Accessibility Features

Lenovo is committed to providing people with disabilities greater access to information and technology. Some technologies are already provided with your system. Others can be purchased through vendors.

The following information provides ways to help users who have hearing, vision, and mobility limitations get the most out of their computer experience.

 

Microsoft Windows

Users can use the Ease of Access Center provided in the Microsoft Windows operating system to configure their computers to suit individual physical and cognitive needs. The Ease of Access Center is a central location where you can configure the accessibility settings and programs available in the Windows operating system. To use the Ease of Access Center, open Control Panel and click Ease of Access → Ease of Access Center.

 

On-screen Notification

On-screen notification helps hearing-impaired people be aware of the status of their computer. On-screen notification replaces sounds with visual cues or text captions to indicate that activity is happening on the computer. As a result, system alerts are noticeable even when they are not heard. For example, when you select one object with your keyboard, the object is highlighted. When you move the pointer to one object with your mouse, the introductory text of the object is displayed.

To use on-screen notification, open Control Panel, click Ease of Access → Ease of Access Center, and then click Use text or visual alternatives for sounds.

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Audio Notification

Audio notification helps visually impaired people or people with weak sight to be aware of the status of their computer.

To use audio notification, open Control Panel, click Ease of Access → Ease of Access Center → Use the computer without a display, and then select Turn on Audio Description.

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Narrator

Narrator is a screen reader that reads what is displayed on the screen aloud and describes events like error messages.

To open Narrator, do the following:

  • For Windows 7: Click the Start button. Then, type Narrator into the search field. In the list of results, click Narrator.
  • For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1: There are a few preferred ways to start Narrator.
    • On a keyboard, press the Windows logo key + Enter
    • On a tablet, press the Windows logo button and Volume Up button together
    • On the sign-in screen, tap or click the Ease of Access button in the lower-left corner and choose Narrator.
    • Move your pointer to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to display the charms and click Search. Then, type Narrator into the search field. In the list of results, click Narrator.

 

For more information about how to use and configure Narrator, see the Windows Help and Support information system.

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Screen-Reader Technologies

Screen-reader technologies are primarily focused on software program interfaces, help information systems, and a variety of online documents. For additional information about screen readers, refer to the following resources:

 

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Speech Recognition

Speech Recognition enables you to control your computer by voice.

Using only your voice, you can start programs, open menus, click buttons and other objects on the screen, dictate text into documents, and write and send e-mails. Everything you do with the keyboard and mouse can be done using only your voice.

To open Speech Recognition, do the following:

  • For Windows 7: Click the Start button. Then, type Speech Recognition into the search field. In the list of results, click Speech Recognition.
  • For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1: Move your pointer to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to display the charms and click Search. Then, type Speech Recognition into the search field. In the list of results, click Speech Recognition.

 

For more information about how to use and configure Speech Recognition, see the Windows Help and Support information system.

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Customizable Text Size

Depending on your preference, you can change the text size in isolation instead of changing the size of everything on the desktop. To change the text size, open Control Panel and click Appearances and Personalization → Display. Then, go to Change only the text size and set a text size that meets your needs.

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Magnifier

Your computer is equipped with the Microsoft Magnifier to help visually impaired people use the computer more comfortably. Magnifier is a useful utility that enlarges the entire screen or part of the screen so that you can see the words and images better. You can open Magnifier from the Ease of Access Center.

To open Magnifier, do the following:

  • For Windows 7: Click the Start button, click All Programs → Accessories → Ease of Access, and then click Magnifier.
  • For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1: Move your pointer to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to display the charms and click Search. Then, type Magnifier into the search field. In the list of results, click Magnifier.

 

For more information about how to use and configure Magnifier, see the Windows Help and Support information system.

Note: For touch-screen computer models, you also can zoom in and zoom out by using touch gestures instead of the keyboard. See Zoom.

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Zoom

You can use the zoom feature to enlarge or reduce the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects.

