Installing ChromeVox in Google Chrome
ChromeVox is an extension for Chrome on Windows and Mac OS X which operates as an alternative screen reader for Web content.ChromeVox speaks the content of the page, plays audio indicators for page load progress and objects on the page, and provides a way to navigate all web content from the keyboard.
ChromeVox is still a Beta release, which means we're still working out some kinks and rough spots. We'd love your help in finding them so we can make the product better and would love your feedback on the installation experience. So please, let us know what you think.
ChromeVox works with your existing screen reader
Whether you're using JAWS, WindowEyes, or NVDA on Windows or VoiceOver on Mac, ChromeVox works within Chrome alongside your desktop screen reader.To speak the content of the webpages, ChromeVox takes advantage of your desktop Text to Speech engine (TTS for short). If you don't have one, or want to try a different one, Google also offers a free TTS engine called Lois. You'll probably need one if you're using Linux, but should be ok without it on Windows or Mac. If you want to give it a try, install Lois from the Chrome Web Store.
Platform specific details
Using ChromeVox on Windows and Mac OS X
If you're on Windows or Mac OS X, ChromeVox automatically takes over when you switch to Chrome. ChromeVox helps you navigate websites, while your desktop screen reader navigates the rest of the Chrome interface, like menus and toolbars. As you navigate between these parts of the application, the two screen readers take turns speaking the content depending on where you are.
Disabling ChromeVox
You can turn ChromeVox off at any time by opening the Chrome wrench menu and selecting "Tools", then "Extensions". Look for ChromeVox in your list of installed extensions and uncheck the Enabled checkbox.Step 1: Install Chrome
If you haven't already done so, you need to install Chrome to use ChromeVox. ChromeVox works on Chrome 14 or higher. Here's a great help page with more information about installing Chrome on your machine.On Windows and Mac platforms, the ChromeVox TTS (text-to-speech) engine will work without any extra steps on your part.
Note that once installed, Chrome becomes your default browser.
Step 2: Install ChromeVox
You can install ChromeVox from the Chrome Web Store.Once you've reached the ChromeVox page in the Chrome web store, select the "Add to Chrome" button. In the new dialog, select the "Install" button to download and install ChromeVox in the background. Once complete, you will hear a chime and ChromeVox will open a new tab with the latest Release Notes.