Narrator does not read selected text in WPF TextBox

[AndreyMarten]

Description

When text is selected in WPF TextBox, Narrator does not pronounce/read it. It does not read the text even if the CapsLock+Shift+Down key combination is used. The same functionality works correctly in WinForms.

Reproduction Steps

1. Open the solution from the attached archive in Visual Studio (narratorTest.zip).
2. Run the WpfApp2 project.
3. Start Narrator.
4. Select different parts of the text in the TextBox element shown in the application's window.
5. Use the CapsLock+Shift+Down key combination.

(The screencast_with_audio.mp4 illustrates these steps and the problematic behavior.)

Expected behavior

• When selection is changed, Narrator pronounces "[SELECTED_TEXT_PART] text is selected".
• When the CapsLock+Shift+Down key combination is used, Narrator reads the text from the selection.

Actual behavior

Narrator keeps silent and does not read anything when selection is changed or when the Caps+Shift+Down key combination is used.

The Caps+Shjift+Down+Down key combination still works - narrator reads letters from the selection.

The screencast_with_audio.mp4 illustrates the problematic behavior.

Important:

If you use the same steps in the WinFormsApp1 project included into the same solution, you can see that Narrator works as expected.

Regression?

No response

Known Workarounds

No response

Impact

The behavior prevents implementing full support for accessibility in WPF applications and does not allow people to hear what they selected if they cannot see it.

Configuration

.NET 9, Windows 11.

Other information

No response

[lindexi]

Based on my investigation, the core of this issue lies in WPF not notifying UIA when text selection occurs. This seems more like a missing feature implementation rather than a bug.