MacBook With VoiceOver

The summary of VoiceOver key commands below will offer a basic introduction to the key commands used most frequently.

  • Apple offers an Appendix of the VoiceOver commands on their website, organized by function, which can be accessed by clicking this VoiceOver appendix link.
  • AppleVis is a website designed by visually impaired users of Apple products. It also offers an appendix of VoiceOver commands, organized by groupings that use the same keys, which can be accessed by clicking this AppleVis VoiceOver Commands link.
  • Press VO+H+H to access a menu of commands and navigate with up/down/left/right arrows directly on the Mac computer.
  • Press VO+K to start Keyboard Help. When Keyboard Help is active, pressing VO commands will describe the action performed by the key command instead of performing the action. To exit Keyboard Help, press VO+K or escape.
  • If using Google Drive with VoiceOver, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired has a step-by-step guide with keyboard shortcuts that can be accessed by clicking this Google Drive with VoiceOver link.

These commands will work with or without VoiceOver.

⌘Spacebar for Spotlight (use this to locate programs or documents)

⌘Q to quit a program

⌘Tab to move from open program to open program - press and hold command and tap Tab to move through the windows you want

⌘C to copy

⌘X to cut

⌘V to paste

⌘B to bold

⌘ I to italicize

⌘U to underline


Turn on VoiceOver(⌘+F5) to use these shortcuts:

(If you see VO, press and hold control and option and tap the additional key)

Ctrl to stop speech

VO+D to access Dock

VO+Shift+D to go to desktop

VO+Arrows to move around

NOTE:If you press the left arrow and right arrow simultaneously, you will hear “Quick Nav On” or “Quick Nav Off.” When Quick Nav is on, the left and right arrows can be used for navigation without holding the VO keys.

VO+Spacebar to "click" something

VO+Shift+ Down arrow to interact with an item

VO+Shift+ Up arrow to stop interaction with an item

VO+A to read all text from the VoiceOVer cursor to end of text

In Safari

VO+U to open the web rotor

While in the web rotor use left/right arrows to switch through menus and up/down arrows to navigate within menus

⌘+Shift+R to open Reader (this simplifies web pages and removes some clutter)


In Pages

⌘+Shift+left square bracket to align left

⌘+Shift+right square bracket to align right

⌘+Shift+backslash to align centre


NOTE: Open VoiceOVer Utility to create custom gestures for the Trackpad Commander.

VO+rotor motion on trackpad to toggle Trackpad Commander on/off


The processes listed below describe each key command required to achieve each task in Pages with VoiceOver including Footnotes, Page Numbers/Headers, Double-spacing and Alignment.

If you see VO, press and hold control and option and tap the additional key.

FOR FOOTNOTES

VO+M to access Menus. Right arrow to Insert menu. Down arrow to Footnote. (If Instead of Navigating through the menu, VoiceOver Starts spelling, turn Quick Nav Off by pressing left and right arrows simultaneously) Enter to select. Type what you want in the footer. Turn Quick Nav On. Press the left arrow through all footnotes until you reach the body of the text. Press ⌘Right arrow or ⌘Down arrow to reach the end of the text.

FOR INSERTING PAGE NUMBERS OR ADDING A HEADER

While editing the body, turn Quick Nav On. Press the Left Arrow to access the Header. Press VO+Shift+Down arrow to interact with the header. Press Right arrow to navigate through the three sections of the header. If necessary, type the running Head. Press VO+M to access Menu. Right arrow to Insert menu. Quick Nav Off. Down arrow to Page Number. Enter to select. VO+Shift+ Up arrow to exit the header. Quick Nav On. Right arrow once to get back to the body.

TO DOUBLE SPACE

From Body press VO+J to access the Formatter. Quick Nav On. Right arrow to Text Formatter. VO+Shift+Down arrow to interact. Right arrow Spacing then listen for “1.0 Single” VO+Spacebar to Open Options. VO+Down arrow until you reach “2.0 Double.” VO+Spacebar to select. VO+Shift+Up arrow to exit Text Formatter. VO+Shift+Up Arrow to exit formatter. Left arrow twice to return to body.

TO CHANGE ALIGNMENT

Highlight the text you would like to align. Press Shift+⌘+\ to centre. Press Shift+⌘+[ to left align. Press Shift+⌘+] to right align.