Visually impaired users on Windows can leverage a combination of screen reader software, browser extensions (and built-in browser features), and mobile apps to access digital content. Below we explore popular solutions for reading websites, Microsoft Word documents, and PDF files – highlighting their features, strengths, limitations, pricing, and special capabilities like Braille support, OCR, or AI enhancements.

Screen Reader Software (Windows)

Screen readers are applications that provide spoken (or Braille) feedback for all on-screen content, allowing blind users to navigate websites, documents, and the Windows interface via keyboard. The most popular Windows screen readers include NVDA, JAWS, and Narrator (with a few others in use). These programs are widely used – in a 2024 survey, 65.6% of respondents reported using NVDA and 60.5% using JAWS (many users employ more than one), while 37.3% use Narrator alongside other readerswebaim.org.

• NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) – A free, open-source screen reader for Windows. NVDA has gained popularity due to its zero cost and frequent updatesblog.equally.ai. It supports web browsers, the Microsoft Office suite, PDF readers, and other apps, using keyboard shortcuts to navigate and read content. NVDA provides robust support for accessible websites (it strictly reports what’s in the HTML/ARIA markup, which helps reveal compliance issues) and can be extended via add-onsblog.equally.ai. It works with many refreshable Braille displays and supports output to Braille or synthetic speech. Notably, NVDA includes an OCR feature (using Windows built-in OCR) to recognize text in images or inaccessible PDFs, enabling it to read scanned documents on demand. Strengths: Free, community-supported, highly customizable (addons), portable (can run from USB), good web compatibility. Limitations: Lacks dedicated vendor support; may require additional configuration or add-ons for certain advanced features that are built-in elsewhere (e.g. math reading, though add-ons exist). NVDA uses the eSpeak voice by default (which is very robotic), but it also supports higher-quality voices through SAPI5 and the Windows OneCore voices. Overall, NVDA is a powerful option, especially for users or organizations on a budget, and its feature set now rivals commercial options for most tasksblog.equally.aiafb.org.
• JAWS (Job Access With Speech) – A longstanding commercial screen reader for Windows (first released in 1995) often regarded as the “gold standard” in screen-reading softwareblog.equally.ai. JAWS is known for its extensive feature set, configurability, and strong support for complex applications (enterprise software, advanced Office features, etc.). It provides excellent web navigation with a Browse Mode that lets users quickly jump by headings, links, form fields, etc., and it employs smart heuristics to improve usability (for example, guessing labels for unlabeled form controls)blog.equally.ai. JAWS includes two high-quality speech synthesizers (Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive) and supports a wide array of Braille displaysafb.org. It also has unique features like Convenient OCR (to recognize and read text in inaccessible PDFs or images)afb.org and Picture Smart (an AI-based feature to describe images on demand). JAWS integrates with other Freedom Scientific products (e.g. ZoomText magnifier or Fusion, and OpenBook scanning software)afb.org. Strengths: Very feature-rich and powerful, with scripting capabilities to customize behavior in specific applications; extensive documentation and training resources; professional support available. Limitations: High cost and licensing complexity – a single-user license can range from ~$90/year (Home annual license) up to over $1000 for perpetual or professional licensesblog.equally.ai. It also has a steep learning curve for new users due to its vast functionality. JAWS is commonly used in workplaces and by advanced users who need its extra features. (Notably, the WebAIM survey shows JAWS and NVDA nearly tied as the most-used primary screen readers on desktopswebaim.org.)
• Windows Narrator – The built-in screen reader included with Windows 10 and 11. Narrator is readily available on any Windows machine (activated with <kbd>Win + Ctrl + Enter</kbd>) and has improved significantly in recent years. It provides basic text-to-speech for the UI, websites, Word documents, and morewindowsforum.com. Modern Narrator supports key screen reader functions like mode switching (scan mode for browsing content), and it now includes Braille display support (as of Windows 10/11 updates) for a substantial list of deviceswindowsforum.comwindowsforum.com. This means users can have tactile output in addition to speech – useful for silent operation or personal preference. Narrator’s strengths are that it’s free (included with Windows), requires no installation, and is straightforward to turn on in emergency situations (e.g. during Windows setup or recovery environments). It also integrates with Windows 11’s modern features (e.g. better Outlook/Excel support and natural voices via the built-in Microsoft voices). Limitations: Historically, Narrator was less full-featured than NVDA or JAWS – some web or application accessibility might not be announced as reliably (it sometimes skipped certain ARIA labels or lacked quick navigation for some elementscommunity.evolveauthoring.com). It still has fewer customization options and utilities compared to NVDA/JAWS. Moreover, as of the latest survey, only ~0.7% of users use Narrator as their primary reader (professionals often opt for NVDA or JAWS), though about a third do use it occasionallywebaim.org – often as a backup or for certain tasks. Overall, Narrator is increasingly viable for basic use (Microsoft has been enhancing it continuously), but power users may find it less efficient for complex workflows. On the positive side, Microsoft’s commitment to accessibility means Narrator will continue expanding its capabilities, reducing the gap with other screen readers over time.

