Hi!

I'm currently experiencing a truly weird problem. 3 of the 4 browsers on
my Win10 desktop -- Firefox, Edge and Chrome -- are not allowing me to
type anything into the browser regardless
of the screen reader used -- Jaws 2021, 2022, 2023 and Narrator.
My 4th browser, Brave, and everything else on the system act normally.
An Eset Smart Security scan shows no problems.

So, when in the 3 above mentioned browsers, the arrow navigation keys act
as expected. So, using them, to get a link allows me to hit the return
key and loads the expected page.
If I attempt to type keys from the 4 keyboard rows into anything within
these 3 browsers, a random character is generated followed by future
charactrs being from the kb row moving to the right and then down to the
next row, and so on.
If I paste something, as from the clipboard, the browsers act normally so
it is typing from the KB that seems to be the issue with these browsers.
Note that the typing issue is only with these 3 browsers as Brace and
everything else on the pc function normally with the keyboard, a Logitech
wireless mk335, having no typing issues.

Furthermore, The ctrl+h will allow me to bring up the browser's history.
However, the alpha-numeric commands such as "h" for headings function in
that same at random character generating fashion.

Before doing anything radical, such as uninstalling Edge, Chrome and
Firefox, is there something else I ought to try to attempt to repair how
these browsers and the screen readers interact?
Fortunately, I do not store bookmarks/favorites in my browsers, as I bring
them in from .html files which I can use with any of my 4 browsers
currently installed.
So, what I would lose in an uninstall/re-install would be the saved things
such as cookies and saved logons.

Thanks in advance for any guidance anyone can offer.



oh yes, trying another kb brings up the same problem; thus, it doesn't
appear to be the keyboard itself.

1. Restart your computer using the Restart option.  If you happen to have Fast Startup enabled, a Shutdown followed by powering up again does NOT restart the system from scratch.  The Restart option forces a complete windows shutdown, power off, then the machine is restarted on timer and Windows is loaded fresh from disk.

2. Using DISM (Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) to Repair Windows 8, 10 & 11

3. Performing a Windows 10 or 11 Repair Install or Feature Update Using the Windows ISO file

Stop at the point that the issue disappears.  If it hasn't disappeared after step 2, I'd be surprised, and if it doesn't disappear after step 3, then something really, really weird is up.
--

Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 22H2, Build 19045  

If you cannot or will not imagine the results of your actions, there’s no way you can act morally or responsibly.  Little kids can’t do it; babies are morally monsters — completely greedy. Their imagination has to be trained into foresight and empathy.

         ~ Ursula LeGuin, 2005 Interview in The Guardian

Hi,


some antivirus solutions cause screen readers to be flagged as key loggers. Not sure if Eset does that in browsers though, just a wild guess.

Try temporarily disabling realtime protection or excluding the screen readers from being blocked, if that's the case.

Brian

First, thanks for the guidance. While I am making a bit of progress, my
gut sense suggests taking a back up ssd and updating things from there.
I've never seen this kind of phenomenon where a keyboard acts normally for
all programs except for a couple of browsers.
Once again, much appreciate your giving me some guidance.