VoiceOver Getting Started Guide
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- Automatically use VoiceOver in the login window
- Change the default behavior of function keys
- Find commands using the Commands menu
- Use the VoiceOver modifier
- Make VoiceOver ignore the next key press
- Learn or mute VoiceOver sound effects
- Hear hints and information about an item
- Use positional audio
- Interact with content areas and groups
- Hear changes in progress or status
- Select and deselect items
- Drag and drop items
- Set up or turn off cursor tracking
- Use VoiceOver Utility
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- Desktop
- Finder
- Dock
- Launchpad
- Notification Center
- Notifications
- Perform an item’s alternate action
- Click or double-click the mouse
- Buttons, checkboxes, and more
- Mission Control
- Use an app full screen
- Hear open apps and windows
- Switch between apps and windows
- Navigate app windows using window spots
- Move and resize windows and objects
- Log in to an encrypted account without VoiceOver
- Use VoiceOver with the Touch Bar
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- Change voice settings
- Customize the verbosity level for speech or braille
- Customize web items shown in the Rotor
- Customize how text and symbols are pronounced
- Create custom labels
- Assign commands to keyboard or keypad keys
- Export, import, and reset preferences
- Use portable preferences
- Use VoiceOver activities
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- General category
- Speech pane of the Verbosity category
- Braille pane of the Verbosity category
- Text pane of the Verbosity category
- Announcements pane of the Verbosity category
- Hints pane of the Verbosity category
- Voices pane of the Speech category
- Pronunciation pane of the Speech category
- Navigation category
- Navigation pane of the Web category
- Page Loading pane of the Web category
- Web Rotor pane of the Web category
- Sound category
- Cursor pane of the Visuals category
- Panels and Menus pane of the Visuals category
- Touch pane of the Visuals category
- Trackpad pane of the Commanders category
- Trackpad Commander assignments pane
- NumPad pane of the Commanders category
- Keyboard pane of the Commanders category
- Quick Nav pane of the Commanders category
- Quick Nav Commander assignments pane
- Layout pane of the Braille category
- Displays pane of the Braille category
- Activities category
General category
Use the General category in VoiceOver Utility to specify a login greeting and the VoiceOver modifier you want to use, use portable preferences, and enable AppleScript scripts to control VoiceOver.
To open VoiceOver Utility, press Command-F5 to turn VoiceOver on, then press VO-F8.
Note: VO represents the VoiceOver modifier.
Login Greeting | The text VoiceOver speaks when you log in while VoiceOver is on. To change the greeting, type new text over the default text. |
Display welcome dialog when VoiceOver starts | Display the welcome dialog each time VoiceOver is turned on. |
Keys to use as the VoiceOver modifier | The modifier keys to use for entering VoiceOver commands. VoiceOver commands often appear as VO-key, as in VO-H. VO represents the VoiceOver modifier you select from the pop-up menu. To use the command VO-H, you would press Caps Lock-H or Control-Option-H, depending on the VoiceOver modifier. |
Portable Preferences | VoiceOver indicates whether it detects a portable preferences drive. You can stop or start using a detected drive, or set up a drive. |
Allow VoiceOver to be controlled with AppleScript | Use AppleScript scripts to automate VoiceOver tasks. |