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
Use the Dock
Use the Dock to open apps, documents, folders, or stacks.
If Trackpad Commander is enabled, you can use gestures when navigating and using the Dock.
Note: VO represents the VoiceOver modifier.
Navigate the Dock
To move the VoiceOver cursor to the Dock, press VO-D, or double-tap near the bottom edge of the trackpad.
To move in the Dock, use the arrow keys, or flick or drag up, down, left, or right on the trackpad.
Type the name of an app or folder. For example, to move the VoiceOver cursor to Mail, start typing its name.
To exit the Dock, press the Escape key or Fn-Tab, or scrub back and forth with two fingers on the trackpad.
Use items in the Dock
To move an item, hold down the Option key and use the arrow keys to move the item. Each arrow key press moves it one place.
To open an item, press VO-Space bar, or double-tap on the trackpad.
To open a shortcut menu for an item, press VO-Shift-M, then use the arrow keys to move up and down the shortcut menu. To close the shortcut menu without making a selection, press the Escape key or Fn-Tab.
To add an item, navigate to the item in the Finder or on the desktop, then press Control-Shift-Command-T.
To remove an item, open its shortcut menu (VO-Shift-M), then choose Remove from Dock.