Use FigJam with a screen reader

Before you start

Who can use this feature

Supported on any team or plan.

Anyone with can edit access can add objects to the board.

New to FigJam? Check out our Guide to FigJam.

You can navigate and edit a FigJam file using a screen reader on a desktop device.

• Move focus around the board, its objects, and their menus
• Read the content of objects like sections, stickies, shapes, and alt text
• Create and edit objects and their contents

Learn how to create accessible FigJam boards →

Screen reader settings

The FigJam board is not screen reader accessible by default. To enable accessibility:

1. Open the quick actions menu by pressing ⌘Command/ or ⌘CommandP on a Mac or Control/ and ControlP on Windows.
2. Type “Accessibility settings” and press Return/Enter.

This will open the accessibility settings dialog, where you can enable the FigJam board contents to be accessible.

Note: To make the FigJam board accessible, we rely on certain web HTML types. To that end, make sure your screen reader will read groups, regions, headings, and text.

Navigate a FigJam file

A FigJam file has several top-level regions. Use keyboard shortcuts to cycle focus throughout them:

Focus next region:

• Mac: ⌘Command⌃Control→
• Windows: ControlF6

Focus previous region:

• Mac: ⌘Command⌃Control←
• Windows: ShiftControlF6

Regions are ordered as such:

• Board: This is the FigJam board itself, which contains objects like sections, stickies, and text
• Selection properties menu: This region is rendered if there is an object selected on the board, with buttons to modify various properties (font, color, etc.) of the selection. If there is nothing selected on the board, this region is not available and is skipped when cycling through objects.
• Expanded comment threads: If there is a comment thread selected, this dialog is available. It contains the contents of the selected comment thread.
• Help widget: A collapsible menu with a containing resources and references for using FigJam like the Figma Help Center and keyboard shortcuts.
• Creation tools: A toolbar with buttons to switch your current creation tool. This toolbar is primarily meant to be used with a mouse, so for keyboard-only users, we recommend creating nodes using the quick actions menu by pressing ⌘Command/ or ⌘CommandP on a Mac or Control/ and ControlP on Windows.
• Top toolbar: A toolbar containing a collapsible main menu, file name, and entry points for audio calls, sharing, and modifying view options for the file. The first button is the Figma menu. To navigate the main menu, use ↑ and ↓ keys, Enter or Space to select a menu object or open a submenu, and Tab to close a submenu.

Navigate the board

The board contains all the content from you and your collaborators. Objects like stickies, shapes, and images can be placed anywhere on the 2D board, and can be organized with sections. Objects placed inside a section are considered children of that section, and siblings of each other. All objects placed directly on the board (and not nested within sections) are also considered siblings of each other.

Navigate objects by selecting them with the keyboard shortcuts:

• Tab to select the next sibling object
• ⇧ShiftTab to select the previous sibling object
• If you’re editing text, Tab will select the next editable text field on the board

Add objects to the board

Add objects to the board via the quick actions menu. Quick actions allow you to update settings and perform actions, using just your keyboard. This includes actions and settings that don’t have keyboard shortcuts.

Access the quick actions menu by pressing ⌘Command/ or ⌘CommandP on a Mac, or Control/ or ControlP on Windows.

To create an object, type “Create new <object type>” in the quick actions menu and press enter. For example, to create a new sticky note, type “Create new sticky note” and press Return/Enter.

The new object will be created in the center of the screen, or if a section is selected, in the center of that section.

If you have an object selected, you can also press ⌘CommandReturn/ControlEnter to create a new instance of that object next to the original.

Add stamps and comments

You can create stamps and comments, which are objects that are attached to another object.

Stamps

Press E to activate the stamp wheel. You can then focus a particular stamp, and press Return/Enter to activate stamping mode with that stamp. Use Tab to select an object on the board, then press ⌘CommandReturn/ControlEnter to place the stamp on the selected object. Stamps can only be added to selected objects. Press Esc to exit stamp mode.

Learn more about using stamps →

Comments

To add comments:

1. Select the object you want to comment on.
2. Press ⌘Command/ or ⌘CommandP on a Mac, or Control/ or Control P on Windows to open the quick actions menu.
3. Type create new comment.
4. Press Return/Enter to start composing your comment attached to your selection.
5. Press Return/Enter again to submit your comment.

Learn more about comments in FigJam →

Edit content

Move objects

When an object is selected, use the arrow keys move it around the board. Use ⇧Shift with arrow keys make the nudge movement larger.

Edit text

For objects that allow for text editing (such as sticky notes, shapes with text, and plain text objects), select the object then press Return/Enter to start editing text. Press Esc to leave text editing, and return to selecting the object.

Learn more about formatting text in FigJam →

Edit properties

To edit a selected object’s properties, press ⌘Command Control→ on Mac or ControlF6 on Windows to focus on the selection’s properties menu. The menu contains options to adjust properties like font, background color, and more depending on the selected object type.

Features supported with screen readers

Feature	Supported
Sections	✓
Stickies	✓
Shapes	✓
Tables	✓
Text objects	✓
Text formatting	✓
Links	✓
Comments	✓
Stamps	✓
Code blocks	✓
Audio calls	✕
Timer and music	✕
Stickers	✕
Spotlight	✕
FigJam on iPad	✕
Voting	✕
Emotes	✕
Connectors	✕
Lines	✕
Highlights	✕
Washi tape	✕
Cursor chat	✕
Widgets	✕