How to navigate the screen and interact with applications on a Mac
By Jacob Brent, 9 January, 2021
Forum
macOS and Mac Apps
Hi
I’m blind and I’m interested in purchasing a Mac, but I don’t know how to navigate the screen and interact with applications when using voice over.
All suggestions are welcome.
A lot of applications you will need to think outside the box. You see things like table with two columns fifteen rows. You then would press shift, and voice over, keys together, and down arrow. that would open the table. Then you can navigate it and choose selections. The tutorial with voice over you get when starting a new Mac might help. You also might want to try an older version to get your feet wet as it were. before you make such an upgrade. If you are comfortable with technology, jump face first. I did and haven't looked back. Now be warned. I'm not going to say the Mac is better then windows at anything. Each have their own strengths and weakness. For instance, PDF on the mac is god awful. I haven't used windows in six plus years, so I can't comment. But i'm not gonna badmouth it. Sorry for the length.
Apple's guide is a great place to start. It's broken down into common ways of interacting, from navigating through screens and apps, to manipulating files, to navigating the web, and much more. It's quite fast and easy once you get the hang of it.
When using VoiceOver, you hold the Control and Option keys down while you press the arrow keys to navigate. If you don't want to have to constantly hold Control and Option down, you can turn QuickNav on by just pressing the Left and Right arrows down together at the same time. That toggles QuickNav on and off. When it's on, the arrow keys act like you are always holding Control and Option down. Much easier to navigate that way in most instances.
Hi. i don't use it myself, Ifind it tempermental but hope it works for you. also if reaching for control and option kinda is a problem, you can alsu just sue the caps lock key. I like that much better. It's a jfw knockoff but what isn't in the tech industry? :)
their is a whole section for getting started with the Mac on this site. it's a heading level two abbot the latest posts and updates heading. good luck.
Comments
You're in for a learning curve
A lot of applications you will need to think outside the box. You see things like table with two columns fifteen rows. You then would press shift, and voice over, keys together, and down arrow. that would open the table. Then you can navigate it and choose selections. The tutorial with voice over you get when starting a new Mac might help. You also might want to try an older version to get your feet wet as it were. before you make such an upgrade. If you are comfortable with technology, jump face first. I did and haven't looked back. Now be warned. I'm not going to say the Mac is better then windows at anything. Each have their own strengths and weakness. For instance, PDF on the mac is god awful. I haven't used windows in six plus years, so I can't comment. But i'm not gonna badmouth it. Sorry for the length.
VoiceOver User Guide
https://support.apple.com/guide/voiceover/welcome/mac
Apple's guide is a great place to start. It's broken down into common ways of interacting, from navigating through screens and apps, to manipulating files, to navigating the web, and much more. It's quite fast and easy once you get the hang of it.
When using the arrow keys to…
When using the arrow keys to navigate, do I need to press control and option followed by the arrow keys?
Hold Ctrl-Option down
When using VoiceOver, you hold the Control and Option keys down while you press the arrow keys to navigate. If you don't want to have to constantly hold Control and Option down, you can turn QuickNav on by just pressing the Left and Right arrows down together at the same time. That toggles QuickNav on and off. When it's on, the arrow keys act like you are always holding Control and Option down. Much easier to navigate that way in most instances.
I don't use quick nav
Hi. i don't use it myself, Ifind it tempermental but hope it works for you. also if reaching for control and option kinda is a problem, you can alsu just sue the caps lock key. I like that much better. It's a jfw knockoff but what isn't in the tech industry? :)
That helps a lot. Thank you
That helps a lot. Thank you
podcasts that will help
their is a whole section for getting started with the Mac on this site. it's a heading level two abbot the latest posts and updates heading. good luck.
Here is a list of VoiceOver commands
Hello,
Here is a good list of all the VoiceOver commands on the Mac. It can be found here at the AppleVis site. Here is the link:'https://www.applevis.com/guides/complete-list-voiceover-keyboard-shortcuts-available-macos