Other Windows screen readers: A few other options exist but are less common. Dolphin SuperNova is a commercial product that combines screen reading with magnification (popular in the UK; it also supports Braille output). ZoomText Fusion by Freedom Scientific is another package that merges ZoomText (magnifier/reader for low vision) with the full JAWS speech engine – useful for users who need both large print and speech. There are also legacy or niche products like System Access (Serotek), or COBRA, but these have much smaller user baseswebaim.org. On MacOS, the built-in VoiceOver is the equivalent screen reader, but on Windows the trio of NVDA, JAWS, and Narrator dominates the landscape.

Support for Websites, Word, and PDFs: All the screen readers above can read web page content (navigating by headings, links, etc., and interacting with forms or ARIA web apps). They also work with Microsoft Word to read documents (Word is very accessible and exposes content to screen readers, including formatting, comments, etc.). For PDF files, accessibility can vary – if a PDF is tagged properly, these screen readers will read it naturally. If a PDF is essentially an image scan with no text layer, JAWS or NVDA can apply OCR to recognize the text afb.org. Narrator does not have a built-in OCR for PDFs, but users can leverage Windows 11’s accessibility features or third-party tools in such cases. All three screen readers support Braille displays for reading content line-by-line in Braille (JAWS/NVDA support dozens of models; Narrator supports many models as of the latest update, though it may require installing a Windows feature for Braille)windowsforum.comwindowsforum.com. Advanced features like form filling, navigating tables, reading mathematical equations (via MathML or add-ons), and even describing images (JAWS Picture Smart or NVDA add-ons) are available to varying degrees in these tools.

Browser Extensions and Built-in Reading Tools

In addition to full-fledged screen reader software, users might use browser-based extensions or features to improve web content accessibility or get text-to-speech for web pages. These tools are helpful for users who may not need a full screen reader, or for quickly having an article read aloud. Many are also used by people with learning disabilities or mild vision loss. Below are some notable options for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox:

