Features Overview

ControlNav provides powerful features for navigating Windows applications efficiently with a screen reader.

Core Features

Control Listing

Instantly view all controls in any Windows application:

  • Buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons
  • Text fields, combo boxes, list items
  • Links, tabs, tree items
  • All UI Automation-supported controls

Press Ctrl+Alt+U from any application to see the complete list.

Real-Time Search

Filter controls as you type:

  • Case-insensitive search
  • Multi-word support
  • Instant results
  • Automatic selection of first match

Arrow Key Navigation

Navigate while typing:

  • Up/Down arrows work in the search box
  • No need to tab to the list
  • Selection changes are announced by screen readers
  • Text cursor stays in place

Three Interaction Modes

Choose how to interact with controls:

  1. Click - Invokes the control (default for buttons)
  2. Double Click - Toggles or activates (for checkboxes, list items)
  3. Focus - Brings keyboard focus to the control (for edit boxes)

Set your preferred default action in Settings.

System Tray Integration

Runs in the background:

  • Minimal system resources
  • Always available via hotkey
  • Context menu for quick access
  • Settings, About, and Exit options

Multilingual Support

Available in multiple languages:

  • English (US)
  • German (Standard)

More languages coming soon!

Screen Reader Support

Fully accessible:

  • Native Windows UIA support
  • JAWS compatible
  • NVDA compatible
  • Windows Narrator compatible
  • All controls properly labeled
  • Selection changes announced automatically

Persistent Settings

Your preferences are saved:

  • Default action (Click/Double Click/Focus)
  • Auto-start with Windows
  • Language preference
  • Hotkey configuration (stored, applied on restart)

Privacy & Security

Respects your privacy:

  • No data collection
  • No internet access required
  • No telemetry or analytics
  • All settings stored locally in Windows Registry

Performance

Lightweight and fast:

  • ~50 KB executable size
  • Minimal memory footprint
  • No background scanning
  • Only activates when you press the hotkey

Compatibility

Works with any Windows application:

  • Win32 applications
  • WPF applications
  • UWP applications
  • Web browsers
  • Custom UI frameworks (if they support UI Automation)

Next Steps