Appendix B. VoiceOver Utility Options

Login Greeting

The text VoiceOver speaks when you log in while VoiceOver is on. To change the greeting, type new text over the default text.

Display welcome dialog when VoiceOver starts

Select the checkbox to display the dialog each time VoiceOver starts.

Portable Preferences

VoiceOver indicates whether it detects a portable preferences drive. Click one of these buttons:

Set Up: To create and use a portable preferences drive.

Stop: To stop using the detected portable preferences drive.

Start: To start using the detected portable preferences drive.

Allow VoiceOver to be controlled with AppleScript

Select the checkbox to be able to use AppleScript scripts to automate VoiceOver tasks.

Default Verbosity

From the pop-up menu, choose the default verbosity level for hearing about items on the screen.

Details

Click the Details disclosure triangle to display a list of controls for which you can individually set the verbosity level. From a control’s Verbosity pop-up menu, choose a verbosity level for the control: Default, Low, Medium, High.

To customize or reorder the information VoiceOver reads (for example, to hear Status first), choose Custom from the pop-up menu, and then follow the instructions that are displayed.

Punctuation

From the pop-up menu, choose how much punctuation you want to hear:

All: Hear all special symbols and punctuation except for spaces. VoiceOver reads a sentence like this, “She turned and stopped comma then started walking again period”

Most: Hear all special symbols but not common punctuation, such as the comma and period.

Some: Hear keyboard symbols and many math symbols, such as + (plus) sign.

None: Hear text as you would normally read it, with pauses for commas and periods.

Repeated Punctuation

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear repeated punctuation: always or a specific number of times.

While typing speak

From the pop-up menu, choose what you want to hear while typing (called the “typing echo”): Characters, Words, Characters and Words, Nothing.

Characters is the default setting. VoiceOver speaks a word when you enter a space after the last character or end a sentence with punctuation. It speaks a partially completed word if you pause while typing.

When moving the cursor

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear text when moving the VoiceOver cursor: “Speak text the cursor passes” or “Speak text to the right of the cursor.”

When text attributes changes

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear changes in text attributes: Do Nothing, Play Tone, Speak Attributes.

When encountering a misspelled word

Choose how you want to hear misspelled words:

Do Nothing: Hear the word.

Play Tone: Hear a sound effect.

Speak Attributes: Hear “misspelled” and then the word.

When encountering a link

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear links:

Speak Link: Hear “link” and then the link text.

Change Pitch: Hear the link text in a different voice pitch than unlinked text.

Play Tone: Hear a sound effect.

Do Nothing: Hear the link text.

Read numbers as

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear numbers: Words or Digits.

When reading a capital letter

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear uppercase letters or words that start with uppercase letters, depending on your settings for typing echo:

Change Pitch: Hear the letter or word in a different voice pitch than lowercase text.

Play Tone: Hear a sound effect.

Speak Cap: Hear “cap” and then the letter or word.

Do Nothing: Hear the letter or word.

When deleting text

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear text that you’re deleting:

Change Pitch: Hear the text you’re deleting in a different voice pitch than other text.

Play Tone: Hear a sound effect.

Speak: Hear “deleting” and then the text you’re deleting.

Do Nothing: Hear the text you’re deleting.

Words are separated by

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear word separations: “Punctuation and whitespace” or Whitespace.

Announce when mouse cursor enters a window

Select the checkbox to hear when the mouse cursor goes to a window. This setting is useful if you’re using the mouse cursor independently of the VoiceOver cursor and keyboard focus.

Announce when a modifier key is pressed

Select the checkbox to hear when you press a modifier key. This setting is useful while you’re still learning VoiceOver commands and want to confirm the keys you’re pressing.

Announce when the Caps Lock key is pressed

Select the checkbox to hear when you press the key that makes all letters uppercase. This setting is useful for when you press the key inadvertently and are typing everything in uppercase.

Speak header when navigating across a table row

Select the checkbox to hear header text in a table row. This setting is useful for identifying the type of content in a row.

Automatically speak text in dialog boxes

Select the checkbox to hear labels and other text in dialogs.

When status text changes under VoiceOver cursor

Choose how you want to hear status text changes, such as software installation percentages, from the pop-up menu: Play Tone, Speak Text, Do Nothing.

