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Screen Readers

Available since version 25.08
Niri has basic support for screen readers (specifically, Orca) when running as a full desktop session. You need to start niri through a display manager or through niri-session.
To avoid conflicts with an already running compositor, niri won’t expose accessibility interfaces when:
  • Started as a nested window
  • Started as a plain /usr/bin/niri on a TTY

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Implementation

Niri implements the org.freedesktop.a11y.KeyboardMonitor D-Bus interface for Orca to listen and grab keyboard keys, and exposes the main niri UI elements via AccessKit.

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Announced Elements

Niri will announce the following UI elements through screen readers:

Workspace Switching

Announces workspace changes (e.g., “Workspace 2”)

Exit Dialog

Announces the exit confirmation dialog (Super+Shift+E)

Window Switcher

Announces selected window titles in Alt+Tab switcher (Since 25.11)

Screenshot UI

Announces when screenshot UI and overview are focused

Config Errors

Announces config parse errors when they occur

Hotkey List

Announces important hotkeys (Super+Shift+/)

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Setting Up Orca

1

Verify Xwayland Integration

Make sure Xwayland works correctly, then run:
orca
2

Use Default Toggle Bind

The default config binds Super+Alt+S to toggle Orca, which is the standard key binding.
binds {
    Mod+Alt+S { spawn "orca"; }
}
3

Verify X11 Socket

Check that niri is listening on the X11 socket:
journalctl --user-unit=niri -b
You should see output like:
niri[2474]: 2025-08-29T04:07:40.700137Z  INFO niri: listening on X11 socket: :0

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Current Limitations

The following limitations currently exist:
  • No layer-shell panel focus: There’s no bind to move focus to layer-shell panels. This feature requires consensus or prior art with LXQt/Xfce.
  • Screen requirement: You need a screen connected and enabled. Without a screen, niri won’t give focus to any window. Virtual monitors may be a better solution for accessibility purposes.
  • Hardware acceleration required: You need working EGL (hardware acceleration).
  • No screen curtain: Screen curtain functionality is not yet implemented.

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Distribution Configuration

If you’re shipping niri and would like to make it work better for screen readers out of the box, consider these changes:
Change the default terminal from Alacritty to one that supports screen readers:
binds {
    Mod+T { spawn "gnome-console"; }
}
Use application launcher and screen locker that support screen readers:Most GTK-based applications should work well.
Add a spawn-at-startup command that plays a sound to indicate niri has finished loading:
spawn-at-startup "paplay" "/usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/complete.oga"
Automatically run Orca at niri startup:
spawn-at-startup "orca"

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Desktop Zoom

There’s no built-in zoom yet, but you can use third-party utilities:

wooz

A screen magnification tool for Wayland compositors

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Usage Example

# Install wooz
# Check your distribution's package manager

# Run wooz
wooz

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Demo

Watch this demo video with sound on to see screen reader support in action:

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