Version 2022 takes this a step further by
now allowing those using stereo headsets or speakers to route
all JAWS
or Fusion speech to one ear while routing audio from all other
applications to the other ear. This helps make it easier to
continue getting work done.
This obviously will not benefit those with
hearing loss eh?
Here's the full release and what's new in
J2022.
32 & 64 bit download link:
What's New in JAWS 2022 Screen Reading Software
JAWS 2022 Features
Automatic Settings Import from Previous Releases
When upgrading to a new version of JAWS,
any custom settings from a previous release are now
automatically imported. This includes features such as
speech
and braille display settings, custom scripts, dictionary
entries, labeled graphics, and any custom settings you
created for applications. Unlike previous
releases, the migration process is now silent (no messages
or dialog boxes appear) and begins the first time you start
the new version. Custom settings
older than the two previous versions will not be imported.
If the import is successful, you will only be prompted to
configure JAWS startup options.
If you do not want settings from a prior
version to be migrated to the new version, when performing a
new install, there is now a check box on the initial
setup screen where you can choose whether or not to silently
migrate settings from the prior version. Clear this check
box if you do not want to migrate
settings.
New Option to Restore Factory Settings
Use the Restore to factory settings item,
located in the Options menu of the main JAWS application
window, to clear all custom settings that were imported
from a previous release or manually configured. Once all
settings are removed, JAWS restarts as if it was a brand new
installation.
JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion Discontinues
Windows 7 and 8.1 Support
In order to keep pace with continued
advancements in Microsoft Windows technology, JAWS, Fusion,
and ZoomText 2022 will no longer install and run on versions
of Windows earlier than Windows 10. We also continue
improving support for Windows 11. Versions of our software
will continue to be available for users
of older Windows versions from our Previous Downloads web
pages.
Improved Performance in Microsoft Office
Apps
JAWS 2022 offers a number of general
improvements when working in Office 365 applications. In
particular, users should notice increased responsiveness
when navigating Outlook message lists and working with
emails, as well as when editing Word documents.
Earlier in JAWS and Fusion 2021, we
introduced a way for users to lower the volume of JAWS
speech independently of system audio to help make it easier
to hear audio from other applications. Version 2022 takes
this a step further by now allowing those using stereo
headsets or speakers to route all JAWS
or Fusion speech to one ear while routing audio from all
other applications to the other ear. This helps make it
easier to continue getting work done with
JAWS while following along during a Zoom or Teams meeting, a
Skype call, or a YouTube video.
list of 2 items
1. Press INSERT+SPACEBAR followed by V to activate the
Volume layer.
2. Press B for Balance, and then do one of the following:
list of 3 items nesting level 1
• Press LEFT ARROW to route JAWS Speech to the left and
audio from all other applications to the right.
• Press RIGHT ARROW to route JAWS speech to the right and
audio from all other applications to the left.
• Press UP ARROW to restore both JAWS speech and application
audio to both channels.
list end nesting level 1
list end
Note: Before attempting to split your
audio, make sure your headset or speakers are properly
oriented. For instance, if you route JAWS speech to the left
and instead hear it in your right ear, your headset is most
likely reversed.
Once you split your JAWS speech and
application audio, it remains in effect until you restart
JAWS, or use the command to restore the audio balance.
You can also wake up the Voice Assistant
and say “Sound Left,” “Sound Right,” or “Sound Balance.”
Make sure your microphone is not muted before speaking
these commands. You also may not want to use these commands
in apps like Teams or Zoom as other meeting participants
will hear you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I use a stereo Bluetooth headset that
includes a microphone for participating in Teams and Zoom
calls. Can I split the audio in this situation?
Answer: No, splitting the audio will not
work in a call when using a Bluetooth headset. This is not a
JAWS issue. When connecting to a call in Teams or
Zoom, it switches from a headphone device to a headset
device. By design, the headset device works as a mono
device, so sound splitting does not work.
If you want to split your audio during a call, we recommend
using a wired headset.
Q: Can I split my audio if I'm using a
stereo Bluetooth headset to just listen to music?
Answer: Yes. If you are playing audio
from another source such as a YouTube video, the sound
splitter works as expected even if you are using a Bluetooth
headset. You will only experience issues with splitting
audio when connecting to a Teams or Zoom call using a
Bluetooth headset as it changes from a stereo
headphone device to a mono headset device.
Q: Does the sound splitter work with
external speakers?
Answer: Yes, JAWS speech and application
audio will split as expected if you are using your
computer's internal speakers, or you have external speakers
connected.
Q: I currently have JAWS configured to
use a different sound device instead of the Windows default
sound card. Will I still be able to split the audio?
Answer: As long as both JAWS and the
other applications playing sound are all routed through the
same sound card, the audio will split as expected. If
you use the Sound Cards option under the JAWS Utilities menu
to configure JAWS to use a different sound card, JAWS
remains routed, but audio from other
apps will be restored to both speakers.