• ChromeVox (Chrome) – ChromeVox is a free screen reader extension for Google Chrome, originally developed for Chromebooksful.io. It is a fully functional screen reader that runs within the browser, reading out web page content and web apps. ChromeVox is primarily used on Chrome OS, but it can be added to Chrome on Windows as well. It provides keyboard shortcuts to navigate pages and can output to speech or Braille. It’s a good solution if one only needs to access web content and wants an integrated Chrome experience. (That said, most Windows users prefer using NVDA/JAWS with Chrome or Edge directly, but ChromeVox is an option for testing or specific use cases.) ChromeVox is free and has over 200k usersful.io.
• Read Aloud extension (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) – Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader is a popular free extension that converts webpage text to audio at the click of a buttonful.io. It works on a variety of sites including news articles, blogs, and even PDF files opened in the browser. Read Aloud offers a choice of voices – it can use the built-in browser/OS voices or connect to higher-quality cloud voices from providers like Google Wavenet, Amazon Polly, IBM Watson, Microsoft Azure, etc.ful.io. (Some premium voices may require an API key or in-app purchase.) The extension is user-friendly – you can play/pause with keyboard shortcuts and even highlight a section of text to read just that portionful.io. Notably, Read Aloud can handle Google Docs, Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader, and EPUBs (with an extra EPUBReader extension) in addition to HTML contentful.io. Strengths: Free and easy to use across multiple browsers; wide language support; ability to tweak voice, speed, and text highlighting. Limitations: Only reads content within the browser (it won’t interact with native Word or PDF applications outside the browser). Also, it does not provide screen-reader-like navigation or announcements of interface controls – it’s focused on continuous reading of text. It’s ideal for listening to articles or documents for comprehension, but a blind user would still need a proper screen reader for interactive navigation.
• Speechify extension (Chrome, Edge) – Speechify is a commercial text-to-speech tool that also offers a browser extension. The extension can read aloud webpages, PDFs, Google Docs, emails, and more, using very natural-sounding AI voicesful.io. It allows listening at various speeds and has a feature to sync content across devices – for example, you can save an article on your desktop and then listen to it on your phone laterful.io. Speechify’s voices are among the most human-like, which many users appreciate for long-form readingful.io. There’s even an image-to-audio feature: you can take a screenshot or image with text and have Speechify OCR and read itful.io. Strengths: Very high-quality voices and a polished user experience; cross-device syncing (has companion mobile app); can handle multiple content types. Limitations: Cost – Speechify’s premium voices and features typically require a subscription (though a basic version with limited voice options might be free/trial). Also, like other extensions, it’s for reading content, not for full control of the browser UI. For many visually impaired users, Speechify might serve as a supplementary tool for comfortable reading, but not as a primary assistive tech for navigation.
• Pericles (Chrome) – Pericles is a free Chrome extension that converts articles and web pages into audio, marketed not just for visually impaired users but anyone who wants an eyes-free experience (such as listening to news while doing chores)ful.io. It offers convenient controls: you can play from the top of an article or right-click a paragraph to “start reading from here,” and you can also select text and choose to read just that selectionful.io. It supports a range of voices (with more variety on Mac, but also some on Windows) and is entirely free. Strengths: Simple interface with useful options for where to begin reading; free to use. Limitations: As with others, it’s limited to web content and its voice options on Windows might be fewer than on macOSful.io. It’s a relatively niche extension but well-liked by those who use it.
• TTSReader (Chrome) – Another free text-to-speech extension that specializes in reading webpages without leaving the tabful.io. TTSReader can automatically detect the page language and offers multiple voices. It highlights sentences as it reads and lets the user pick specific text to listen toful.io. This is a lightweight, privacy-friendly tool (claims no data is collected beyond the TTS processing). It’s similar in purpose to Read Aloud. Strengths: Lightweight and straightforward. Limitations: Not as feature-rich in voice selection as Read Aloud; only works in Chrome (though there may be equivalents for other browsers).
• Browser built-in readers: Modern browsers have native features for improved readability and TTS:
  • Microsoft Edge – Edge includes Immersive Reader mode, which can simplify a webpage’s layout (removing ads and clutter, adjusting fonts and spacing) and then read the text aloud using natural-sounding voicessupport.microsoft.comsupport.microsoft.com. To activate it, you can press <kbd>F9</kbd> or click the book icon in the address bar on a compatible page, and then use the “Read Aloud” functionsupport.microsoft.comsupport.microsoft.com. The read-aloud toolbar in Edge lets you choose voice (including Neural voices in various languages), change speed, and pause/skip paragraphssupport.microsoft.com. Edge’s Immersive Reader also has other learning tools (text spacing, syllable highlighting, line focus, translation, etc.) which stem from its origins as an inclusive tool for readers with dyslexiasupport.microsoft.comsupport.microsoft.com. Strengths: Built-in and free; high-quality voices; works not only on web pages but also in PDF files opened in Edge. (Edge is actually a great PDF reader for accessibility – it can use the same Read Aloud feature on PDFs, providing an alternative to Adobe Reader’s rudimentary TTS.) Limitations: Only works within Edge browser; not a full screen reader (only reads content, not UI elements or interactive prompts comprehensively). Still, for someone who needs to listen to article text or an opened PDF quickly, Edge’s tool is very effective.
  • Mozilla Firefox – Firefox has a Reader View (similar to Edge’s mode) which offers a Narrate feature to read the cleaned-up page aloudsupport.mozilla.org. In Reader View, a user can click a headphones icon to have Firefox read the article with a chosen voice. Firefox uses the operating system’s built-in voices (on Windows, it will use available SAPI voices)support.mozilla.org. This feature is also free and built-in. Strengths: No add-on needed, provides basic TTS in the browser with adjustable voice if OS has multiple voices. Limitations: Only works on pages that Firefox can parse in Reader View (pages primarily composed of article text). It won’t read PDF files (unless perhaps converted to Reader View via extensions) and relies on Windows’ voices, which might be limited or less natural unless additional voices are installed.
  • Google Chrome – Chrome (on Windows) does not have a full “reader mode” enabled by default (it’s an experimental feature), but you can enable reader mode or use an extension to similar effect. Chrome will rely on extensions like those above for TTS. On Chromebooks, the built-in ChromeVox serves as the screen reader.
  • Safari (Mac) – (Not the focus of this question, but worth noting) has Reader mode and can speak text natively. On iOS and Android, mobile browsers often have reading modes too.

