Common braille commands for VoiceOver on your Mac

Use these default commands to control VoiceOver on your Mac with a supported braille display.

View and customise braille commands

  1. Connect the braille display to your Mac.

  2. Open VoiceOver Utility.

  3. Select Braille, then click the Displays tab.

Install the latest macOS updates to ensure your braille display is using the correct table.

Navigation

VoiceOver action

Display key

Move to previous item

Dot 1 + Space bar

Move to next item

Dot 4 + Space bar

Move up

Dot 3 + Space bar

Move down

Dot 6 + Space bar

Go to first item

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Space bar

Go to last item

Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Start Interacting

Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Stop Interacting

Dot 3 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Item Chooser

Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Find

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Go to Menu bar

+ Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Open Shortcut Menu

Dot 2 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Escape

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Space bar

Scrolling

VoiceOver action

Display key

Scroll left one page

Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Scroll right one page

1 + Dot 3 + Dot + Dot 5 + Space bar

Scroll up one page

Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Scroll down one page

Dot 1 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Speak page number or rows being displayed

Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Rotor

VoiceOver action

Display key

Select previous rotor setting

Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Space bar

Select next rotor setting

Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Interaction

VoiceOver action

Display key

Perform action for item

Dot 3 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Increase Volume

+ Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Decrease Volume

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Reading

VoiceOver action

Display key

Read page starting at the top

Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Read contents of the VoiceOver Cursor

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Read text attributes

+ Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Editing

VoiceOver action

Display key

Select all

Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Select left

Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Select right

Dot 2 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Control

VoiceOver action

Display key

Open VoiceOver Utility

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Toggle Screen Curtain on and off

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar

Pause or continue speech

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Toggle speech on or off

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Space bar

Open VoiceOver Help

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Keyboard Help

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Space bar

Create custom label

1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot + Dot 6 + Space bar

Toggle QuickNav

Dot 1+ Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Braille

VoiceOver action

Display key

Pan braille to the left

Dot 2 + Space bar

Pan braille to the right

Dot 5 + Space bar

Toggle announcement history

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Translate

Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Delete key

Dot 1 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Return key

Dot 1 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Tab key

+ Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

Switch between contracted and uncontracted braille

Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar

8-dot

VoiceOver action

Display key

Go to Desktop

Dot 2 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Keyboard Help

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Dot 7 - Space bar

Toggle Speech On or Off

Dot 1 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Shift key

Dot 4 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to toggle Shift key

Dot 4 + Dot 8 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Command key

Dot 1 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to toggle Command key

Dot 1 + Dot 8 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Control key

Dot 3 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to toggle Control key

Dot 3 + Dot 8 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Option key

Dot 2 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to toggle Option key

Dot 2 + Dot 8 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Fn key

Dot 5 + Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to toggle Fn key

Dot 5 + Dot 8 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Delete key

Dot 7

or

Dot 7 + Space bar

Map Braille key to Return Key

Dot 8

or

Dot 8 + Space bar

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