DoctorNVDA
The ultimate diagnostic and recovery companion for NVDA users, transforming how you maintain your screen reader's health.
author: chai chaimee
Description
Is your NVDA feeling sluggish? Are strange errors popping up after installing new add-ons? DoctorNVDA acts as a personal physician for your software. It provides high-precision tools to diagnose conflicts and restore health instantly, ensuring you never lose your configuration or your time.
This add-on is designed for every user, regardless of technical skill. It simplifies complex troubleshooting into a few simple clicks, allowing you to manage backups, identify problematic add-ons, and perform emergency restarts without ever needing to touch complicated system files or the Windows Task Manager.
Hot Keys
DoctorNVDA uses an intelligent Multi-Tap system. This means you only need to remember one primary key combination to perform multiple recovery actions.
• Double Tap: Instantly Restart NVDA (Normal Mode).
• Triple Tap: Emergency Restart with Add-ons Disabled (Safe Mode).
Features
1. Binary Search Debugging (The Add-on Detective)
Finding a single broken add-on among dozens is like finding a needle in a haystack. This feature automates the "Binary Search" method to find the culprit for you.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Launch the diagnostic from the DoctorNVDA menu.
- NVDA will restart with half of your add-ons disabled.
- A dialog will ask: "Is the problem GONE?"
- If you answer Yes, the detective knows the problem is in the disabled half. If No, it's in the active half.
- The process repeats, narrowing down the group until the exact problematic add-on is isolated.
2. Create & Restore NVDA Settings (Time Machine)
Protect your custom dictionaries, gestures, and profiles. This feature creates a "Recovery Point" that you can return to at any time.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- To Backup: Select "Create Recovery" when your NVDA is working perfectly.
- To Restore: If your settings get messed up, select "Restore NVDA Setting" from the menu.
- Choose a recovery date from the list.
- DoctorNVDA will automatically replace the corrupted files and restart NVDA for you.
3. System Info Summary
Need to report a bug or check your system's health? This tool gathers all vital statistics in one place—no technical knowledge required.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Select "System Info Summary" from the menu.
- A clean report will appear showing your NVDA version, Windows version, and system architecture.
- This info is automatically formatted to be easy to read and share with developers or support teams.
4. Instant User Config Access
Skip the deep-diving into hidden Windows folders. Get direct access to where NVDA stores your soul (your settings).
How it works:
- Simply select "User Config Folder" from the menu, and File Explorer will pop open exactly where you need to be.
5. Emergency Restart Modes
Sometimes NVDA just needs a fresh start. We provide two distinct ways to do it without losing control.
- Restart (Normal): Refreshes NVDA with all your features active. Useful if speech becomes laggy.
- Restart (Add-ons Disabled): The "Safe Mode" for NVDA. Use this to confirm if a problem is caused by an add-on or by NVDA itself.
Support Me
If this tool has made your life easier, consider fueling the next update with a small donation.
Your support means the world. Let's build something great together