In summary, browser extensions and built-in reading modes are great for text-to-speech of web content for users who might not be totally blind (for example, someone with low vision or reading difficulties who primarily needs reading assistance, not full screen navigation). Fully blind users on Windows typically rely on the dedicated screen reader software for complete control, but may still use these extensions for convenience (e.g. using a different voice or to quickly have a long article read aloud at high speed). Many of these tools are free or have free tiers, making them easy to try. Just remember that for reading Word documents or local PDFs, a browser extension alone isn’t enough – you’d need to either open those files in a browser (Word Online, Google Docs, or PDF in Edge/Chrome) or use the screen reader or a dedicated app. (Microsoft Word itself has a Read Aloud feature in the Review tab which can speak the document’s text using TTS, and Adobe Reader has a “Read Out Loud” option – though these are less flexible than the above tools.)

Mobile Apps for Auxiliary Support

Mobile apps on smartphones (iOS/Android) can complement the PC experience for visually impaired users. They provide support in ways a PC might not, such as reading printed text via the phone’s camera or connecting to a sighted helper via video. These apps can be used alongside Windows – for example, to read a hardcopy document that isn’t accessible on the computer, or to get help describing something in the environment. Below are several notable mobile apps and services:

• Be My Eyes – A free app that connects blind or low-vision users with sighted volunteers via live video callsbrailleworks.com. With a tap, a user’s phone camera streams to a volunteer who can describe what they see – whether it’s reading a label, identifying a website’s visual CAPTCHA, or telling the color of a garment. Strengths: Completely free and available 24/7; a large global community of volunteers (millions of volunteers across 150+ countries, supporting nearly 200 languages) ensures someone is often available to helpbrailleworks.com. The app’s interface is simple and user-friendly. In 2023, Be My Eyes introduced a “Be My AI” feature that uses an AI (powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 Vision) to provide instant image descriptions and answer questions about images, offering an automated alternative for certain tasksbrailleworks.com. Limitations: Because it relies on volunteers, response times or availability may vary (there could be short waits, especially in less common languages or off-peak hours). The AI feature, while powerful, can sometimes give incorrect or overly general descriptions (so critical tasks still benefit from human assistance)brailleworks.com. Overall, Be My Eyes is an excellent auxiliary tool for anything visual that a screen reader can’t handle – from reading an inaccessible PDF on your screen (by pointing your phone at the monitor) to checking the expiration date on a milk carton.
• Aira – Aira is a professional remote assistance service, in contrast to Be My Eyes’ volunteer model. Via the Aira mobile app, users can connect to trained, paid agents who act as visual interpreters through a live video streamitsaccessibility.syr.edu. The agent can assist with navigation, reading documents, operating a computer (by telling the user where to click), describing surroundings, and much more. Strengths: Agents are available 24/7 and are professionally trained to handle a variety of scenarios and technology – they can be more efficient for complex tasks or when you need guaranteed help at any timeitsaccessibility.syr.eduitsaccessibility.syr.edu. Aira can be crucial for time-sensitive or detailed tasks (traveling through a busy airport, troubleshooting a computer issue by acting as a pair of eyes, etc.). They also have partnerships (“Aira Access”) in some locations – for example, certain airports, universities, or businesses sponsor free minutes for Aira usage in their premisesitsaccessibility.syr.eduitsaccessibility.syr.edu. Limitations: Aira is a paid service (subscription plans based on minutes of use, although a free tier may offer a few minutes or certain sponsored tasks). It requires a good internet connection for the video. Privacy can be a consideration since you’re sharing your camera view with someone (though agents are vetted and sessions are secure). For reading content, Aira agents can quickly read inaccessible PDFs or fill out forms for the user, but again this uses up minutes. Aira is best reserved for tasks that either cannot be done with automated tools or when the user prefers a human’s assistance. Many users alternate between Be My Eyes (free volunteer help for quick, non-critical needs) and Aira (paid, assured help for important tasks).
