Special features

Yandex cares about its users and makes the Yandex Browser beta version and its other services more accessible for people with disabilities.

  1. Screen access programs
  2. SmartBox search features
  3. Side panel
  4. Active cursor mode
  5. Keyboard shortcuts
  6. Page and font size

Screen access programs

Visually impaired individuals can use screen access programs to read information from a computer screen with tactile or speech control. These programs voice everything on the screen while the user controls the process by touch gestures and keyboard shortcuts.

Yandex Browser has built-in support for screen access programs:

Program Operating system Yandex Browser version
JAWS (paid license)

MS Windows

14.12 and later

NVDA

MS Windows

14.12 and later

ZoomText (paid license) MS Windows

14.12 and later

Orca Linux

21.3.3 and later

The F6 hotkey features are enhanced, use all functions of the side panel and the SmartBox, switch to pop-up windows.

SmartBox search features

The SmartBox is a Yandex Browser element that serves to enter URLs and search for information. Thanks to it, URLs can also be displayed as “Domain > Title” . The screen access program uses this feature to voice the page name. To do this:

  1. Click  (Menu) → Settings.
  2. Go to Interface.
  3. Under SmartBox, select Use "domain > title" format for page addresses .

Press the F6 key to go to the SmartBox.

Side panel

Note. The side panel is available only in Windows.

The Side panel provides easy access to Yandex services, notifications, tabs, and bookmarks, and can also be used to control audio playback and work with notes.

The side panel features have now become available to visually impaired users.

Navigate to the feature by using the screen access program's hints :

  1. Press F6 several times to go to the side panel.
  2. Press Tab several times to navigate to the icon of the function you need.
  3. Press Enter.

To enable the side panel:

  1. Click  (Menu) → Settings.
  2. Go to Interface.
  3. Under Side panel, select Show side panel and select Always from the list.

Active cursor mode

In the active cursor mode, you can use your keyboard instead of a mouse to navigate the page, like in text editors.

Turn on the mode by pressing F7, left-click anywhere on the page, and the pointer will turn into a cursor. Now you can navigate through the site using the arrows (left, right, up, and down), select text fragments by holding Shift, or follow links by pressing Enter.

There are two ways to deactivate the Active cursor mode:

  • Press F7.
  • Click   → Settings → Tools. Under Active cursor mode, leave the Enable option inactive.

Keyboard shortcuts

In Yandex Browser, you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:

Windows and Linux
Maximize the window to full screen or exit full screen mode F11
Increase zoom level Ctrl + Plus
Decrease page zoom Ctrl + Minus
Set page zoom at 100% Ctrl + 0
Go to the search query input field

Ctrl + L

Alt + D

F6

Go forward Alt +
Go back Alt +
Switch between elements in the Yandex Browser window. To learn more, see Hotkey F6 F6
Go to the bookmarks bar Alt + Shift + B
Go to the SmartBox icons Alt + Shift + T
Open the context menu Shift + F10

Learn more about hotkeys in Help.

Hotkey F6

Use the F6 key to move between Yandex Browser panels step by step.

Tip. Turn on the screen access program to voice interface elements.
  1. Address bar.

    Use Tab to switch between the Copy, Share, and  (Add page to bookmarks) buttons, as well as sites on your Tableau.

  2. SmartBox icons.

    Use Tab to switch between the  (Protect), Reviews,  (Enable Reader mode), and other buttons.

  3. More icons in the SmartBox.

    Use Tab to switch between the (Refresh page),  (Go to Yandex),  (Password manager),  (Downloads),  (Back), and other buttons.

  4. Bookmarks bar (if enabled).

    Use Tabto switch between bookmarks.

  5. Information panel (if displayed).

    Use Tab to switch between the panel elements.

  6. Side panel (if enabled).

    Use Tab to switch between the  Notifications,  History, and other buttons.

  7. Window (if displayed).

    Use Tab to switch between the window elements.

Page and font size

The page and font size in Yandex Browser can be made larger so that visually impaired people can read text on the screen.

  • You can change the size of a Yandex Browser page using keyboard shortcuts.
  • To change the font size on websites without changing the images:

    1. Click  (Menu)  → Settings.
    2. Open Websites.
    3. In the Font size section, click Font settings.
    4. On the Font settings page, move the Font size slider to the right.