JAWS (Job Access With Speech) continues to push the boundaries of screen reading technology with its 2025 release. This latest version introduces several groundbreaking features and improvements that enhance the user experience for visually impaired individuals. Let’s explore the key updates:
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FSCompanion: AI-Powered Assistant for JAWS
One of the most exciting additions to JAWS 2025 is FSCompanion, an AI-powered assistant designed to help users quickly find information about JAWS and other applications. Key features include:
- Ability to answer questions about JAWS usage, Windows navigation, web browsing, and Microsoft Office applications
- Quick access through the JAWS window (INSERT+J, ALT+H, R, C) or directly at FSCompanion.ai
- Optimized for English, with plans for additional language support
Automatic Language Detection
JAWS 2025 introduces an impressive automatic language detection feature. This allows the software to identify the language in use and adjust its voice accordingly, even when authors haven’t used the correct language tags. Key points include:
- Works entirely on your computer without internet access
- Activated by default for English, French, German, and Italian
- Can be enabled for other languages
- Customizable through Settings Center
Continuous OCR
To improve accessibility for applications with inaccessible UI, JAWS 2025 now offers continuous optical character recognition (OCR). This feature:
- Runs in the background
- Can be activated with the layered command INSERT+SPACEBAR, O, B
- Allows real-time review of OCR results using the JAWS cursor
- This feature is most useful in applications where onscreen content is partially or completely inaccessible. Examples include security tools, messaging platforms, file management utilities, system maintenance software, multimedia editing programs, proprietary laptop utilities, games, or shared screen content.
EPUB Reading Improvements
JAWS 2025 significantly enhances the EPUB reading experience:
- New region navigation types (e.g., Abstract, Chapter, Glossary)
- Improved page break indication
- Use of standard web page navigation commands
Aria and Web Enhancements
Several improvements have been made to web browsing:
- Better indication of graphical objects acting as controls
- Improved radio button group navigation
- Enhanced support for definition lists and separator elements
- Improved performance and compatibility with various web applications, including Google Docs and Google Drive
Office Apps Integration
JAWS 2025 offers better integration with Microsoft Office applications:
- Improved support for New Outlook, including web version
- Enhanced table navigation and alt text reading in Word
- Better comment navigation in Word documents
- Improved list and heading navigation in Word
Other Notable Features
- If Screen Shade is enabled and you use Picture Smart AI to try and describe the screen or window, you will now receive a message stating that the image cannot be described while Screen Shade is on.
- Announce Work Week function (CTRL+INSERT+F12 twice)
- Support for Slovak language
- Improved Windows logon screen interaction
- Better performance with Windows Forms dialog boxes
- Support for Microsoft .NET 8
- Starting with JAWS 2025, the Grade 2 Translator combo box in Settings Center now only includes the most recent version of the Liblouis Braille translator.
- If a Chinese Vocalizer Expressive voice was installed and Chinese text was encountered in a document, addressed an issue where JAWS was not automatically switching to the Chinese voice as expected.
- If JAWS is configured to run in the System Tray, addressed issues with using JAWS in a Windows Security prompt.
- When reading a PDF file in Edge or Chrome, JAWS no longer reads multiple paragraphs when pressing CTRL+DOWN ARROW to read the next paragraph.
- JAWS now reads text in a Terminal window after startup, even if JAWS is set to run on the Logon screen.
- When typing a number into an edit spin box, JAWS no longer reads the entire number as each digit is typed.
JAWS 2025 represents a significant step forward in screen reading technology. With its new AI assistant FSCompanion, advanced language detection, continuous OCR, and numerous app-specific improvements, it offers visually impaired users an even more seamless and efficient computing experience.
For more detailed information on these features or to provide feedback, users are encouraged to visit the Freedom Scientific websiteor use the Beta Report Form for the public beta versions.
Important links:
download JAWS 2025 public beta