By Braille Quill editorial team · Last verified [date]
Update with winget
winget upgrade NVAccess.NVDAUpdate with exe
Download the newer nvda_*.exe from the same official host you trust. Keep the previous installer only if policy requires rollback media.
Uninstall
Apps and features → the client, or:
winget uninstall NVAccess.NVDAPortable cleanup
Delete the portable folder after confirming it is not your only settings backup.
After changes
Retest speech and braille. Revisit add-ons if a release note mentions compatibility breaks for this version.
Desk habits that keep installs boring
Write the update door on a sticky note or machine ticket the same day you install. Include whether you used winget id NVAccess.NVDA or a specific nvda_.exe filename from a release- tag. Future you will not remember which mirror felt convenient during a noisy afternoon.
Shared labs should pick one door and refuse improvisation. When SmartScreen blocks a first run, return to the same official URL instead of searching the web for a “working the client crack setup” style result. Those results are how adware enters otherwise careful classrooms.
Portable copies help on USB workflows, but they still need a written home folder path. An unnamed stick in a drawer is not a backup plan. Label the stick and keep a second hashed copy in a software library your organisation controls.
Speech and listening environment
Headphones help in open offices. Speakers help when a trainer needs to hear what the student hears. Either way, confirm the Windows output device before you blame the client. Many silent installs are simply muted mixers or HDMI audio routed to a disconnected display.
If speech starts after a long delay, check startup configuration and antivirus first-run scanning. A freshly downloaded exe may be scanned on first launch. Wait, then prove a reading task rather than downloading a second copy from a different site.
Braille and hardware notes
Attach supported braille displays according to vendor USB guidance, then select the driver inside the client settings. If braille stays inactive, verify the display works on another machine before reinstalling the client. Hardware faults and software faults need different tickets.
Speech-only desks are valid. Do not force braille configuration on images that will never see a display. Extra driver prompts confuse students who only needed voice output for the session.
Security reminders
Prefer github.com/nvaccess/nvda and nvaccess.org. Prefer winget show NVAccess.NVDA when you want catalog metadata. Skip countdown timers. Skip browser extensions offered as download helpers. See the download-safe and is-it-safe guides when something feels off.
Code signing acknowledgements in the upstream README are useful context, not a substitute for checking the URL you typed. Always match the filename pattern nvda_VERSION.exe for stable Windows builds.
Teaching and support
Trainers should demonstrate the screen reader modifier key slowly. Desktop versus laptop layouts change which physical key acts as the client. Say the key names aloud while you press them. Students who only hear “press the client plus N” without a physical reference will open the wrong menus.
Keep a one-page cheat sheet beside the keyboard during the first week. Link that sheet to the official user guide rather than copying large copyrighted chapters into a random shared drive.
When to revisit these pages
Revisit after every major Windows feature update, after every the client release-* bump you deploy, and after any incident involving a portal-downloaded installer. The commands stay short; the discipline around doors is what protects the fleet.
Quiet checklist before you reinstall
Confirm the output device, volume mixer, and whether Narrator is still speaking. Many silent or doubled-voice reports are environmental. Reinstalling without that checklist wastes time and creates duplicate folders.
Keep the Releases URL bookmarked under a boring name. During an outage people invent mirrors. A known bookmark returns you to the same door without search ads.
Save configuration after speech rate changes, especially on portable copies. Forgotten saves look like broken upgrades the next morning.
Frequently asked questions
How do I update nvda?
Run winget upgrade NVAccess.NVDA when the catalog is current, or download a newer nvda_*.exe from GitHub or nvaccess.org and install over or beside your previous copy according to your process.
How do I uninstall?
Use Windows Apps and features to remove NVDA, or run winget uninstall NVAccess.NVDA when winget installed the package. Portable folders are removed by deleting the folder. Prefer official GitHub Releases or the verified winget id, then prove speech on a short document after install finishes.
Will settings survive an update?
Installed copies usually keep configuration across upgrades. Portable copies keep settings in their folder. Save configuration before major changes. Prefer official GitHub Releases or the verified winget id, then prove speech on a short document after install finishes.