---
name: "orca"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "orca"
version: "51.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/orca"
---

# orca(1)

a scriptable screen reader

## NAME

orca - a scriptable screen reader

## SYNOPSIS

**orca** \[*option...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**orca** is a screen reader for people with visual impairments, it provides alternative access to the desktop by using speech synthesis and braille.

**orca** works with applications and toolkits that support the Assistive Technology Service Provider Interface (AT-SPI), which is the primary assistive technology infrastructure for Linux. Applications and toolkits supporting the AT-SPI include the GNOME GTK toolkit, the Java platform's Swing toolkit, LibreOffice, Gecko, WebKitGTK, and Qt.

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Display help message and exit.

- **-v, --version**

  Print version information and exit.

- **-r, --replace**

  Replace a currently running **orca** process. By default, if **orca** detects an existing **orca** process for the same session, it will not start a new **orca** process. This option will kill and clean up after any existing **orca** process and then start a new **orca** in its place.

- **-s, --setup**

  Set up user preferences using the GUI. If **orca** is already running, the preferences dialog will be shown in the running instance.

- **-l, --list-apps**

  Print the known running applications. This is used primarily for debugging purposes to see if **orca** can talk to the accessibility infrastructure. Note that if **orca** is already running, this will not kill the other **orca** process. It will just list the currently running applications, and you will see **orca** listed twice: once for the existing **orca** and once for this instance.

- **-p, --profile** *NAME*

  Load the specified user profile.

- **--speech-system** *NAME*

  Use the specified speech system.

- **--debug**

  Enable debug output for **orca** and send all debug output to a file with a name of the form 'debug-YYYY-MM-DD-HH:MM:SS.out' in the current directory. The YYYY-MM-DD-HH:MM:SS portion will be replaced with the current date and time.

- **--debug-file** *FILE*

  Enable debug output for **orca** and send all debug output to the given *FILE*.

- **--approve-extension** *FILENAME*

  Approve a user extension for loading. The extension file must exist in *~/.local/share/orca/extensions/*.

- **--revoke-extension** *FILENAME*

  Revoke approval for a user extension.

## KEYBOARD SETTINGS

Orca provides two keyboard modes, Desktop and Laptop keyboard layout. **Orca** uses the desktop's default keyboard shortcuts to navigate and interact with applications. Use learn mode to discover all available commands.

The following key bindings use the **Orca\_Modifier** key, which is **Insert** in desktop keyboard layout and **Caps\_Lock** in laptop keyboard layout.

- **Orca\_Modifier+H**

  Enter learn mode. Press Escape to exit.

- **Orca\_Modifier+Space**

  Open the preferences dialog.

- **Orca\_Modifier+Ctrl+Space**

  Open the preferences dialog for the current application.

## FILES

- *~/.local/share/orca/*

  User preferences directory.

- *~/.local/share/orca/extensions/*

  User extensions directory.

- *~/.local/share/orca/orca-customizations.py*

  User customizations configuration file (deprecated).

## AUTHOR

**Orca** originated as a community effort led by the Sun Microsystems Inc. Accessibility Program Office and with contributions from many community members.

## SEE ALSO

- •

  **Orca repository and issue tracker** \<https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/orca\> ⟨https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/orca⟩