When progress indicator changes under VoiceOver cursor

Choose how you want to hear progress indicator changes from the pop-up menu: Play Tone, Speak Update, Do Nothing.

Speak size and position in

Choose how you want to hear size and position from the pop-up menu: Inches, Millimeters, Pixels.

Speak text under mouse after delay

Drag the slider toward Short or Long to specify how many seconds you want VoiceOver to wait before it speaks the text that’s under the mouse cursor.

Speak instructions for using the item in the VoiceOver cursor

Select the checkbox to have VoiceOver automatically read instructions, if available, for the item.

When an item has a help tag

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to hear the descriptions (called “help tags” or “tooltips”) that are displayed when the pointer rests briefly over an item: Do Nothing, Speak Notification, Speak Help Tag (the default setting).

Speak hints after delay

Drag the slider toward Short or Long to set how many seconds VoiceOver waits before it speaks the hint for the item under the mouse cursor.

Mute Speech

Select the checkbox to turn off speech without affecting VoiceOver sound effects or the audio of other applications.

Voice

From the pop-up menu, choose a default voice for VoiceOver, such as Alex. To choose different voices for specific items, such as status or attributes, click the disclosure triangle.

Rate

Click the up or down arrow on the stepper to set the speed at which a voice speaks.

Pitch

Click the up or down arrow on the stepper to set how high or low a voice speaks.

Volume

Click the up or down arrow on the stepper to set how loudly or softly a voice speaks.

Intonation

Click the up or down arrow on the stepper to set how a voice rises and falls as it speaks.

Text

Indicates the text you want VoiceOver to pronounce in a certain way when it reads it.

To change the current text, navigate to it and press VO-Space bar.

Substitution

Indicates how you want VoiceOver to pronounce the text.

To change the current substitution, navigate to it and press VO-Space bar.

Application

Indicates the application where the substitution is used.

To change the application, from the pop-up menu, choose a different application or all currently open applications (the default). The menu lists only applications that are currently open.

Ignore Case

Select the checkbox to ignore capitalization. If VoiceOver is set to indicate capitalization when speaking, you might want to ignore uppercase and lowercase in your pronunciations.

Add (+) button

Click the button to add a substitution to the list.

Remove (-) button

Click the button to remove the selected substitution from the list.

Initial position of VoiceOver cursor

From the pop-up menu, choose the initial position of the VoiceOver cursor in a new window: “Keyboard focused item” or “First item in window.”

Keyboard focus follows VoiceOver cursor

Select the checkbox to make the keyboard focus follow wherever the VoiceOver cursor goes whenever possible.

VoiceOver cursor follows keyboard focus

Select the checkbox to make the VoiceOver cursor follow wherever the keyboard focus goes. When this option and the previous option are selected, VoiceOver cursor tracking is on.

Insertion point follows VoiceOver cursor

Select the checkbox to make the insertion point follow wherever the VoiceOver cursor goes.

VoiceOver cursor follows insertion point

Select the checkbox to make the VoiceOver cursor follow wherever the insertion point goes.

Mouse cursor

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want the mouse cursor to follow the VoiceOver cursor: “Ignores VoiceOver cursor,” “Follows VoiceOver cursor,” “Moves VoiceOver cursor.”

The default setting is “Ignores VoiceOver cursor.”

Allow cursor wrapping

Select the checkbox to wrap the VoiceOver cursor up, down, left, and right in a continuous loop when you’re navigating.

Skip redundant labels

Select this checkbox to hear duplicate labels only once.

Automatically interact when using tab key

Select the checkbox to be able to use VoiceOver to interact with items you tab to without first having to use VO-Shift-Down Arrow.

Navigate webpages by

Choose a method for navigating webpages from the radio buttons:

DOM order: Move the VoiceOver cursor through a webpage based on the page’s Document Object Model (DOM). Navigating by DOM moves left and right, in the order the webpage’s author intended. (Moving up and down in DOM mode is based on the current setting of the Web Item rotor).

Grouping items: Move the VoiceOver cursor from one group of information to the next, such as from one paragraph to the next paragraph. Navigating by group moves in any direction, to help give you a sense of context.

