macOS VoiceOver on a Windows PC

VoiceOver requires a Mac, but there are some good reasons why you might want to use VoiceOver from a Windows or Linux PC:

• Accessibility testing - VoiceOver is the only screen reader available for macOS, and it’s necessary to test with it to ensure compatibility
• Considering switching to a Mac - maybe you’re currently using NVDA but are considering a switch

Luckily, it’s possible to use VoiceOver without a Mac using a few techniques.

Remote Testing With Assistiv Labs

Assistiv Labs is an online service that allows you to access a real copy of VoiceOver running on macOS remotely, through any modern web browser, like Chrome or Edge.

• All keyboard shortcuts are remapped, enabling all VoiceOver commands
• Ephemeral sessions ensure you always start with a consistent, reproducible environment
• Seamlessly access localhost and VPN-only websites with AssistivTunnel
• High performance remote connection streams audio and video with low latency
• Easily scale access to your team or company

In less than a minute, you can start testing. Start a 14 day free trial and reach out to let us know you’d like to add VoiceOver.

Virtual Machines

While macOS can run in a virtual machine, it can only do so on a Mac, so unfortunately this is not an option from a Windows PC.

“Hackintosh” projects exist as workarounds, but they may violate the macOS EULA and have many bugs and limitations — macOS is built to work on genuine Apple hardware, anywhere else is an uphill battle.

Cloud Hosting

If you’re thinking of buying a Mac and want to try VoiceOver as your daily driver, cloud providers like MacStadium and Scaleway offer fairly affordable Mac Mini rentals. AWS does too, but at a much higher price point.

The Mac Mini can be remotely accessed using a VNC client for Windows, but note that audio does not work out of the box.