at www.cathyanne.com. Thanks for joining me. I’ll see you next time! Thanks George.

Windows 11 with NVDA – The Desktop, Start and Taskbar Settings