NVDA Announcing Row and Column Headers in Excel

[azhar...@gmail.com]

Hi All,

 

Hope all of you are doing great.

 

There are two keyboard shortcuts to make row and headers accessible in Excel with NVDA. For rows it is NVDA + Shift + R and for columns NVDA + Shift + C.

For some reason shortcut for rows works but  for columns it does not work. Tried very hard but could not figure out a reason. Any suggestions.

 

Best,

 

Azhar

 

[cearbhall o'meadhra]

Hi, A

 

It depends on how your table is constructed. The first cell has to have text in it and the command will only apply from the first headed column to the next blank cell in the same row.

 

You would need to describe the table you are working with. i.e. how many filled and unfilled cells make the column heading.

All the best,

 

Cearbhall

 

M: +353 (0) 833323487; E: cearbhall...@blbc.ie

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[Mujtaba Merchant]

Please check in you have any configuration profiles for Excel. If yes, delete them and then try again. I had a similar problem earlier and doing this solved the issue.

Sincerely,

 

Mujtaba Merchant

Bangalore | INDIA

Sent from iPhone ®

 

 

On 8 Oct 2025, at 1:48 AM, azhar...@gmail.com wrote:



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[azhar...@gmail.com]

Hi,

Thanks for your response. No matter what kind of table I use, it never works. I have tried all possible combinations.

 

Regards,

 

AK

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[azhar...@gmail.com]

Unfortunately I am not familiar with “configuration profiles”. Please explain.

 

BTW, I found another method and it works. You can use this shortcut, Alt + M + M +D, this lands you in a text editing area and NVDA announces new name, just type title and hit enter and both rows and columns become accessible.

 

Regards,

 

Azhar

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[cearbhall o'meadhra]

Ak,

 

Frustrating as that is, could you describe one layout that you might typically use and I will report if it works in my own setup? Perhaps that might lead to a solution.

 

I am using Office 365 on Windows 11 with NVDA version 2025.3

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[Mujtaba Merchant]

Thank you for sharing the shortcut. The ALT+M+M+D key combination helps you define a name for a range of cells in your table. For which you need to select the range of cells for your table and then use this key combination/ shortcut. If you just need to have NVDA announce the ROW and COLUMN headings then you would use the SHIFT key + C for columns and R for rows, you already knew that.

 

What does defining a name for a range of cells do and how does it help?

 

Defining a name provides three primary advantages:

1. Improves Formula Readability (Clarity)

This is the most immediate and significant benefit. Names transform obscure cell references into plain English, making your formulas self-explanatory.

 

When you return to the workbook months later, or if you share it with a colleague, the logic is instantly clear.

 

2. Simplifies Navigation (Speed)

Once a name is defined, you can use the Name Box (the small box on the left, above cell ) as a quick navigation tool.

• Instead of scrolling through hundreds of rows to find your key assumptions, you simply click the Name Box dropdown and select a name like Assumptions_Table. Excel immediately jumps to that exact cell or range, saving significant time.

3. Prevents Errors (Reliability)

Named Ranges behave like absolute references by default. They are fixed, meaning they don't change when you copy a formula to a new location.

• If you create a formula that always needs to refer to the cell containing your Tax_Rate (let's say ), using the name Tax_Rate ensures that even if you copy the formula 50 times, it will always look up the correct rate in cell . This virtually eliminates a common type of Excel mistake where formula references shift incorrectly.

 

In summary, Named Ranges act as descriptive bookmarks that make your formulas smarter, your navigation faster, and your spreadsheets much more reliable.

 

A Configuration Profile in NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a feature that allows you to save and automatically load different sets of NVDA settings based on the application you are using or a situation you define. Essentially, it's a way to customize NVDA's behavior—like the voice, speech rate, punctuation level, Braille settings, or keyboard echo—so that these settings only apply when you are focused on a specific program (e.g., Microsoft Word, a web browser, or a gaming platform).

Where to Find Configuration Profiles?

 

Use NVDA Modifier Key + N scroll to Configuration profiles or press the c key to open the configuration profile dialogue box.

 

This dialogue box will show you which configuration profile is currently triggered or in use. In this dialogue box tabbing will give you other options like how you wish this Configuration Profile to be triggered i.e. Manual/ automatically when the application is being used.

You can also delete the active Configuration on the current application.

For more information on Configuration Profiles visit this video on Youtube: Creating Configuration Profiles in NVDA

 

From: nvda-...@nvaccess.org <nvda-...@nvaccess.org> On Behalf Of azhar...@gmail.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 7:23 PM
To: nvda-...@nvaccess.org

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[azhar...@gmail.com]

Many thanks for a detailed reply, lot of new things to learn.

 

I use the shortcut Alt M M D only to make row and column headers accessible. Will try other things as you described.

 

Best

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