Speak webpage summary

Select the checkbox to have VoiceOver speak a summary (statistics) of the items on a webpage when the page opens. The summary is based on the items included in the Web Item rotor.

For example, if the rotor includes headers, links, auto web spots, and form controls, the webpage summary that VoiceOver speaks might sound like “The Apple - Accessibility page has 14 headers 52 links 8 auto web spots 1 form control.”

Move the VoiceOver cursor to it

Select the checkbox to position the VoiceOver cursor on the first item or the sweet spot (if one exists) when a webpage opens.

Automatically speak the webpage

Select the checkbox to have VoiceOver start speaking a webpage when the page opens. If you set a sweet spot on the page, VoiceOver starts reading from the sweet spot; otherwise, it starts reading from the beginning of the page.

This option is available only if you’ve selected the previous option to move the VoiceOver cursor to the first link.

Group items within

Select the checkbox to hear a summary of a table and a summary of each cell as you navigate the table using the arrow keys. This option is useful if you’re familiar with a table and don’t need to read its contents. If you do want to read the contents of a cell, you must interact with it using VoiceOver commands.

When the checkbox isn’t selected, you automatically interact with a table and read its contents, cell by cell, as you navigate the table using the arrow keys.

Speak column and row numbers

Select the checkbox to have VoiceOver speak the column and row numbers in tables to help you navigate complex tables more easily. This option is on by default.

Navigate images

Choose how you want VoiceOver to navigate images from the pop-up menu: Never, With Descriptions, Always.

By default, VoiceOver navigates only to images that contain a description, called “alt text.” This option is useful because many websites use images for links.

Web Item Rotor includes

From the pop-up menu, choose the items (such as headers, frames, or tables) to include in the Web Item rotor. By default, all of the items are included.

Mute sound effects

Select the checkbox to turn off sound effects without affecting VoiceOver speech or the audio of other applications.

Enable positional audio

Select the checkbox to add audio cues that help you locate items on the screen. The cues play in stereo; you need a pair of earbuds or stereo headphones, or standard stereo speakers, to hear them. Positional audio is on by default.

Show VoiceOver cursor

Select the checkbox to show the VoiceOver cursor (the default setting). The VoiceOver cursor appears as a dark outlined box.

VoiceOver Cursor Magnification

Drag the slider toward Small or Large to decrease or increase the size of the VoiceOver cursor.

When reading text, move VoiceOver cursor by

From the pop-up menu, choose how the VoiceOver cursor should move while reading: Sentence, Word.

Show caption panel

Select the checkbox to display the caption panel.

Caption Panel Font Size

Drag the slider toward Small or Large to set the font size in the caption panel.

Rows in Caption Panel

Drag the slider toward 1 or 10 to remove or add rows, changing the height of the panel.

Caption Panel Transparency

Drag the slider toward 0 percent or 100 percent to decrease or increase the panel’s transparency. If you increase the transparency, the panel’s background color becomes lighter and you can more easily see the screen behind the panel.

Show Braille Panel

From the pop-up menu, choose how you want to display the braille panel: Off, On, Automatic. When set to the default setting Automatic, the braille panel is displayed when you connect a refreshable braille display to your computer.

Braille Font Color

From the pop-up menu, choose a color for displaying text in the braille panel.

Braille Panel Font Size

Drag the slider toward Small or Large to set the font size in the braille panel.

Braille Panel Transparency

Drag the slider toward 0 percent or 100 percent to decrease or increase the panel’s transparency. If you increase the transparency, the panel’s background color becomes lighter and you can more easily see the screen behind the panel.

Background Transparency

Drag the slider toward 0 percent or 100 percent to decrease or increase the transparency of the dimmed background around the focus area. If you increase the transparency, the background color becomes lighter and you can more easily see the rest of the screen.

VoiceOver Menus Font Size

Drag the slider toward Small or Large to set the font size used in VoiceOver menus.

VoiceOver Menus Transparency

Drag the slider toward 0 percent or 100 percent to decrease or increase the transparency of the menus. If you increase the transparency, a menu’s background color becomes lighter and you can more easily see the screen behind the menu.

Enable NumPad Commander

Select the checkbox to enable the NumPad Commander.

When the NumPad Commander is enabled, you can’t use Mouse Keys, a Universal Access feature in Mac OS X.

