Editing JAWS (screen reader) (section)

{{short description|Computer screen reader software}}
{{Self reference|For help using JAWS to navigate and edit Wikipedia, see [[Wikipedia:Using JAWS]].}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}}

{{primary sources|date=August 2012}}

{{Infobox software
| name = JAWS for Windows
| logo =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| collapsible =
| author =
| developer = [[Freedom Scientific]]
| released = {{Start year and age|1989|01}}
| latest_release_version = 2025.2505.43
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2025|5|14}}
| latest_preview_version = 
| latest_preview_date =
| programming language =
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| platform =
| size =
| language =
| status =
| genre = [[Screen reader]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website = {{official website}}
}}

'''Job Access With Speech''' ('''JAWS''') is a computer [[screen reader]] program for [[Microsoft Windows]] that allows [[Blindness|blind]] and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a [[text-to-speech]] output or by a [[refreshable Braille display]]. JAWS is produced by the Blind and Low Vision Group of [[Freedom Scientific]].

A 2023–2024 screen reader user survey by [[WebAIM]], a web accessibility company, found JAWS to be the most popular desktop/laptop screen reader worldwide for primary usage (at 40.5%), while 60.5% of participants listed it as a commonly used screen reader, ranking it second in this measure behind [[NonVisual Desktop Access|NVDA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey10/|title=Screen Reader User Survey #10|publisher=[[WebAIM]]|access-date=February 23, 2024}}</ref>

JAWS supports [[Windows 10]] and [[Windows 11]] along with all versions of Windows Server released since [[Windows Server 2016]]. There are two versions of the program: the ''Home'' edition for non-commercial use and the ''Professional''  edition for commercial environments. Before JAWS 16, the ''Home'' edition was called ''Standard'', and only worked on the home editions of Windows operating systems.<ref>"[https://support.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/JAWSWhatsNew?version=16 Enhancements and Improvements in JAWS 16]", Freedom Scientific. Retrieved January 28, 2020.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/jaws-system-requirements|title=JAWS System Requirements|publisher=Freedom Scientific|access-date=September 30, 2022}}</ref> A [[DOS]] version is free.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.freedomscientific.com/fs_downloads/morejaws.asp|title=Additional JAWS for Windows Downloads|publisher=Freedom Scientific|access-date=August 6, 2024}}</ref>

The [[JAWS Scripting Language]] allows the user to use programs without standard Windows controls, and programs that were not designed for accessibility.