macOS Sequoia: New Features, Changes, Improvements, and Bugs for Blind and Low Vision Users

Apple has today released macOS 15 Sequoia to the public. As usual, we won’t cover the mainstream features here, concentrating instead on what's new and changed for blind and low vision users. For an overview of the mainstream changes, we recommend this in-depth review by MacStories.

Please remember to check the section about bugs to see if now is the right time to upgrade. There’s no harm in holding off a few weeks or months to let Apple address a problem you may find too disruptive to deal with.

A note to braille users: the AppleVis team members doing testing with macOS Sequoia are not heavy braille users. We have no information as to how well braille works in this release, so please keep this in mind when upgrading. If you are a braille user who has experience with Sequoia, please share your findings in the comments to help the community.

Changes for Blind and Low Vision Users

Last year Apple brought Quick Nav changes, per voice settings, and Siri voice improvements to macOS Sonoma. This year, macOS Sequoia brings some more changes and a handful of bug fixes.

Command customization

With macOS Sequoia, VoiceOver commands have become vastly more customizable, with the ability to change the assignments of many commands, and create your own assignments using the VoiceOver modifier in addition to the numpad, trackpad, left or right Option key, and single keys. An extensive list of commands can be viewed and changed in VoiceOver Utility > Commands. This new command customization facility replaces the distinct "Commanders" found in prior versions of macOS.

For an audio demonstration of this feature, check out the AppleVis Podcast episode "A Demonstration and Walkthrough of VoiceOver Command Customization on macOS."

Customizable voice rotor

As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia allows you to change the voices that appear in the voice rotor, one of the speech rotors accessed by pressing VO-Command-Shift-left or right arrow. You can add or remove voices in any language in VoiceOver Utility > Speech > Voices.

Personal voice for VoiceOver and Spoken Content

As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can now use your personal voice as the voice for VoiceOver and Spoken Content in macOS Sequoia. Your personal voice can be set up by going to System Settings > Accessibility > Personal Voice.

New language support

As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia adds new Kazakh and Lithuanian voices that can be used with VoiceOver and Spoken Content.

New VoiceOver tutorial

In macOS Sequoia, the longstanding VoiceOver Quick Start has been replaced by a new VoiceOver tutorial, similar to that found on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. Like the VoiceOver Quick Start in prior versions of macOS, the new VoiceOver tutorial can be accessed by going to System Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver, or by pressing VO-Command-F8 from anywhere in the operating system.

Braille Improvements

While it is not something we have been able to test, we are aware of the following improvement for braille users in macOS Sequoia:

• As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can now specify different braille tables for input and output in macOS Sequoia. This can be configured by going to VoiceOver Utility > Braille > Translation, deselecting the "Match input and output tables" checkbox, and choosing your desired tables from the respective "input" and "output" popup menus. Note that you may need to first add the tables to the braille table rotor by clicking the Add button in voiceOver Utility > Braille > Translation before they will appear in the popup menus.

Improvements for Low Vision Users

While it is not something we have been able to test, we are aware of the following improvements for low vision users:

• As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can now turn off the blinking cursor in macOS Sequoia. Just go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display, and toggle the "Prefer non-blinking cursor" switch on.
• The number of apps supporting custom text sizes has expanded to include Books, News, Stocks, and Weather. These settings can be found in System Settings > Accessibility > Display.

If you are a low vision Mac user, we would love to hear in the comments your experience and thoughts on these and any additional enhancements you encounter in macOS Sequoia.

Other Changes

• The speech rates for many voices have been altered slightly in macOS Sequoia, meaning you may need to readjust the rate for your preferred voice after installing the upgrade to make it comfortable for you. In addition, it is no longer possible to adjust the speech rate by any interval other than five. It is not currently known whether this change is intensional or not.
• As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, new "Night" and "fire" background sounds have been introduced in macOS Sequoia. These, and other background sounds, can be found in System Settings > Accessibility > Audio.
• As on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, custom phrases or utterances, known as Vocal Shortcuts, can be configured in macOS Sequoia to perform a variety of tasks on your Mac. Apple touts this feature as being useful for those with atypical speech.

