> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/niri-wm/niri/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Accessibility

> Screen readers and accessibility features in niri

## Screen Readers

<Note>
  Available since version 25.08
</Note>

Niri has basic support for screen readers (specifically, [Orca](https://orca.gnome.org)) when running as a full desktop session. You need to start niri through a display manager or through `niri-session`.

<Warning>
  To avoid conflicts with an already running compositor, niri won't expose accessibility interfaces when:

  * Started as a nested window
  * Started as a plain `/usr/bin/niri` on a TTY
</Warning>

### Implementation

Niri implements the `org.freedesktop.a11y.KeyboardMonitor` D-Bus interface for Orca to listen and grab keyboard keys, and exposes the main niri UI elements via [AccessKit](https://accesskit.dev).

### Announced Elements

Niri will announce the following UI elements through screen readers:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Workspace Switching" icon="table-columns">
    Announces workspace changes (e.g., "Workspace 2")
  </Card>

  <Card title="Exit Dialog" icon="door-open">
    Announces the exit confirmation dialog (Super+Shift+E)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Window Switcher" icon="window-restore">
    Announces selected window titles in Alt+Tab switcher (Since 25.11)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Screenshot UI" icon="camera">
    Announces when screenshot UI and overview are focused
  </Card>

  <Card title="Config Errors" icon="triangle-exclamation">
    Announces config parse errors when they occur
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hotkey List" icon="keyboard">
    Announces important hotkeys (Super+Shift+/)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Setting Up Orca

<Steps>
  <Step title="Verify Xwayland Integration">
    Make sure [Xwayland](/features/xwayland) works correctly, then run:

    ```bash theme={null}
    orca
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use Default Toggle Bind">
    The default config binds `Super+Alt+S` to toggle Orca, which is the standard key binding.

    ```kdl theme={null}
    binds {
        Mod+Alt+S { spawn "orca"; }
    }
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify X11 Socket">
    Check that niri is listening on the X11 socket:

    ```bash theme={null}
    journalctl --user-unit=niri -b
    ```

    You should see output like:

    ```
    niri[2474]: 2025-08-29T04:07:40.700137Z  INFO niri: listening on X11 socket: :0
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Current Limitations

<Warning>
  The following limitations currently exist:
</Warning>

* **No layer-shell panel focus**: There's no bind to move focus to layer-shell panels. This feature requires consensus or prior art with LXQt/Xfce.
* **Screen requirement**: You need a screen connected and enabled. Without a screen, niri won't give focus to any window. Virtual monitors may be a better solution for accessibility purposes.
* **Hardware acceleration required**: You need working EGL (hardware acceleration).
* **No screen curtain**: Screen curtain functionality is not yet implemented.

## Distribution Configuration

If you're shipping niri and would like to make it work better for screen readers out of the box, consider these changes:

### Recommended Changes

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Accessible Terminal">
    Change the default terminal from Alacritty to one that supports screen readers:

    * [GNOME Console](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/console)
    * [GNOME Terminal](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-terminal)

    ```kdl theme={null}
    binds {
        Mod+T { spawn "gnome-console"; }
    }
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Accessible Launcher & Locker">
    Use application launcher and screen locker that support screen readers:

    * [xfce4-appfinder](https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-appfinder/start) - An accessible launcher

    Most GTK-based applications should work well.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Startup Sound">
    Add a spawn-at-startup command that plays a sound to indicate niri has finished loading:

    ```kdl theme={null}
    spawn-at-startup "paplay" "/usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/complete.oga"
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Auto-start Orca">
    Automatically run Orca at niri startup:

    ```kdl theme={null}
    spawn-at-startup "orca"
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Desktop Zoom

There's no built-in zoom yet, but you can use third-party utilities:

<Card title="wooz" icon="magnifying-glass-plus" href="https://github.com/negrel/wooz">
  A screen magnification tool for Wayland compositors
</Card>

### Usage Example

```bash theme={null}
# Install wooz
# Check your distribution's package manager

# Run wooz
wooz
```

## Demo

Watch this demo video with sound on to see screen reader support in action:

<video controls src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/afceba6f-79f1-47ec-b859-a0fcb7f8eae3">
  Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>