Accessibility guide for IRS.gov

 

Contents

About this guide

This guide will help you use your assistive technology screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech recognition software to access the content and features on IRS.gov.

General information

Accessible IRS materials

You can find accessible forms and publications in the following formats:

  • PDF
  • Braille and text
  • HTML
  • Large print
  • E-pub

You can also find American Sign Language (ASL) YouTube videos on many tax topics. For more information, see IRS tax help for people with disabilities.

Change font size

For easier readability you can change the font size in many web browsers.

  • Increase font: Hold down the Ctrl key (Command key on a Macintosh) and press the + (plus) key
  • Decrease font: Hold down the Ctrl key (Command key on a Macintosh) and press the - (minus) key

Plug-ins and file viewers

Some content on the IRS.gov requires additional file viewers or applets. We have listed a few below for your convenience. These links are to non-government sources. IRS does not endorse any of these products. If you have questions about a particular plug-in or file viewer, ask the respective vendor.

  • Adobe Acrobat
    Use Adobe Acrobat Reader to read Portable Document Format (PDF) files.

  • Microsoft Office Documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
    Microsoft offers Office viewers to enable you to open and view Office files if you don't have Office applications installed. CSV files are tabular data in text format that you can open with any text viewer or import into a spreadsheet.

  • 7-Zip
    Zip (.zip) files are single files, sometimes called "archives", that contain one or more compressed files. Use 7-Zip or similar file extractor program to open and extract them.

Specific assistive technologies guidance

Screen readers

As of 11/15/2022, you may encounter a survey prompt requesting your feedback while using this site. We’re actively working to fix these known accessibility issues: 

  1. Redundant, complex information due to almost twice the number of form elements that are programmatically presented. 
  2. Headings without a predictable hierarchy.
  3. The IRS logo and other graphics don’t have alt text.
  4. The “Powered by Medallia” link doesn’t indicate it will open in a new window.
     

Desktop screen readers

Guidance for using JAWS or macOS VoiceOver or screen readers. For other screen readers, please refer to the manufacturers guide for basic commands.

JAWS
JAWS actions and commands
JAWS action(s) Commands
Virtual HTML Features INSERT + F3
List Frames INSERT + F9
List Links INSERT + F7
Next Link TAB
Prior Link SHIFT + TAB
Activate Button or Link ENTER KEY
List Buttons INSERT + CTRL + B
List Edit Boxes INSERT + CTRL + E
List Radio Buttons INSERT + CTRL + A
List Check Boxes INSERT + CTRL + X
Move to start of document CTRL + HOME
Move to end of document CTRL + END
JAWS form actions and commands
JAWS Form Action(s) Commands
List Headings INSERT + F6
List of Form Fields INSERT + F5
Next Heading H
Previous Heading SHIFT + H
JAWS table actions and commands
JAWS Table Action(s) Commands
List Tables INSERT + CTRL + T
Read from Beginning of Row to Current Cell INSERT + SHIFT + HOME
Read from Current Cell to End of Row INSERT + SHIFT + PAGE UP
Read current row SHIFT + UP ARROW
Read current column SHIFT + NUMPAD 5
JAWS reading actions and commands
JAWS reading action(s) Commands
Read continuously from current position INSERT + DOWN ARROW
Stop reading CTRL
Read Current Sentence ALT + NUMPAD 5
Next Sentence ALT + DOWN ARROW
Previous Sentence ALT + UP ARROW
JAWS additional guidance

When the header panel (Example File, Pay…) is open use the down arrow to navigate the submenu.

JAWS command CTRL + Home returns you to the top of the page after activating the "Skip to Main Content" link.

  • Search using JAWS
    • To find the search box using JAWS, use insert + F3.
    • Select the "Edit Boxes List", then select Ok button.
    • Select "Search Edit Search" you will be directed to the edit box to do your search.
    • Input the desired phrase, then press enter.
    • When the "Search Results page displays" tab to "skip to main content Link", then press enter. This will take you to the main area where the results are displayed. Tab to find the item you are searching for.
  • Use Filter on the Search Results
    • Tab to the "More info about the … Filters button"
    • Tab and select the preferred filter.
  • Initiate a new search using JAWS
    • Tab to one of the search edit boxes, then type in your new search phrase, or repeat the above steps for Searching using JAWS.
macOS VoiceOver
macOS VoiceOver actions and commands
macOS VoiceOver action(s) Commands
Home VO + H
Select Next/Previous Item VO + Left or Right Arrow
Activate Item VO + Spacebar
Find the next heading VO + Command + H
Find the previous heading VO + Command + Shift + H
Find the next control VO + Command + J
Find the previous control SHIFT + TAB
Find the next Table VO + Command + T
Find the previous Table VO + Command + Shift + T
Find the next Link VO + Command + L
Find the previous Link VO + Command + Shift + L
Find the next Paragraph VO + Shift + Page Down
Find the previous Paragraph VO + Shift + Page Up
Read the next line VO + Down Arrow
Read the previous line VO + Up Arrow
Read all from current position VO + A
Read all from Top VO + B