Change List

In its support documentation, Apple lists the following changes for VoiceOver users in macOS Sequoia:

• The Languages rotor is now called the Voice rotor. Use the Voice rotor to switch between voices, regardless of language. VoiceOver also offers new voices for Arabic, Chinese, English, Hebrew, Japanese, and Korean.
• The Commanders category in VoiceOver Utility is now called the Commands category. You can use it to customize the commands you use to control VoiceOver. You can customize the commands you use with the VoiceOver modifier, as well as the commands you use with NumPad keys, Option keys, Quick Nav, or trackpad gestures.
• When you interact with nested content, you sometimes need to press VO-Shift-Down Arrow multiple times to drill down into, for example, a group contained inside another group. When you’re done exploring nested content in an app, you can now press VO-Shift-Escape to jump to the app’s top level, instead of needing to press VO-Shift-Up Arrow multiple times.
• You can now start VoiceOver in Recovery Mode so you can temporarily use VoiceOver with the default settings. This can be useful if you change a setting by mistake and VoiceOver no longer works as you expect. In Recovery Mode, you can use VoiceOver Utility to change settings as needed or restore VoiceOver settings to their defaults.
• If your Mac has a built-in trackpad, you can now set an option to disable it when VoiceOver is on. This may be useful if you want to avoid accidentally performing gestures on the trackpad.
• VoiceOver offers a redesigned interactive tutorial.
• VoiceOver offers support for two additional languages—Kazakh and Lithuanian.

Bug Fixes and New Bugs for VoiceOver Users

Below are lists of the bugs we believe to have been resolved in macOS Sequoia, as well as new bugs introduced in this release. We strongly recommend that you read through the list of new bugs and any replies before updating; as this will allow you to make an informed decision on whether to install macOS Sequoia or wait for a future release.

With our small team, it's impossible to test every Mac model, configuration, application, and use case. We can't claim our bug list is comprehensive or that our assessments are infallible. Some issues may manifest only under specific conditions - you likely won't experience every bug. Also, expect to encounter problems not listed that we missed in our testing.

To ensure the information here is as complete and accurate as possible, we welcome feedback below from those who have installed macOS Sequoia. Please confirm if you're encountering the same problems listed or if you've found workarounds. Also let us know about any additional issues not mentioned here. Of course, it's even more important that you report any new bugs directly to Apple - they're already aware of the ones listed here. For an explanation of why and how to report bugs to Apple, see this post.

Accessibility Bugs Resolved in macOS Sequoia

Our testing indicates that Apple has resolved the following bugs in macOS Sequoia:

• The process for generating a strong password in Safari has changed, with VoiceOver no longer losing focus after clicking the "Use strong password" button in password fields. Now, to generate a strong password in Safari, focus on a password field, press the Down-Arrow key to focus on the "Use strong password" option, and press Return.
• When focusing on a message in the Messages app and pressing VO-Shift-M, the "Tapback" submenu is now accessible with VoiceOver.
• Widget suggestions in the "Edit widgets" interface are now clearly labeled.

New Bugs for VoiceOver Users in macOS Sequoia

Our testing suggests that the following bugs have been introduced in macOS Sequoia:

