

The Option key is immediately to the left of the Command key on the left side of the space bar, and the Control key is one further left. (The Command keys are immediately to the right and left of the space bar.)Īll VoiceOver commands use the Control and Option keys. (Microsoft has Narrator, but it doesn't have all the desired features.) VoiceOver can be toggled on and off with Command + F5. This is different than most PC screen readers, which are third party applications. VoiceOver, the Apple screen reader, comes pre-installed on all iOS devices and Mac computers.

I am using a MacBook Air running Mac OS X Mountain Lion. There are some similarities between Mac and Windows commands, which can make the transition from PC to Mac a bit easier. This article will discuss how to accomplish these tasks on a Mac. See the VoiceOver User Guide.As with any screen reader, VoiceOver has its own set of commands for accomplishing specific tasks, such as editing text, reading documents, and finding specific words. You can also use VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader for macOS, to hear descriptions of every item on the screen and to control your Mac using the keyboard. When you’re done choosing options, click OK. You can use the controller to pause, resume, or stop the speaking, change the speaking rate, and skip ahead or backward in the text. The controller is especially useful when your Mac is reading long pieces of text. Show Controller: Click the pop-up menu to choose to automatically show the controller when you press the keyboard shortcut, or to never or always show it. Sentence Style: Click the pop-up menu to have spoken sentences indicated by an underline or with a background color. If you don’t want spoken content highlighted, choose None from the Highlight Content pop-up menu. Click the Word Color and Sentence Color pop-up menus to choose the highlight color. Highlight Content: Click the pop-up menu, then choose to have words, sentences, or both highlighted as your Mac speaks. For example, press the Option and Tab keys together to set the keyboard shortcut as Option+Tab. Keyboard Shortcut: Press the key combination you want to use. To set a different keyboard shortcut and change other settings, click the Info button next to “Speak selection”: (You may need to scroll down.)īy default, your Mac speaks text when you press the keyboard shortcut Option-Esc. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Accessibility in the sidebar. Get started with accessibility features.Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites.Watch and listen together with SharePlay.Share and collaborate on files and folders.Sync music, books, and more between devices.Make and receive phone calls on your Mac.Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad.Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo.Make it easier to see what’s on the screen.Install and reinstall apps from the App Store.