New Layered Keystrokes for Selecting a
Sound Card for Speech Output
In some instances, Windows may switch to
a different sound device, causing you to lose speech from
JAWS or Fusion. A couple examples of this could be when
you plug in another sound device which becomes the new
default or when you are using a Bluetooth headset and you
start a call on Teams or Zoom, causing
Windows to switch the sound device.
If these situations occur, you can now
press INSERT+SPACEBAR, followed by V, and then C to access
the new Sound Cards layer. Once in this layer, use UP
or DOWN ARROW to cycle through all sound cards available on
your system. JAWS attempts to announce each sound card as
you move to it. Once you find the
sound card you want to use for speech, press ESC to exit the
layer. Note that the list of available devices does wrap, so
continuing to press DOWN ARROW,
cycles through them all.
Voice Assistant Improvements
list of 4 items
• The default wake word for JAWS is now “Hey Sharky.”
• When running Fusion, you can now say either "Hey Sharky"
or "Hey Zoomy" and the voice assistant knows which features
are for JAWS or ZoomText and will
do the appropriate action depending on what you asked.
Previously, Fusion users could only access ZoomText features
using the voice assistant.
• After selecting text with JAWS or Fusion, you can now say
“Hey Sharky, Read Selection” to read the selected content,
or “Hey Sharky, Append” to append
the selected text to the clipboard.
• Selecting the Settings option from the Voice Assistant
submenu in the JAWS Utilities menu now opens a dedicated
Voice Assistant Settings dialog box instead
of taking you to Settings Center.
list end
Faster Braille Language Switching for
Multi-lingual Users
For users who speak multiple languages as
well as students who are learning another language, JAWS has
supported manual and automatic speech synthesizer
language switching for years. For braille display users
needing to switch between languages regularly, the process
was not as straight forward., You had
to open Settings Center, and select a specific language and
translation options each time you wanted to read or enter
text using a different language.
To help make this easier for
multi-lingual braille users, JAWS and Fusion 2022 introduces
braille profiles. A braille profile consists of a translator
mode and associated braille tables for input and output in a
specific language. This now allows you to switch the braille
language on-the-fly from the
main keyboard, braille display, or using automatic language
switching in documents or web pages, as we do with speech.
You can also link the braille input
language to the keyboard input language so when you press
ALT+SHIFT on your computer's keyboard to switch the language
used for typing, the Braille input
language switches with it.
To configure profile options, a new
Language Profiles dialog box has been added to Settings
Center under the Braille > General > Translation
group. For
users who only use one language, there is no need to use
this dialog box as you can still set your input and output
translation settings as you always
have in the main Translation group or the Startup Wizard.
Setting Up Preferred Profiles
To choose your preferred profiles that
you can quickly switch between using a keystroke, do the
following:
list of 6 items
1. Press INSERT+6 on the number row to open Settings Center.
2. To apply changes to all applications, press CTRL+SHIFT+D
to load the JAWS default settings.
3. Type “profiles” without the quotes into the search edit
field.
4. Press DOWN ARROW to move to Language Profiles in the
search results in the tree view and press SPACEBAR to open
the dialog box. You are placed in a
list of profiles that correspond to all braille languages
installed with JAWS.
5. Press SPACEBAR on each profile that you want to select as
a preferred profile.
6. Select OK to close the dialog box and once more to close
Settings Center.
list end
After setting up preferred profiles, you
can then use the CTRL+SHIFT+WINDOWS+L keystroke, or DOTS
2-3-4-5-7 CHORD on a Focus braille display, to quickly
switch between profiles if you need to read or type text in
different languages.
You can also set a primary language
profile which is always used when JAWS starts. By default,
the primary profile always matches the JAWS language. For
instance, English – United States is always used when
running the English version of JAWS. To change the primary
profile, open the Language Profiles dialog
box, choose the language profile you want from the list, and
then select the Set Primary button.
Configuring Translation Options for a
Specific Profile
To configure braille translation input
and output settings for a specific language profile, do the
following:
list of 6 items
1. Press INSERT+6 on the number row to open Settings Center.
2. To apply changes to all applications, press CTRL+SHIFT+D
to load the JAWS default settings.
3. Type “profiles” without the quotes into the search edit
field.
4. Press DOWN ARROW to move to Language Profiles in the
search results in the tree view and press SPACEBAR to open
the dialog box. You are placed in a
list of profiles that correspond to all braille languages
installed with JAWS.
5. Select the profile you want to configure translation
options for and then choose the Details button to open the
Profile Details dialog box. Here, you
can:
list of 5 items nesting level 1
• Choose the grade of braille to use when reading and typing
contracted braille. The available options depend on the
currently selected profile. For instance,
Unified English Braille (UEB) Grade 1 or Grade 2 are not
available when configuring the Spanish language profile.
• Choose which translation mode to use. The available
choices are to use Computer Braille for both input and
output, Computer Braille for input and Contracted
Braille for Output, or Contracted Braille for both input and
output. You can also quickly toggle between translation
modes for the active profile by using
DOTS 1-2-4-5-7 CHORD on a Focus braille display.