From the keyboard:

  • Zoom in: Press the Windows logo key + the plus-sign key (+) to enlarge the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects.
  • Zoom out: Press the Windows logo key + the minus-sign (-) key to reduce the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects.
From the touch screen:
  • Zoom in: Move two fingers farther apart on the touch screen to enlarge the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects.
  • Zoom out: Move two fingers closer together on the touch screen to reduce the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects.

 

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Screen Resolution

You can make your documents easier to read by adjusting the screen resolution of your computer. To adjust the screen resolution, right-click anywhere on the desktop, click Screen resolution, and then adjust the settings.

Note: Setting the resolution too low might prevent some items from fitting on the screen.

For more information about increasing the size of text and other objects, see the following:

 

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Ease of Access Keyboard and Shortcuts

The tactile bumps on the keyboard provide a reference point from which you can easily locate all keys on the keyboard without visual assistance.

To adjust your keyboard settings, open Control Panel, click Ease of Access → Ease of Access Center, and then click Make the keyboard easier to use. You can select the following settings:

  • Turn on Mouse Keys. This option sets Mouse Keys to run when you log on to Windows. Instead of using the mouse, you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard or the numeric keypad to move the pointer.
  • Turn on Sticky Keys. This option sets Sticky Keys to run when you log on to Windows. Instead of having to press three keys at once (such as when you must press the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys together to log on to Windows), you can use one key by turning on Sticky Keys and adjusting the settings. This way, you can press a modifier key and have it remain active until another key is pressed.
  • Turn on Toggle Keys. This option sets Toggle Keys to run when you log on to Windows. Toggle Keys can play an alert each time you press the Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock keys. These alerts can help prevent the frustration of inadvertently pressing a key and not realizing it.
  • Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that you can use to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing devices. Keyboard shortcuts provide an easier alternative to interact with your computer as you work with the Windows operating system and most applications.

 

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.

Keyboard shortcut

Function

Windows logo key + U

Open the Ease of Access Center

Right Shift for eight seconds

Turn Filter Keys on or off

Shift five times

Turn Sticky Keys on or off

Num Lock for five seconds*

Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock*

Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtSc)

Turn High Contrast on or off

Fn + Esc (FnLk)**

Locks the Fn key to allow alternative use of the F1-F12 keys

* These two keyboard shortcuts are supported by models with a NumLock key. If the keyboard does not have a NumLock key, you can use an optional numeric keypad. Alternatively, these features can be enabled and disabled through the Ease of Access Center, which is available from the Windows Control Panel.

For more information about the keyboard shortcuts, go to http://windows.microsoft.com/, and then type any of the following keywords for searching: keyboard shortcuts, key combinations, shortcut keys.

**On newer ThinkPad keyboards, the F1-F12 keys are able to perform multiple functions by enabling the Function Lock (FnLk) key. To enable and disable Fn Lock, press the Fn + Esc keys simultaneously. Because simultaneous keystrokes may be problematic for some users, you may wish to select the default behavior for these keys. You may need to upgrade the Hotkey Features utility in order to use this feature. Click this link to select your ThinkPad model and download the latest version of Hotkey Features Integration. After you have installed the updated software, refer to the following instructions to disable or enable the Fn Lock function in the Keyboard Properties window:

  1. Go to Control Panel. Change the view of Control Panel from Category to Large icons or Small icons.
  2. Click or tap Keyboard. In the Keyboard Properties window, click or tap the ThinkPad F1-F12 keys tab.
  3. Select or tap the option of your preference:
    • To disable the Fn Lock function, select or tap Default. The Fn Lock indicator is off (default mode). To initiate the special function printed as an icon on each key, press the function key directly. To input F1-F12, press the Fn key and the corresponding function key.
    • To enable the Fn Lock function, select or tap Legacy. The Fn Lock indicator turns on. To input F1-F12, press the function keys directly. To initiate the special function printed as an icon on each key, press the Fn key and the corresponding function key.

 

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On-Screen Keyboard

If you prefer to type or enter data into your computer without using a physical keyboard, you can use On-Screen Keyboard. On-Screen Keyboard displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. You can select keys using the mouse or another pointing device, or you can tap to select the keys if your computer supports multi-touch screen.

