Search pane (8) Guide

A guide for users of the Jaws screen reader, written by David Bailes. More guides are available on the Jaws Guides page of the VIP Software Guides website.

Contents

Introduction

This is a guide to the Search pane in Windows 8, which is also sometimes referred to as the Search Charm. Note that if you're using Windows 8.1, there's a separate guide to The Search pane on Windows 8.1.

The Search pane can be used for searching for a wide range of items, and this introduction provides an outline of how to use it. The following sections of the guide then provide detailed descriptions of searching for various kinds items. In this guide Windows 8 apps are normally referred to simply as apps, and traditional programs, simply as programs. Microsoft often refer to these traditional programs as desktop apps.

The search pane contains:

The options for scope of the search are:

You'll rarely need to select an option for the scope of the search, since there are convenient keystrokes described below which open the Search pane with the desired scope already selected. If you Tab to the list of scopes, then the current scope is the initial focus. And if you do need to select a scope, then move to it, and press Enter.

To display the Search pane with the appropriate scope selected:

The search pane is displayed on the the right hand side of the screen, and the Search edit box is the initial focus. You can type in either complete words, or the beginnings of words as you search terms. The list of search results are displayed in the remainder of the screen.

If you open the search pane, and decide that you don't want to open anything, then you can return to your previous location by pressing Windows Key twice. Alternatively you can press Esc two or three times.

Searching for programs, apps, and items pinned to the Start screen

To search for programs, apps, and items pinned to the Start screen:

  1. Press Windows Key to move to the Start screen, if you're not already there.
  2. Start typing in your search terms. The search pane is displayed on the right hand side of the screen, the search terms are entered in the Search box, and in the list of scopes for the search, Apps is selected.
  3. As you type characters in the Search box, the list of search results is continuously updated. Whenever you pause after typing one or more characters, Jaws reads the name of the first result. As soon as you hear the name of the program or item you want, you can press Enter to open it – you don't have to type in the full name.
  4. Normally, by either typing in some distinctive search terms or by typing the full name, you can get the program or item you want to open to be the first item in the results list. However, to open some items, there's a need to move to another item in the list so that you can then open it. You can move to other items in the list by using Down Arrow and Up Arrow.

Scope of the search

When the scope of the search is set to Apps, then all the items on the Apps screen are searched, that is:

In addition, you can search for the following, but you have to type in the full name of the item before it appears in the list of results:

Searching for settings

To search for settings in PC settings, the Settings pane or the Control panel:

  1. Press Windows key + W. The search pane is displayed on the right hand side of the screen, the Search box is the initial focus, and in the list of scopes for the search, Settings is selected.
  2. As you type characters in the Search box, the list of search results is continuously updated. Whenever you pause after typing one or more characters, Jaws reads the name of the first result. As soon as you hear the name of the setting, you can press Enter to open it – you don't have to type in the full name.
  3. Sometimes, by either typing in some distinctive search terms or by typing the full name, you can get the setting you want to open to be the first item in the results list. However, to open some items, there's a need to move to another item in the list so that you can then open it. You can move to other items in the list by using Down Arrow and Up Arrow.
  4. If you want to return to the search box, press Windows Key + W.

The list of results for this search is always ordered so that the results for PC settings, and the Settings pane come before the results for the Control panel. For sighted users, the icon which is shown as part of each result indicates which of these two groups of settings it belongs to. Unfortunately, this information is not available for users of screen readers.

If you're interested in a setting which is in the Control panel, then either browsing or searching the Control panel is an alternative to this search.

Also, the quick link menu, which you can open by pressing Windows Key + X, provides a quick way of opening frequently used administrative tools, including the Control panel, and Programs and features.

Searching for files

By default, you can search for files which are in your personal folder, or in your libraries:

  1. Press Windows Key + F. The search pane is displayed on the right hand side of the screen, the search box is the initial focus, and in the list of scopes for the search, Files is selected.
  2. Type in your search terms. You then have to press Enter for the search, unlike searching for apps or settings. Jaws reads the first first search result, and you can open this by pressing Enter.
  3. You can move through the other search results using Down Arrow and Up Arrow. When you move to a result using one of these keystrokes, Jaws reads the name of the file. If you press Insert + Up Arrow Jaws reads additional information.
  4. If you want to return to the search box, press Windows key + F

An alternative to using the Search pane for searching for files is to use File Explorer, which is described in the Searching section of the File Explorer guide.

Additional notes

Searching an app

To search the active app:

  1. Press Windows Key + Q. The search pane is displayed on the right hand side of the screen, the Search box is the initial focus, and in the list of scopes for the search, the app is selected.
  2. Type in your search terms, and press Enter. The search results are displayed by the app.
  3. Return to the app by pressing Tab twice, or Shift + Tab once. The search pane automatically closes.

Keystrokes

Command Keystroke
Search for programs, apps, and all the items pinned to the Start screen Windows Key, then start typing
Search for settings Windows Key + W
Search for files Windows Key + F
Search active app Windows Key + Q
In the search box, clear text Esc
Close Search pane, and return to previous location Windows Key twice, or Esc two or three times