Developer(s) | Freedom Scientific |
---|---|
Initial release | January 1995 |
Stable release | 2024.2406.121.400
/ July 3, 2024 |
Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
Type | Screen reader |
License | Proprietary |
Website | Official website ![]() |
Job Access With Speech (JAWS) is a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that allows blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display. JAWS is produced by the Blind and Low Vision Group of Freedom Scientific.
A 2023–2024 screen reader user survey by WebAIM, a web accessibility company, found JAWS to be the most popular desktop/laptop screen reader worldwide for primary usage (at 40.5%), while 60.5% of participants listed it as a commonly used screen reader, ranking it second in this measure behind NVDA.[1]
JAWS supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 along with all versions of Windows Server released since Windows Server 2016. There are two versions of the program: the Home edition for non-commercial use and the Professional edition for commercial environments. Before JAWS 16, the Home edition was called Standard, and only worked on home Windows operating systems.[2][3] A DOS version is free.[4]
The JAWS Scripting Language allows the user to use programs without standard Windows controls, and programs that were not designed for accessibility.