To open On-Screen Keyboard, do the following:

  • For Windows 7: Click the Start button. Then, type On-Screen Keyboard into the search field. In the list of results, click On-Screen Keyboard.
  • For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1: Move your pointer to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to display the charms and click Search. Then, type On-Screen Keyboard into the search field. In the list of results, click On-Screen Keyboard.

 

For more information about how to use and configure On-Screen Keyboard, see the Windows Help and Support information system.

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Android

 

Visual Alerts/Indicators

Visual Alerts/Indicators help hearing-impaired people be aware of the status of their device. Visual Alerts/Indicators replace sounds with visual cues or text captions to indicate that activity is happening on the device. As a result, system alerts are noticeable even when they are not heard. For example, when you select one object with your keyboard, the object is highlighted. When you move the pointer to one object with your mouse, the introductory text of the object is displayed.

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Audible Cues

Audible cues help visually impaired people to be aware of the status of their device.

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Screen-Reader Technologies

TalkBack is a screen reader that reads aloud what is displayed on the screen and describes events such as error messages. Talkback is a standard feature on Android devices.

To open TalkBack, do the following:

  • Go to Settings>Accessibility>Vision>TalkBack, then set the ON/OFF switch to ON.

 

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Speech Recognition

Speech Recognition enables you to control your device by voice. Using only your voice, you can open menus, navigate, dictate text, and write and send messages.

To start Speech Recognition, do the following:

  • Swipe up the Home key from the bottom center of any screen, or touch the Google search bar and say the hotword phrase “OK Google”.

 

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Customizable Text Size

Depending on your preference, you can change the text size.

To change the text size, do the following:

  • Open Settings>Display>Font>Font Size, then set a text size that meets your needs.

 

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Magnifier

Your device is equipped with the magnifier to help visually impaired people use the device more comfortably. Magnifier is a useful utility that enlarges the entire screen or part of the screen so that you can see the words and images better.

To use the Magnifier:

  • Go to Settings>Accessibility>Vision>Magnification gestures, then set the ON/OFF switch to ON.

 

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Web Browser Zoom

You can use the zoom feature to enlarge or reduce the size of text, pictures, maps, or other objects in the web browser.

To use the Web Browser Zoom:

  • Open Chrome, and then open the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar. Go to Settings, scroll down to the Advanced settings, select Accessibility, then set the text scaling to meet your needs.

 

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High Contrast

Android 5.0 and later provides features that make your screen easier to read. You can use either a preset high-contrasting color mode or you can use the Color Adjustment tool to manipulate the colors you see on your display based on your perception of colors.

To use the preset high-contrasting color mode:

  • Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision > and then turn on Negative Colors.

 

To use the Color adjustment tool:

  • Go to Settings > Accessibility > Vision > Color adjustment; then, tap Start and follow the instructions on the screen.

 

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Other Features

 

Keyboards

The tactile bumps on the keyboard provide a reference point from which you can easily locate all keys on the keyboard without visual assistance.

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Industry-Standard Connectors

Your computer provides industry-standard connectors that enable you to connect assistive devices, if needed. For more information about the connectors, see the related topics in the user guide that comes with your product.

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TTY/TDD Conversion Modem

Your computer supports the use of the text telephone (TTY) or the telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) conversion modem. The modem must be connected between your computer and a TTY/TDD telephone. Then, you can type a message on your computer and send it through your telephone.

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Documentation in Accessible Formats

Lenovo provides electronic documentation in accessible formats upon request. Lenovo electronic documentation, such as properly tagged PDF files or HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files, is developed to ensure that visually impaired users can read the documentation through a screen reader. Each image in the documentation also includes adequate alternative text to explain the image so that visually impaired users can understand the image when they use a screen reader. To request documentation in an accessible format, please send your request via email to compliance@lenovo.com. Remember to include the Lenovo product name, machine type/model number or Lenovo option part number. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

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Request a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

Lenovo uses the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) as a way to assist U.S Federal agencies and other customers in determining how Lenovo products address the requirements of Section 508 Standards.

Please go to www.lenovo.com/us/en/social_responsibility/accessibility_notebooks/ for accessibility status on specific Lenovo products.