• During regular use such as email or web browsing, VoiceOver will frequently crash and restart itself. This appears to be limited to Intel based Macs.
• iPhone Mirroring is completely inaccessible with VoiceOver. Even when turning VoiceOver off in order to pass keyboard commands to the iPhone, only the iOS VoiceOver navigation sounds are played through the Mac, not speech as would be expected. As audio from the iPhone can be played to the Mac, and the Mac’s keyboard can be used to control the iPhone, it is our position that the user should be able to hear iOS VoiceOver audio through their Mac, and use their Mac’s keyboard to navigate the iOS user interface.
• Nothing happens when pressing VO-Space on the “Page menu” and “show Reader appearance customization options” buttons in Safari's toolbar. To click this button, Focus on it, route the mouse pointer to it by pressing VO-Command-F5, and press VO-Shift-Space to click the mouse.
• When focusing on a shared group in the Passwords sidebar table, the number of items in the group are spoken, but not the group’s name. Pressing VO-F2 will cause VoiceOver to speak the window title, which is named after the currently selected group.
• When focusing on an account in the table in Passwords and pressing VO-J, VoiceOver focus sometimes moves to the search field in the toolbar, rather than the scroll area displaying information for that account. When this occurs, pressing VO-J a second time will move VoiceOver focus from the search field to the scroll area.
• When performing VoiceOver’s “Speak Wi-Fi status” command, (VO-F7 three times by default) the signal strength is spoken, but not the name of the connected network.

macOS Sequoia release notes

macOS Sequoia introduces new features to help you be more productive and creative on Mac. With the latest Continuity feature, iPhone Mirroring, you can access your entire iPhone on Mac. It’s easy to tile windows to quickly create your ideal workspace, and you can even see what you’re about to share while presenting with Presenter Overlay. A big update to Safari features Distraction Control, Highlights, and a redesigned Reader, making it easy to get things done while you browse the web. macOS Sequoia also brings text effects and emoji Tapbacks to Messages, Math Notes to Calculator, the ability to plan a hike in Maps, and so much more.

iPhone Mirroring

• iPhone Mirroring lets you access and control your iPhone on Mac, giving you a convenient way to browse your Home Screen, launch iPhone apps, and interact with them on Mac
• Keyboard and trackpad support enables you to type and use Multi-Touch gestures to swipe through apps on your Home Screen, pinch to zoom, and scroll in apps
• iPhone Notifications on Mac allow you to view and take action on notifications from iPhone right on your Mac

Easier window tiling

• Tiled window enhancements make it easier to arrange windows by dragging them to the screen’s edge to place them side-by-side or in corners on your desktop
• Keyboard and menu shortcuts can be used to arrange windows into tiled positions even faster

Safari

• Distraction Control helps you hide items on a webpage that you find disruptive to your browsing
• Highlights surface key information from the webpage you’re visiting with summaries, locations, and more
• Redesigned Reader offers even more ways to enjoy articles with a streamlined view of the article you’re reading, a summary, and a table of contents for longer articles
• Viewer lets you watch videos without distractions, and automatically moves videos into Picture-in-Picture when you click away from the page

Passwords

• Passwords app lets you see all your credentials for websites and apps in one place, making it even easier to access your passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes
• Verification codes can be set up right in Passwords so you can easily copy them or autofill them into Safari without even having to open the app
• Secure syncing ensures your accounts saved in Passwords sync seamlessly with iCloud with end-to-end encryption so you can access them on your other devices
• Windows support through the iCloud Passwords app so you can access your passwords on Windows devices

Video Conferencing

• Presenter Overlay lets you preview your screen before sharing it in video calls
• Play preview gives you a preview of where your content and presenter notes will be when you click Play in Keynote
• Background replacement allows you to upload your own photo or choose from several built-in options to use as your video call background

Messages

• Text effects bring your conversations to life by visually amplifying any letter, word, phrase, or emoji in iMessage with dynamic, animated effects like explode, ripple, and nod
• Text formatting lets you add bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough to any letter, word, or phrase in iMessage
• Emoji and sticker Tapbacks let you react to a message using any emoji or sticker, giving you access to the Tapbacks you and your friends send the most with just a swipe
• Send Later lets you compose a message now and schedule it to send later