• Seeing AI – A free app by Microsoft (available on iOS; a beta on Android in certain regions) that uses AI and the phone’s camera to speak about the world around youbrailleworks.com. It has multiple channels for different scenarios: Short Text (speaks any text it sees instantly – useful for reading signs or brief text snippets), Document (guides the user to capture a full page and then performs OCR to read it aloud with formatting, useful for letters or printed sheets), Product (scans barcodes to identify products, with a database of product info)brailleworks.com, Person (recognizes faces and can tell you if friends are in view and describe people’s appearance), Scene (an AI description of the overall scene), Currency (identifies currency notes), and others. Strengths: Completely free and very powerful for reading text – it can quickly OCR printed materials and even some on-screen text. It’s handy for reading inaccessible PDF printouts or pieces of a website that are displayed as images. It also works offline for text recognition (core OCR) and is backed by Microsoft’s AI for more advanced features. Seeing AI is often praised for its user-friendly design and continuous improvements. Limitations: Being AI-based, its scene descriptions or person descriptions are not 100% accurate. The document reading works best with clear, printed text – it might struggle with handwritten content or fancy fonts. It doesn’t save recognized text for later (beyond copying it manually). Also, Seeing AI is (as of 2025) mostly on iOS; Android users have similar alternatives (like Google’s Lookout app). Despite a few limitations, Seeing AI is a go-to free app for quickly scanning printed text to read aloud (which directly addresses the need to read things that are not accessible via the PC).
• Envision AI – A mobile app (available on iOS and Android) with features similar to Seeing AI, developed by an independent company. Envision can read text (with OCR), describe scenes, detect colors, recognize faces, and scan multi-page documents with intelligent layout detectionbrailleworks.combrailleworks.com. It also offers a video-calling feature called “Envision Ally,” where you can call a trusted sighted friend directly for assistance (a bit like a personal Be My Eyes)brailleworks.com. Uniquely, Envision offers a paid hardware option: Envision Glasses, which are smart glasses that integrate the app’s capabilities hands-free. Strengths: Fast and accurate OCR, with the ability to process multiple pages (useful for books or longer documents)brailleworks.com. Many features work offline, and the app interface is accessible. The smart glasses integration is cutting-edge for those who want a wearable solution. Limitations: Envision is a paid product – it requires a subscription for full use after a free trial. Some users report certain features like color identification are not always reliablebrailleworks.com. Also, while it overlaps with Seeing AI, some might prefer Seeing AI’s specific strengths unless they want Envision’s extra offerings. Envision is a strong option if one is willing to invest in its ecosystem for AI and possibly the glasses. (There are also similar apps like Supersense and Voice Dream Scanner for OCR; the landscape is growing.)
• KNFB Reader / OneStep Reader – One of the earliest and most accurate OCR text-reading apps, originally launched as KNFB Reader (by the National Federation of the Blind). It allows a user to take a picture of printed text (from a document, sign, screen, etc.) and then converts it to speech or Braille outputnfb.orgplay.google.com. It’s known for its accuracy and fast processing, and it highlights words as it reads. Strengths: Tried-and-true text recognition optimized for blind users (features like tilt guidance and field-of-view report to help capture the entire page). It can recognize multiple languages and formats. It also can export the recognized text for saving or emailing. Limitations: It is a paid app (historically around $99 one-time, though pricing could have changed or there may be a subscription model now). With free alternatives like Seeing AI emerging, KNFB/OneStep’s high cost is a consideration, but some users still swear by its reliability and the fact that it works offline completely. If one frequently needs to scan printed materials for work or study, this app is a valuable tool on standby.
• Voice Dream Reader – A mobile app (iOS/Android) designed for consuming reading material with high-quality text-to-speech. While not an OCR tool for physical text, it excels at reading digital files: PDF, Word, EPUB, text, DAISY books, web pages, etc., in a user-friendly interface. Users can load files or articles and have them read aloud with synchronized highlighting. It offers a library of premium voices (purchased in-app) that are very natural. Strengths: Great for reading long Word documents or PDF books on the go with finely controlled TTS (you can adjust speed, voice, pronunciation, etc.). It’s often used by people with dyslexia or low vision for its readability features. Limitations: It is a paid app (with a one-time cost, plus voices cost extra). For a blind user who already has screen readers, its main advantage is the convenience of formatting text nicely and using premium voices – otherwise a screen reader on PC could also read those files. Voice Dream Reader shows the importance of having multi-platform access to content: a visually impaired person might choose to read a text either on the PC with a screen reader or on the phone with an app like this, depending on context.
• BARD Mobile – An app by the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind, allowing eligible users to download and read audiobooks and Braille e-books from the NLS BARD servicebrailleworks.com. This is specific to books (not for arbitrary web/Word content), but it’s worth mentioning for completeness: many blind users supplement their information access with such libraries. BARD Mobile is free for those qualified and provides human-narrated books and magazines as well as electronic Braille files for use with Braille displays. It’s highly accessible and a key resource for leisure reading or research.

