From 1bfd997be202a9f7893e5cf16f177d8466ce04ef Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Henry Heino <46334387+personalizedrefrigerator@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2025 03:55:36 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] Docs: Accessibility: Document how to use the app with a
 screen reader (#11897)

---
 readme/apps/screen_reader_accessibility.md | 61 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 readme/apps/search.md                      |  4 +-
 2 files changed, 64 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
 create mode 100644 readme/apps/screen_reader_accessibility.md

diff --git a/readme/apps/screen_reader_accessibility.md b/readme/apps/screen_reader_accessibility.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2951017f2f
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+++ b/readme/apps/screen_reader_accessibility.md
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Screen reader accessibility
+
+This document includes tips for using Joplin from either:
+- a keyboard-only device (desktop)
+- a screen reader (desktop and/or mobile)
+
+## Navigating the desktop app
+
+Joplin's UI is divided into regions. In addition to the standard screen reader "jump to" shortcuts, Joplin includes its own shortcuts for navigating to these regions.
+
+See items in the "Go"/"Focus" section of the menubar for keyboard shortcuts to move focus directly to some of these regions.
+
+### Accessibility regions
+
+Joplin's main window is divided into three main regions:
+1. **Navigation 1**: The sidebar.
+2. **Navigation 2**: The notes list.
+3. **Main content**: The editor and viewer.
+
+Within the **main content**, Joplin has:
+1. **Editable**: A note title input.
+2. Two toolbars.
+3. **Editable**: A note editor.
+4. **Frame**: A note viewer.
+
+Screen readers usually support jumping between these different regions. Here's the relevant documentation for some of the more popular screen readers:
+- [Orca](https://help.gnome.org/users/orca/stable/howto_structural_navigation.html.en) (Linux screen reader)
+- [NVDA](https://download.nvaccess.org/documentation/en/userGuide.html#SingleLetterNavigation)
+- [Voice Over](https://www.apple.com/voiceover/info/guide/_1134.html#mchlp2719)
+
+### Finding notes, tags, and notebooks
+
+It can sometimes be difficult to find a tag/note/notebook using Joplin's navigation sidebars. In these cases, the ["Go to Anything" dialog](./search.md#goto-anything) can simplify accessing an item.
+
+It's also possible to find notes using the search in the sidebar. By default, pressing <kbd>F6</kbd> moves focus to this search entry.
+
+### Toggling tab-key navigation
+
+By default, pressing <kbd>tab</kbd> indents, rather than moves focus. This can be changed by toggling "Tab moves focus" from the "View" menu. By default, this can also be toggled by pressing <kbd>ctrl</kbd>-<kbd>m</kbd>.
+
+## Navigating the mobile app
+
+The mobile app is divided into several screens. These are the main ones:
+1. A collapsed-by-default sidebar.
+2. A notes list screen.
+3. A note viewer.
+4. A note editor.
+5. A configuration screen.
+
+By default, the sidebar is hidden and the notes list is visible. The configuration screen can be opened using a button in the sidebar.
+
+### Creating a new note
+
+An "add new" button is located near the end of the focus order in these cases:
+1. The sidebar is expanded, or
+2. The notes list screen is visible for an editable notebook.
+
+Clicking "add new" opens a menu with "new note" and "new to-do" menu items. These items are be located just before the toggle in the focus order.
+
+See [to-dos](./to-dos.md) for information about how notes and to-dos are different.
+
diff --git a/readme/apps/search.md b/readme/apps/search.md
index f29d61078f..8a69bc7069 100644
--- a/readme/apps/search.md
+++ b/readme/apps/search.md
@@ -54,4 +54,6 @@ Notes are sorted by "relevance". Currently it means the notes that contain the r
 
 ## Goto Anything
 
-In the desktop application, press <kbd>Ctrl+P</kbd> or <kbd>Cmd+P</kbd> and type a note title or part of its content to jump to it. Or type <kbd>#</kbd> followed by a tag name, or <kbd>@</kbd> followed by a notebook name.
\ No newline at end of file
+In the desktop application, press <kbd>Ctrl+P</kbd> or <kbd>Cmd+P</kbd> and type a note title or part of its content to jump to it. Or type <kbd>#</kbd> followed by a tag name, or <kbd>@</kbd> followed by a notebook name.
+
+The Goto Anything dialog can also be opened from the "Go" section of the application menubar.