• Select which tables to use if Computer Braille is selected
for input or output. This enables you to use different
languages for reading and typing text
if needed.
• Choose whether or not capital signs are shown on the
braille display when viewing Contracted Braille.
• Choose whether or not the Liblouis computer braille tables
are used when reading or typing in Computer Braille.
list end nesting level 1
6. After making your changes, select OK to close the Profile
Details dialog box and continue selecting OK to close the
Language Profiles dialog box and
Settings Center.
list end
Configuring Braille Language Auto
Detection
If you want JAWS to automatically switch
to the appropriate braille language when reading or entering
text, do the following:
list of 7 items
1. Press INSERT+6 on the number row to open Settings Center.
2. To apply changes to all applications, press CTRL+SHIFT+D
to load the JAWS default settings.
3. Type “profiles” without the quotes into the search edit
field.
4. Press DOWN ARROW to move to Language Profiles in the
search results in the tree view and press SPACEBAR to open
the dialog box.
5. Select the Link braille input language to keyboard
language check box to have JAWS use the appropriate braille
input language that matches the currently
active keyboard language. For example, if you switch the
keyboard language to Spanish (ALT+SHIFT), JAWS automatically
switches to Spanish braille, so you
can continue entering text from your display in the correct
language.
6. Select the Automatic language detection check box to have
JAWS use the appropriate braille language that matches the
current language of text in a document
or web page. For example, if JAWS detects text in a document
written in Spanish, JAWS automatically switches to
displaying the text in Spanish braille
using the translation mode settings configured in the
Profile Details dialog box for the Spanish profile.
7. Select OK to close the dialog box and once more to close
Settings Center.
list end
Additional Changes
list of 23 items
• In JAWS and Fusion, added new Quick Settings options for
Outlook 365 that let you turn off the announcements for
unread, replied, or forwarded. While
in Outlook 365, press INSERT+V for Quick Settings, and then
search for "Indicate" to find the 3 options.
• When focused in an Outlook message list, such as the
Inbox, the Customize Outlook Message List option is no
longer available in the Run JAWS Manager
dialog box (INSERT+F2). This is by design as this feature no
longer applies to these types of Outlook 365 lists.
• JAWS 2022 includes updated scripts from Corel for
WordPerfect 2021.
• For those who create JAWS scripts, added comments at the
top of default.jss, so users know how to save a modified
copy of this file to their user folder.
• In the Braille and Text Viewer, changed the default font
size to 20. The previous font size of 40 was too large for
most users. Additionally, it is now
possible to set the font size as low as 16 if needed.
• Added a new option to toggle the announcement of text
marked as a suggestion in Google Docs. To change this, open
Settings Center and locate the Suggested
text announcement check box.
• When navigating a table in Google Docs, JAWS now announces
the current row or column after reading the cell contents.
Additionally, if you have turned
off the announcement of table cell coordinates in Quick
Settings, JAWS now only reads the cell contents as expected
when using the table reading commands
(ALT+CTRL+ARROW Keys).
• Addressed an issue where JAWS was not indicating the start
of commented text in Google Docs when navigating by word.
• Addressed an issue where JAWS was not reading as expected
while navigating by line in Google Docs and you encountered
a link spanning multiple lines.
• When moving to a new slide in PowerPoint, JAWS no longer
says "no selection" prior to speaking the slide info, which
was unnecessary speech. Now, JAWS
only announces the slide title and number.
• Addressed many reported issues with reading messages in
Outlook 365.
• Addressed a reported issue in Outlook 365 where JAWS was
not announcing autocomplete results when typing names into
the address fields of a new message.
• Added the CTRL+U keystroke to Windows Keys help (INSERT+W)
for Outlook. This command marks the current message as
unread.
• If Show as Conversations is enabled in Outlook, addressed
a reported issue where the current message or conversation
was not displayed in braille while
navigating the list.
• Resolved an issue where JAWS was not announcing the Date
picker button when creating a meeting request in Outlook.
• Added the ALT+Q command to the Windows Keys Help
(INSERT+W) which opens the Quick Search feature in Microsoft
Office apps.
• JAWS now properly reads the title of the current page in
Chrome or Edge when using CTRL+TAB to move between open
pages.
• Resolved an issue where pressing INSERT+SPACEBAR, X to
launch the Flexible Web wizard was not working as expected
in Edge Chromium.
• Resolved an issue where JAWS was not reading search
results on the Windows 11 Start Screen.
• Resolved an issue reported by several international users
where Settings Center and Quick Settings were displaying in
English instead of the user's specific
language.
• Addressed a reported issue where Settings Center would
become unresponsive if you typed a quotation mark in the
Search edit box.
• When using INSERT+WINDOWS+F4 to manually close JAWS in
situations where it has stopped working correctly, resolved
an issue where JAWS was not automatically
restarting and creating the memory dump file that contains
diagnostic information for Freedom Scientific.
• Added support for Azure Virtual Desktop.
list end
Stay safe & take care. Mike.
Just once, I want a username and password prompt to say:
"Close Enough!"
