Ever want to peek under the hood of a web page without having to open browser developer tools? If you’re a JAWS or NVDA user, you’re in luck — this is something you can do right from your screen reader.
JAWS has this capability built in, and NVDA users can get the same functionality through the HTML Element Inspector, a free add-on created and maintained by Amir Soleimani.
Here’s how it works: move your browse mode or virtual PC cursor to any element you’re curious about and press Insert+Shift+F1. You’ll get a quick, no-fuss look at how that element is represented in the browser’s Document Object Model (DOM) — which is essentially how the browser exposes page details to your screen reader.
And it doesn’t stop there. Keep pressing the down arrow key past the initial tag and you can peel back the layers above that element, giving you a clearer picture of the higher-level structure of the page around it.
It’s a handy trick whether you’re troubleshooting an inaccessible page, satisfying your curiosity, or just leveling up your web literacy.