The above list is not exhaustive – other helpful apps include TapTapSee (take a photo and get a description of what’s in it, useful for identifying objects; similar to Seeing AI’s general scene mode)brailleworks.com, Lazarillo (an accessible navigation/maps app with audio directions for orientation, helping users navigate indoor and outdoor environments)brailleworks.com, and more. But focusing on reading content: the combination of screen readers on Windows plus mobile apps like Seeing AI or Be My Eyes covers most needs.

Suitability for Websites, Word, PDFs: The mobile apps primarily address cases where content isn’t readily accessible on the PC. For example, if a PDF on Windows is completely inaccessible, a user might hold up their phone and use Seeing AI to quickly OCR it, rather than or in addition to using JAWS’s OCR. Or if a website has a CAPTCHA image or a graph with no alt-text, the user might use Be My Eyes or Aira to get a description. Mobile OCR apps can also scan printed handouts or mail that you can’t load into the computer at all. They are supplementary – the heavy lifting for digital content (like browsing a website or editing a Word doc) would still be done with the PC screen reader. But it’s empowering to have these apps as part of one’s toolkit for total independence.

Pricing: We’ve noted this in passing, but to summarize: many of these solutions are free. NVDA and Narrator cost nothing; JAWS is commercial (with annual license options to reduce upfront cost)blog.equally.ai. Most browser extensions like Read Aloud, ChromeVox, etc., are free; Speechify has a subscription for premium use. Be My Eyes and Seeing AI are free; Aira is paid (though sometimes sponsored for specific tasks/locales)itsaccessibility.syr.edu; Envision AI and KNFB/OneStep are paid (subscription or one-time). Voice Dream Reader is a paid app. When choosing tools, one should consider not only price but also the support and community – e.g., JAWS comes with professional customer support and extensive training materials, whereas NVDA has community forums and documentation.

Special Features & Future Trends: A noteworthy trend is the increasing use of AI in assistive tech. We already see examples: JAWS scripting and Picture Smart leveraging AI for images, Be My Eyes’ integration of GPT-4 for an “AI assistant,” Seeing AI and Envision using AI models for describing scenes and text. We can expect screen readers to incorporate more AI for things like smarter summary of web pages or detecting page layouts automatically. Another area is Braille – all major screen readers now support Braille displays, and Narrator’s recent expansion shows a commitment to tactile accessibilitywindowsforum.com. This is vital for deaf-blind users who rely on Braille or for those who just prefer reading Braille. Additionally, mainstream tech is becoming more accessibility-aware: for instance, Edge’s Immersive Reader was originally for readers with dyslexia but ended up benefiting many blind/low-vision users as wellsupport.microsoft.com. Microsoft and Google are also working on auto-generating image alt text (Edge can use Azure AI to label images on web pages on the fly for screen readers)ghacks.net.

In conclusion, a visually impaired Windows user today has a rich ecosystem of tools: a primary screen reader (or a combination) for everyday computer use, browser enhancements for convenience, and mobile apps as a Swiss-army knife for auxiliary tasks. By combining these, one can effectively read and interact with websites, Word documents, PDFs, and beyond – whether the text is native digital content or requires a camera and AI to decipher. The strengths and limitations of each tool mean that the “best” solution often ends up being using multiple tools together to cover all situations. Fortunately, many of the best options are free or affordable, ensuring that cost isn’t a barrier to access. With continued improvements in accessibility tech and AI, these tools are only becoming more powerful and user-friendly over time, moving us closer to equal access to information for all users.