Maps

• Topographic maps display features like trails, contour lines, elevation, and points of interest
• Hikes are available across all U.S. national parks and can be saved to your device to access while offline
• Custom walking and hiking routes can be created for hikes in the park, regular exercise routines in your neighborhood, walking tours while on vacation, and more
• Places Library combines all your saved places, guides, and hiking routes into one location for easy access

Notes

• Audio recordings can be started right from inside a note, and kept with related comments, checklists, and documents
• Live transcriptions show as you record audio, and transcripts are fully searchable so you can always find what you need
• Math in Notes let you enter expressions in your note to have them solve instantly
• Collapsible sections help you simplify and hide text in long notes; just click next to a section header to lighten up your most text-heavy notes
• Highlight text in your note with a choice of five colors allows you to make your text standout

Photos

• Collections automatically organize your library by helpful topics in the sidebar, like Days, Trips, People & Pets, and Featured Photos
• Groups in People & Pets include photos of your favorite people or pets who frequently appear together
• Video speed control lets you slow down high frame rate video content with in and out points
• Utilities includes additional helpful collections like Documents, Receipts, and more, and items you’ve recently edited, viewed, and shared
• Recovered album in Utilities surfaces images that are on your device but were not previously visible due to database corruption in a locked album

Apple TV app

• Subtitles automatically appear at just the right times, like when the content language doesn’t match your device language, when you mute the audio, or when you skip back while watching a program

AirPods

• Hands-free Siri Interactions let you respond to Siri announcements with AirPods by simply nodding your head ‘yes’ or shaking your head ‘no’
• Voice Isolation on AirPods Pro provides clearer call quality for those you are speaking with, even in windy conditions or places with loud background noise
• Personalized Spatial Audio for gaming with AirPods puts you in the middle of the action with sound that surrounds you combined with a new API for developers that makes it easier than ever to enable

This release also includes other features and improvements:

• Updated basic and scientific calculators in Calculator app can now solve expressions, convert units, and access a history of past calculations
• Reminders in Calendar lets you create, view, edit and complete reminders alongside your meetings and appointments
• Recently Deleted list in Reminders lets you view and retrieve deleted reminders
• Scenes in Freeform allow you to organize your content into sections, then save, label and order them as you like
• Feels Like temperature in Weather app is displayed prominently near the actual temperature when they differ significantly
• Guest access in Home app lets you provide visitors with date and time- based access to locks, garage doors, and alarm systems
• Electricity usage and rate plan information in Home app are displayed for eligible customers when connecting their utility account, starting with Pacific Gas and Electric Company in California
• Accessibility Vocal Shortcuts help people with severe atypical speech record custom utterances that trigger specific actions on Mac

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices.

For more information, please visit this website: https://www.apple.com/macos/macos-sequoia

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100

In Closing

macOS Sequoia is a solid upgrade that adds a few new features and enhancements for blind and low vision users. We encountered no show-stopping bugs in this version of macOS. Our recommendation is to update when you're ready. You may want to give developers time to update their apps and others opportunity to find the bugs or other problems we missed, but we believe most users should be okay to update now.

We'd love to hear your thoughts after you've had a chance to install the upgrade. What new features do you find most useful? Are there any changes you don't like? Please share your feedback in the comments below. Let us know what Apple got right with this release and where you think there's still room for improvement.

In closing, we thank Apple's Accessibility team for their prompt response in fixing many of the bugs reported during the macOS Sequoia beta cycle. However, some problems remain unresolved, and we find the fact that a headlining feature of this release, iPhone Mirroring, is completely inaccessible with VoiceOver incredibly disappointing. We encourage Apple to promptly address this and other outstanding accessibility issues discussed in this post and the comments below so that macOS can be as accessible, usable, and enjoyable as possible for all users.

To install macOS Sequoia, choose System Settings from the Apple menu, select General in the table, click Software Update in the scroll area, and click the Upgrade Now button to begin the upgrade process. If other updates are available, you can click "More info" to see details about them and select specific updates to install.

More information on how to update the software on your Mac is available on this Apple Support page.