NVDA's native remote: confused with some options (can be accessed via two or probably more ways) and an openion!

[Snehashish Mahato.]

Greetings to all,

It is most likely that one would seek help from a sighted acquaintance to make the best use of the “NVDA remote” and to be honest, I fall into that  category!  Therefore, to ensure proper utilization and clarity for both parties, I have a few questions and would also appreciate a suggestion. I probably raised all these concerns on our old mailing list. However, since that list will no longer be that much NVDA-centric, I've decided to start a new topic here. I sincerely apologize if this is a repeated post!

First of all, it should be admitted that it may be my ignorance that I have not yet understood the full practicality of “NVDA remote” and it’s some of the options.  Therefore, multiple ways for joining a remote session still confuse me.

To be more specific, when I go to “NVDA menu > Preferences sub-menu > Settings > Remote Access” to utilize the feature, I need to select the following options (some of which are necessary):

1. A check box that's job is to enable the functionality which completely make sense.

2. Another check box which says “Confirm before disconnecting when controlled” (which is partially understandable). This probably means that the dialog box will only appear on the machine being controlled.

3. A final check box which says “Automatically connect when NVDA starts” (understandable).

The main problem starts from the “Mode” combo box in NVDA's Editing grouping which is simultaneously accessible via “NVDA menu > Preferences sub-menu > Settings > Remote Access” and with the hot key Alt + NVDA + R. E.g. If I, let's say, select “Control another computer” as the mode in the combo box from “NVDA menu > Preferences sub-menu > Settings > Remote Access”, it doesn't affect the other side of the Earth (Alt + NVDA + R) and thus I have to manually configure both dialogs for “Server”, “Host” and “Key” respectively.

Now, my question is, can’t this be a little bit more better-organized? When it is possible to select the host, server and the key, within the “Remote access”  category under the “NVDA settings”,  why there’s an extra dialog box to make things muddy among the users?

 Similarly, if we have more options (muting the remote, sending the clipboard content etc.), why are they also excluded from NVDA’s “Remote access” category?

Secondly, it’d be better to have a feature of sharing the screen so that the sighted person (let’s say) who’s controlling my machine could also see my display. Is Nv Access considering about this? What do you guise think, should I open an issue on GitHub?

Best wishes,

Snehashish!

[Quentin Christensen]

Hi Snehashish,

With the automatically connect when NVDA starts checkbox, that is mostly designed if you want to have say a PC at home while you are away that you can remote into and access.  If you use Remote Access more for helping others or getting help from others from time to time, you wouldn't have that setting turned on.

With setting up a connection, with NVDA+alt+r or the settings, that is where you can initiate a connection.  Yes, both you and the person at the other computer need to each initiate it.  See the details here in the user guide: https://download.nvaccess.org/releases/stable/documentation/userGuide.html#RemoteAccessSetup

Options like mute remote, send clipboard etc, are all in that NVDA Remote menu in NVDA's tools menu.  Because they rely on a connection, they are disabled until you have a connection active.

We are always happy to have suggestions and feedback!  Please do create issues on https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/issues for any new ideas you have such as the ability to share your screen.

Kind regards

Quentin

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NV Access

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[Rui Fontes]

Hi Quentin!

Should I open an issue to allow NVDA to remember the type of connection?

I am somehow tired of changing from allow this machine to be controlled to Control another machine!

Normally, majority of users use always the same setting, so NVDA should remember which setting is used...

Best regards,

Rui Fontes
NVDA portuguese team

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[Quentin Christensen]

That sounds reasonable Rui, thank you!

When we developed NVDA's Remote Access, obviously a lot of the impetus was initially to create something with feature parity at least with the previous NVDA Remote add-on - so users could switch across at launch.  The intention was always to keep building on that as well so new ideas are definitely welcome.

Kind regards

Quentin

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[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi,

For visual representation of remote computers, there are tools such as Teamviewer (or whatever it is called now), Quick Assist, and similar tols. Think of what we have with NVDA Remote as similar to tandem features of some screen readers.

Cheers,

Joseph

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[Cyrille BOUGOT]

Hi Snehashish

In addition to clarify what has already been said:

1. The information in Remote Access category of NVDA settings dialog only apply to automatic connection, i.e. the connection that is set up automatically when NVDA starts up

2. The information in the connection dialog that you open with NVDA+alt+R are the one needed when you manually initiate a remote connection.

Hence the duplication of the fields.

Cheers,

Cyrille

[Snehashish Mahato.]

On Fri, Jul 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM Quentin Christensen <que...@nvaccess.org> wrote:

We are always happy to have suggestions and feedback!  Please do create issues on https://github.com/nvaccess/nvda/issues for any new ideas you have such as the ability to share your screen.

Quinten,

will surely create an issue on it but, I'm not that much techniqually aware of the protocall. Is it just like explaining the needs in a more detailed way?

Best wishes,

Snehashish!

[Quentin Christensen]

When creating an issue on Github you give the issue a title, then the next field has a number of comments in it.  Arrow down through the comments, and under each heading.  For instance, when requesting a new feature, it has four headings, and yes, you basically describe the general problem you want to have solved, then the ideal solution, any alternatives you've thought about and why they would or wouldn't work as well, and any other information:

### Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

### Describe the solution you'd like

### Describe alternatives you've considered

### Additional context

If filing a bug report, it asks a few more questions about things like which version of NVDA you have and whether it is installed, which version of Windows or any other program (eg if you are reporting a bug using Firefox or Microsoft Excel, which version of the relevant program are you using), etc.

Kind regards

Quentin

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[Gene Asner]

When you prepare a ticket, you should be in forms mode when you are in the fields you write in and you should stay in forms mode as you move through the fields.  The page is set up so that, unlike ordinary web pages, you can move with up and down arrows through the various fields.  If you switch to browse mode, you will find it difficult to know and to be where you want to be.

Gene

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[Rui Fontes]

Issue created.

Best regards,

Rui Fontes
NVDA portuguese team

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