Use equations in a document with a screen reader

You can use this guide when you use Docs on a desktop web browser. You can’t edit equations on mobile devices, but your reading experience remains the same.

Before you start

Make sure you’re familiar with the steps and techniques in Use Google Docs with a screen reader.

Turn off braille mode

To make sure the screen reader correctly reads the equation content, turn off braille mode.

On your computer, go to Google Docs.
Open a document.
Open the Tools menu and then Accessibility.
Uncheck "Turn on braille support."
Activate the OK button.

Tip: Use the Ctrl + Alt + h (Command + Option + h on Mac) shortcut to toggle braille mode.

Read an equation

When you navigate a line with an equation, the whole equation is spoken. It starts with "Equation start" and ends with "Equation end."

All functions in the equations are spoken. They start with "Function start" and end with "Function end."
Functions with multiple parameters are spoken. They start with "Parameter start," preceding all but the first parameter.

When you navigate an equation by character, "Equation entered" will be spoken when the cursor enters the beginning of the equation. As the cursor leaves the beginning of the equation, "Equation exited" will be spoken. Additional cursor "stops" will be spoken for function and parameter start/end to denote those boundaries.

Insert an equation

On your computer, go to Google Docs.
Open a document.
Move focus to where you want to add the equation.
Open the Insert menu and then Symbols and then Equation.

Or, you can:
- For Windows and ChromeOS:
  1. Press Alt + slash (/ symbol).
  2. Type equation.
  3. On "Insert equation," press Enter.
- For MacOS:
  1. Press Option + slash (/ symbol).
  2. Type equation.
  3. On "Insert equation," press Enter.

Show or hide the equations toolbar

When focus is in an equation, the equation toolbar is always visible. To keep it visible at all times, you can open the View menu and then check Show equation toolbar.

Important: When focus isn’t in an equation, only "Insert equation" is available in the toolbar.

Use the equation toolbar

To go to the toolbar when it shows:

Press Ctrl + Alt + comma (Alt + Shift + comma on ChromeOS or Command + Option + comma on Mac) to move focus to the right side panel.
Press Shift + Tab to move focus to the "Equations toolbar".
Press the right arrow to navigate buttons for:
- Insert equation
- Greek letters
- Miscellaneous operations
- Relations
- Math operators
- Arrows
To open the submenu that’s presented as a grid, press Enter.
To navigate the available options, use the arrow keys.
If arrows are silent, turn on the screen reader mode that enables table navigation and navigate to the operator you want to insert.
To insert and return focus to your equation, press Enter.
If there are parameters, enter each parameter.
Press Enter.

Tip: If table navigation is unavailable after you open the submenu, press Esc and repeat these steps.

Use equation shortcuts

To use shortcuts when you edit an equation, you can:

Enter backslash + name of a symbol.
To insert that symbol in an equation, press Space.
Add parameters.
- After each parameter of the inserted function, press Enter. For example, to insert x³, enter: \superscript <space> x <enter> 3 <enter>.
To end a parameter or the equation, press Enter.

Tip: To quickly type superscripts or subscripts in an equation, you can:

For superscript: Press Shift + 6 (^ symbol).
For subscript: Press Shift + Dash (_ symbol).

Edit & delete an equation

To edit an equation:

Move the cursor to the content you want to update.
Delete as needed.
Insert the new content.

To delete an equation:

Move the cursor to "Equation started."
Press Delete.

To delete a function:

Move the cursor to "Function started."
Press Delete.

Tip: To ensure proper placement of "Function start" or "Equation start," move the cursor from left to right. It’s difficult to determine the boundary when you move backwards.