[
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "how%20do%20I%20turn%20off%20reading%20of%20a1%20a2%2C%20etc.%20in%20excel%20for%20JAWS%2026"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "If JAWS 2026 is announcing cell addresses like \u201cA1\u201d, \u201cB2\u201d, etc., every time you move around Excel, you can turn that off or adjust what it reads using the Quick Settings in JAWS. Here\u2019s how to do it:\n\n---\n\n## \ud83d\udee0\ufe0f How to stop JAWS from reading cell references\n\n### 1. Turn off \u201cTitle Reading\u201d / Automatic Row & Column Header Detection\n\nJAWS might be treating certain rows or columns as *titles* (headers), which leads it to prepend the row/column header when reading cell content. Disabling that can reduce or remove the cell references from what you hear.\n\n- Open Excel and make sure the worksheet is active.  \n- Press **INSERT + V** (JAWSKey + V) to open **Quick Settings for Excel**.  \n- Search for or navigate to **Workbook, Worksheet and Region Settings \u2192 Title Reading**.  \n- Change **\u201cDefine Name Column and Row Titles Override\u201d** to **Off** (or at least **On for the Current File** rather than \u201cOn for All Files\u201d). This stops JAWS from automatically reading the row/column titles. ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/support/technicalsupport/bulletin/1644?utm_source=openai))\n\n### 2. Adjust Verbosity so cell addresses are not spoken\n\nAnother cause of cell addresses being read is the verbosity level. Lowering verbosity to a setting where it says only **contents**, not row/column or cell reference, can help.\n\n- Press **INSERT + V** to open Quick Settings.  \n- Search for **Verbosity** or **Cell Reference Reading**.  \n- Change the verbosity mode to something like **Contents Only** or disable speaking of the \u201cName\u201d or \u201cCell Reference\u201d fields. ([support.microsoft.com](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/basic-tasks-using-a-screen-reader-with-excel-6b275296-a377-4608-af7b-1571e2924a7c?utm_source=openai))\n\n### 3. Disable \u201cSpeak on Enter\u201d if it\u2019s reading reference on cell entry\n\nIf JAWS or Excel is speaking every time you press Enter or leave a cell:\n\n- Add the **Speak Cells** and **Stop Speaking Cells** commands to the Excel Quick Access Toolbar if needed.  \n- Toggle **Speak on Enter** off. This stops speech on entering a cell. ([support.microsoft.com](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/converting-text-to-speech-in-excel-3f2ca8c0-90e2-4391-8e69-573832ea7300?utm_source=openai))\n\nAlso, in some cases, you can use VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to turn off speech by setting:\n\n```vb\nApplication.Speech.SpeakCellOnEnter = False\n```\n\nYou can do this via the Visual Basic Editor \u2192 Immediate Window. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/excel/comments/w0rfo4?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\nIf you tell me your exact JAWS version, I can walk you through the menu with correct labels \u2014 settings names sometimes change slightly with updates."
    },
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "is%20there%20a%20keyboard%20shortcut%20to%20do%20this"
    },
    {
        "role": "assistant",
        "content": "I couldn\u2019t find a single keyboard shortcut in JAWS 2026 that *directly* toggles off reading cell references (\u201cA1\u201d, \u201cB2\u201d, etc.) in Excel. However, here are some useful shortcuts + the quickest method to disable it via Quick Settings:\n\n---\n\n## \ud83d\udd0d Relevant shortcuts\n\n- **INSERT + V** (JAWS key + V) \u2014 Opens the *Quick Settings* dialog for the active application (Excel included). ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/support/technicalsupport/bulletin/1644?utm_source=openai))  \n- **INSERT + F2** \u2014 Opens the JAWS Context Menu, where you may access settings quickly. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/u_FreedomScientific/comments/1r90cr8/quick_tip_use_insertf2_to_access_the_jaws_context/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\n## \u2699\ufe0f How to disable cell reference reading (what \u201creading A1, etc.\u201d really is)\n\nYou need to turn off *Title Reading* in Excel\u2019s JAWS Quick Settings:\n\n1. Open the Excel file.\n2. Press **INSERT + V** to open Quick Settings. ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/support/technicalsupport/bulletin/1644?utm_source=openai))  \n3. Navigate (via arrow keys) to **Excel Settings \u2192 Workbook, Worksheet and Region Settings \u2192 Title Reading**. ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/support/technicalsupport/bulletin/1644?utm_source=openai))  \n4. Find **\u201cDefine Name Column and Row Titles Override\u201d**. Set this to **Off** (or ensure it\u2019s off for the current file). ([support.freedomscientific.com](https://support.freedomscientific.com/support/technicalsupport/bulletin/1644?utm_source=openai))  \n5. Press **OK** to apply. (Often **TAB** to OK, then **ENTER**.) ([gttprogram.blog](https://gttprogram.blog/2020/12/02/windows-from-the-keyboard-tips-microsoft-excel-with-jaws-and-nvda-speak-row-and-column-headings-december-2-2020/?utm_source=openai))\n\n---\n\nIf you'd like, I can check exactly for JAWS 2026\u2019s documentation to see if they\u2019ve added a direct toggle or shortcut in recent builds, just to be sure."
    }
]