Accessibility Keyboard preferences

Enable Accessibility Keyboard

Display and use the Accessibility Keyboard.

To use the Panel Editor to create custom panels that are available from the Accessibility Keyboard, click Panel Editor.

Fade panel after inactivity

After the specified period of inactivity, fade the keyboard by the specified percentage (at a lower percentage the keyboard is more visible, while at a higher percentage it’s less visible; at 100% it’s hidden). To make the keyboard fully visible again, move the pointer over the faded keyboard or, if it’s hidden, move the pointer.

This option is useful when you don’t need the keyboard for awhile, as when watching a movie, or when you want to see the part of the desktop that’s under the keyboard.

Play key sounds

Have the keys (except the Caps key) make a sound when selected.

Keys should be entered on

Input is entered or action taken on Mouse up or Mouse down.

Hot Corners

Set which action happens when you keep the pointer in a corner of the screen. Click the pop-up menu for a corner, then choose an action, such as Left Click.

When you use a hot corner to show the Accessibility Keyboard or a custom panel, you can choose to have it move to the hot corner or stay in its current location. If you don’t want it to move to the hot corner, deselect “Allow Panel to Follow Triggered Hot Corner.”

When you’re done setting hot corners, click OK.

Dwell Options

Set options for Dwell (when you hold the pointer over an item for a set amount of time without moving it). Dwell is useful when you use head or eye tracking technology.

Show dwell actions in panels

Show buttons for dwell actions across the top of the Accessibility Keyboard and custom panels.

Show dwell actions in menu bar

Show a status menu for dwell actions in the menu bar.

Always dwell in panels

Always use Dwell to select items in the Accessibility Keyboard and custom panels, even when Pause is selected in the menu bar or in the Options menu.

Left-click is the default action when dwelling in panels.

Zoom after

Show the zoom window after the pointer is idle for the specified amount of time. The window magnifies the area you dwell on and the pointer.

The size of the zoom window is based on the size set for picture-in-picture zoom. To check that setting, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Accessibility, then click Zoom.

Open the Zoom pane for me

In the pane, click the Zoom style pop-up menu, choose “Picture-in-picture,” click Options, then adjust the size.

Hide dwell time indicators

Hide the dwell pointer and the countdown when dwelling.

Dwell action

Choose the default action to perform when you dwell on an item—for example, right click, show the Scroll Menu, or drag and drop an item. Or choose to show the Options menu, which lets you switch between actions for one-time only use.

You can also choose an action from the dwell status menu, if it’s showing in the menu bar.

Auto revert to left click

After you select an action to perform, always make left click the next action performed.

This option is useful if you left-click items more often than you perform other actions.

Default dwell time

The amount of time to dwell on an item on the screen before an action is performed.

Panel dwell time

The amount of time to dwell on an item in a panel before a left-click action is performed.

Dwell movement tolerance

The distance, in pixels, you can move while dwelling on an item. If you move beyond this limit, the action isn’t performed.