Mobile screen readers

Android TalkBack (TB) for Android 4.1 or higher

Android TalkBack (TB) actions and commands for Android 4.1 or higher
Android TalkBack navigation action(s) Commands
Move to next item ALT + SHIFT+ RIGHT ARROW
Move to previous Item ALT + SHIFT+ LEFT ARROW
Move to first item ALT + SHIFT+ UP ARROW
Move to last item ALT + SHIFT+ DOWN ARROW
Click focused element ALT + SHIFT+ ENTER
Android Talkback global actions and commands
Android TalkBack global action(s) Commands
Back ALT + SHIFT+ BACKSPACE
Home ALT + SHIFT+ H
Recent Apps ALT + SHIFT+ R
Notifications ALT + SHIFT+ N
Search the screen ALT + SHIFT+ /(FORWARD SLASH)
Next navigation setting ALT + SHIFT+ EQUALS (=)
Previous navigation setting ALT + SHIFT+ MINUS (-)
Open global context menu ALT + SHIFT+ G
Open local context menu ALT + SHIFT+ L
Pause or Resume Talkback ALT + SHIFT+ Z
Stop Talkback Speech CRTL

Talkback additional guidance

  • Talkback will read the "Continue" button on IRS.gov pages and will only announce "Double tap to activate" when user selects the radio buttons for the options available.
  • Talkback reads consecutive numerical digits as a single number and each digit individually in the Control number field. For example, the following Control number "12345678910234" would be read as: "Twelve trillion, thirty-four billion, etc."

iOS VoiceOver

iOS VoiceOver actions and commands
iOS VoiceOver action(s) Gesture commands
To go Home Slide one finger up from the bottom edge until you feel vibration
Switch between applications Slide up farther from the bottom until you feel a second vibration
To use Control Center Slide one finger down from the top edge until you feel vibration
To use Notification Center Slide down farther from the top edge until you feel vibration
Scroll Page Swipe three fingers to scroll
Select Next/Previous Item Swipe Right or Left
Select item Tap once
Activate selected item Double tap

iOS VoiceOver (Versions 12/13) additional guidance

  • For iOS VoiceOver there is a known issue where the count of Form Controls or Buttons will include the browser's built in controls in addition to any form controls that are present on the web page.
    • For example, VoiceOver may include the back button, forward button, refresh button, and other built in controls.
    • There are only 3 form controls or buttons at any given time on the page.
  • There is a known issue where VoiceOver does not announce second to last digit being deleted from an input field.
  • VoiceOver may announce "Form Start" at different places throughout the Identify Verification application. "Form Start" refers to portions of the webpage that accept user input, not a specific IRS tax form.

Desktop screen magnifiers

ZoomText

Actions and Commands for using ZoomText
ZoomText action(s) Commands
ZoomText Command Keys Caps Lock + Ctrl +U; or Help and Learning
Turn speech on or off Caps Lock + Alt + enter
Increase magnification Caps Lock + arrow up
Decrease magnification Caps Lock + arrow down
Turn color enhancements on and off Caps Lock + C

ZoomText additional guidance

  • When navigating any Search Result pages, use the tab key to navigate to "skip to main content" to minimize keystrokes then tab twice to reach the Results on the page. Tab through the results to find what you need or do another search.
  • Use the down arrow to expand the header panel (Example File, Pay…) then use tab to navigate through the submenu.

Speech recognition software

As of 11/15/2022, you may encounter a survey prompt requesting your feedback while using this site. We’re actively working to fix these known accessibility issues: 

  1. If you use flag indicators for interactive items, you’ll be presented with two overlapping indicators with different numeric values.

Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS)

Use Dragon Naturally Speaking version 14 for Windows or version 6 for macOS for best results

Dragon Naturally Speaking actions and commands
Keyboard action(s) Commands
Turn the microphone on or off Plus key (+) on the numeric keypad
Open the Correction menu Minus key (-) on the numeric keypad
Force words to be recognized as commands Press and hold down the CTRL key
Force words to be recognized as dictation Press and hold down the SHIFT key
Open the Naturally Speaking menu Asterisk key (*) on the numeric keypad
Put the microphone to sleep or wake it up Slash key (/) on the numeric keypad
Press-to-talk Zero key (0) on the numeric keypad
Dragon Naturally Speaking speech actions and commands
Speech action(s) Commands
Turn the microphone on or off Say "Wake up" or "Go to Sleep"
Show navigation commands Say "What can I say"
List all links Say "Click Link"
List (radio) buttons Say "Click (radio) button"
List checkboxes Say "Click checkbox"
List edit boxes/text field Say "Click edit box" or "Click text field"
Top of Page Say "Move page up"
Bottom of Page Say "Move page down"
Move mouse up/down Say "Move mouse up" or "Move mouse down"
Move mouse left/right Say "Move mouse left" or "Move mouse right"
Use Mouse Grid to move/select specific items Say "MouseGrid"

Dragon Naturally Speaking additional guidance

  • To expand the header panel (Example File, Pay…) use Dragon commands to navigate the page. Use the following commands:
    • Say "Click Link" then state the number of the Link you need to select (example the number displayed for File) state "Chose 6".
    • The File page will be displayed. You can state click link to select the items on the submenu of the File page (example Individuals page)
    • The desired submenu will be activated and Dragon Naturally Speaking users routed to the selected submenu link.
Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 10-Dec-2024