Google Docs add on, Browser nav, and other incompatible add-ons

[Yasser Tamer]

Dear all,

With reference to Joseph’s recent call for add-on maintainers and developers to continue updating their projects in line with NVDA’s ongoing development, I felt compelled to write after encountering several irregularities in Google Docs following my upgrade to NVDA 2026.1.

Most notably, when Braille support is enabled and a braille display is connected, navigation through list items appears intermittently unstable. Although the reading experience remains generally smooth, my familiarity with the document has made it clear that certain items are occasionally skipped, almost as though they were unavailable. At times, a similar inconsistency also seems to occur during keyboard navigation without braille display.

This has led me to wonder whether the Google Docs add-on and BrowserNav had, perhaps quietly and effectively, been compensating for such issues all along.

For the time being, I have managed to identify a temporary workaround: disabling Braille support, moving through the document briefly using the arrow keys, and then re-enabling it. After doing so, Braille navigation appears to stabilize and function normally again.

At present, however, both the Google Docs add-on and BrowserNav (which previously worked very effectively in tandem) remain incompatible with NVDA 2026.1.

Broadly speaking, I believe this situation highlights a larger concern within the ecosystem. Many users rely heavily on these community-developed add-ons in their daily professional and personal workflows, often to an extent that only becomes fully apparent once compatibility breaks. In that sense, this may also serve as a reminder of the importance of sustained maintenance efforts, community coordination, and continued advocacy for accessibility tooling.

On a personal note, I genuinely wish I possessed the technical expertise necessary to contribute directly, whether through development or maintenance work. Unfortunately, my background is neither technical nor in software development, and I suspect my practical contribution in that regard would be limited. Nevertheless, I would remain very interested in exploring alternative ways in which I might still be of assistance, should such opportunities exist.

Finally, my apologies if this message has been directed to the wrong group. I am aware that there is a dedicated add-ons mailing list, though I am not presently subscribed to it.

Best, Yasser

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,
You can do one or both of the following:

1. Forcefully enable these add-ons to see if they work or not.
2. Contact the developer of these add-ons directly (email or GitHub issues) and let them know about your situation.

Cheers,
Joseph

--
***
Please note: the NVDA project has a Citizen and Contributor Code of Conduct.
NV Access expects that all community members will read and abide by the rules set out in this document while participating in this group.
https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/blob/master/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
 
You can contact the group owners and moderators via nvda-user...@nvaccess.org.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NVDA Screen Reader Discussion" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to nvda-users+...@nvaccess.org.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/3ea14723-3bf6-4f00-b2b6-df45cf1859b7n%40nvaccess.org.

[Sarah Alawami]

Are you in focus or browse mode. If in browse mode items will for what ever reason will be skipped. I've been having that issue for a year now. I've noticed whole pages and sections when in browse mode only. focus mode reads OK. I don't have a braille display, however try focus mode and your braille display to see if that works.

Best, Yasser --

[Yasser Tamer]

Dear all,

Joseph, thanks so much for your suggestions!

 I will try reaching out to the developers directly.

Sarah, I tried both browse mode and focus mode but the same persists.

I use Google products a lot for work and for sharing resources.

Yasser

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/a4e3f11e-2281-485a-baab-2b38bcca8829%40gmail.com.

[Sarah Alawami]

Ah cool thanks for that. Maybe it has something to do with a braille display being connected.I'm only  guessing as I don't own a display. Hopefully someone else has a hint as to what's up.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/CAKj3bDXdSSPUfhMTPMYTW3%3D%3DDTYugVv8cDnnEoJmQy52Mu%2BdWQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Yasser Tamer]

[the same behavior continues to surface even if I am disconnecting the display.]

Did you update to NVDA 2026.1? And, by the way, I use a Google Workspace domain, too.

Yasser

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/89cc93b6-d4ff-4627-b4f8-1be8e866481a%40gmail.com.

[James AUSTIN]

Hi

You may have already tried this, but I seem to remember that Google Docs has a screen reader mode. This needs to be enabled for screen readersTo Work reliablely.I think it is control shift Z. Have you enabled this?

Hope this helps. Warmest wishes,

JAMES.

Sent from my iPhone

On 13 May 2026, at 9:00 pm, Yasser Tamer <yasser.y...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/CAKj3bDVx%3Dx-TK1XgJALTrApZcmMCjDsf%3DSL8daqpi4xBEUuCDg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Sarah Alawami]

 No. I'm still using nvda 2025.x here. I see more of my add ons I am using look to be compatible so I will be updating soon.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/nvaccess.org/d/msgid/nvda-users/CAKj3bDVx%3Dx-TK1XgJALTrApZcmMCjDsf%3DSL8daqpi4xBEUuCDg%40mail.gmail.com.