Modifier pop-up menu

From the pop-up menu, choose a modifier key to increase the number of numeric keys you can assign VoiceOver commands to.

Numpad Key

Indicates the numeric keypad key you’ve assigned a VoiceOver command to.

Command

Indicates the VoiceOver command currently assigned to a numeric keypad key.

Click the current command to display pop-up menus for the different types of commands you can assign to a key.

Enable Keyboard Commander

Select the checkbox to enable the Keyboard Commander so you can assign VoiceOver commands to keyboard keys.

Use Left Option Key or Right Option key

Click the checkbox to use either the left or right Option key as the designated Keyboard Commander modifier.

Keyboard Key

Double click a key and type a new key to assign to the VoiceOver command that’s displayed.

Command

From the pop-up menus, choose a different command to assign to the key that’s displayed.

Add (+) button

Click the button to add a key to the list. Then from the pop-up menus, type the key and choose a VoiceOver command to assign to it.

Remove (-) button

Click the button to delete a key from the list.

Enable Trackpad Commander

Select the checkbox to use standard Voiceover gestures and assign VoiceOver commands to other gestures.

Automatically select items in lists and tables

Select the checkbox to have VoiceOver automatically select the list or table item you’re touching when you lift your finger from the trackpad.

If you don’t want VoiceOver to select an item, drag your finger off the list or table before lifting your finger.

Pause speech when not touching the trackpad

Select this checkbox to have VoiceOver pause speech when you lift your finger off the trackpad while dragging. For example, if you’re dragging a finger on the trackpad to navigate lines of text and you lift your finger, VoiceOver pauses speech.

Scroll gesture moves content instead of scroll bar

Select this checkbox to scroll the content (not the scroll bar) down or up.

Normally when you move the scroll bar down or up, the content moves in the opposite direction. When this option is selected, the content moves in the same direction you’re scrolling.

Assign Commands

Click the button to display the pane in which you assign VoiceOver commands to gestures.

Modifier pop-up menu

From the pop-up menu, choose the modifier key you want to use with gestures. By default, Command is used.

Trackpad Gesture

Indicates the gestures you can assign VoiceOver commands to.

Command

Click the command field to display pop-up menus for the different types of commands you can assign to a gesture.

Braille Display

VoiceOver indicates the braille display it detects.

Braille Translation

Choose a translation to use for showing output from the pop-up menu.

Show Contracted Braille

Select the checkbox to show output in contracted braille. The default setting is uncontracted braille.

When using contracted braille, VoiceOver automatically uncontracts the word in the VoiceOver cursor so you can edit it more precisely, and then contracts the word when the VoiceOver cursor leaves it.

Use dots 7 and 8 to indicate cursor

Select the checkbox to raise dots 7 and 8 to indicate the position of the VoiceOver cursor.

This option is selected by default.

Status cells

Select checkboxes for the status cells you want to use.

Show general display status: Show information about the direction in which to pan the current line and about announcements.

Show text style: Show common text styles, such as bold or italic font.

Show extended text style: Show less common text styles, such as strikethrough or superscript.

Show status on the

Select a radio button to use cells to the left or right of the braille line as the status cells.

Use this setting only if your braille display does not provide dedicated status cells.

Display list

VoiceOver lists the braille displays it has detected.

The list indicates the primary device and disconnected devices, as well as devices physically connected to your computer (USB symbol) and Bluetooth devices paired with your computer (Bluetooth symbol).

Display information

VoiceOver shows information about the display selected in the list, such as the number of cells and status cells.

Assign Commands

Click the button to assign VoiceOver commands to keys on your braille display.

Primary braille display

Select the checkbox to use the selected braille display as the primary display for mirroring.

Add (+) and Remove (-) buttons

Click Add to set up a Bluetooth braille display to use with VoiceOver, or click Remove to delete a Bluetooth braille display from the list. You can use one Bluetooth braille display at a time.

Only allow input from primary braille display when mirroring

Select the checkbox to accept input only from the primary display, and prevent input from each braille display that’s connected to your computer.

For example, if you’re in a classroom setting where students’ braille displays are connected to the computer, you can prevent accidental input from those displays, limiting input only to the instructor’s display.