The below list of features is a subset of the full list of new features for NVDA. I am simplifying and explaining the feature set in an attempt to help nontechnical people appreciate what’s new for NVDA. This list was retrieved from NvAccess and edited here.

this release has been tested on preview versions of Windows 11. This includes an important fix for Screen Curtain . The COM Registration Fixing Tool can now resolve more problems when running NVDA. There are updates to the synthesizer eSpeak and braille translator LibLouis. There are also various bug fixes and improvements, notably for braille support and Windows terminals, calculator, emoji panel and clipboard history.

Important notes

Due to a change in the Windows Magnification API, Screen Curtain had to be updated to support the newest versions of Windows. Use NVDA 2021.2 to activate Screen Curtain with Windows 10 21H2or later. This includes Windows 10 Insiders and Windows 11. For security purposes, when using a new version of Windows, get visual confirmation that the Screen Curtain makes the screen entirely black.

New Features

• Experimental support for ARIA annotations:

◦ adds a command to read a summary of details of an object with aria-details.

◦ adds an option in advanced preferences to report if an object has details in browse mode.

• In Windows 10 Version 1909 and later , NVDA will announce suggestion count when performing searches in File Explorer.
• In Microsoft Word, NVDA now announces the result of indent and hanging indent shortcuts when executed.

Changes

• If article is enabled in the user preferences for document formatting, NVDA announces “article” after the content.
• Updated liblouis braille translator to 3.18.0.
• Windows 10 OCR was renamed to Windows OCR.

Bug Fixes

• In Windows 10 Calculator, NVDA will announce calculator expressions on a braille display.
• The braille input works properly with the following contracted tables: Arabic grade 2, Spanish grade 2, Urdu grade 2, Chinesegrade 2.
• The COM Registration Fixing Tool now resolves more issues, especially on 64 bit Windows.
• Improvements to button handling for the Seika Notetaker braille device from Nippon Telesoft.
• Improvements to announcing the Windows emoji panel and clipboard history.
• Updated the Bengali alphabet character descriptions.
• NVDA exits safely when a new process is started.
• Reselecting the Handy Tech braille display driver from the Select Braille Display dialog no longer causes errors.
• Windows version 10.0.22000 or later is recognized as Windows 11, not Windows 10.
• Screen curtain support has been fixed and tested for Windows versions up until 10.0.22000.
• If no results are shown when filtering input gestures, the input gesture configuration dialog continues to work as expected.
• Fixed a bug where the first menu item of a submenu is not announced in some contexts.

Start Your Update

If you’re running NVDA while reading this, perform the following steps to update it right now!

1. Press NVDA+N.
2. Press the letter H, or arrow down to Help.
3. Press the letter C, or arrow down to Check for update…

Enjoy your new NVDA!

Qapla!