VoiceOver Commands for Braille Devices

If you have a Braille display paired with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch that has a Braille keyboard, you can use VoiceOver to control your device almost entirely from the Braille display. In addition to entering text in apps like RTFC Translator, you can also enter VoiceOver commands.

VoiceOver commands are always entered by a specific dot combination on the Braille keyboard in combination with the space bar. A function is always triggered only when all braille keys are released. The space bar can remain pressed in order to be able to enter several commands in quick succession. When entering text, all braille keys must always be released so that the desired character appears.

The space bar is represented by SPC in the following tables. The numbers correspond to dots 1 to 8 on the Braille keyboard. Some of the key combinations are easy to memorize because they correspond to actual characters in Braille. An example are the clipboard functions, which can be executed with SPC+c, SPC+x or SPC+v.

Key Combination

Description

SPC+1

Move to previous item

SPC+4

Move to next item

SPC+1 2 3

Move to first item

SPC+4 5 6

Move to last item

SPC+2 4

Show item chooser

SPC+2 3 4

Move to status bar

SPC+4 6

Notification center

SPC+2 5

Control center

SPC+1 2

Back (depending on the current context)

SPC+3 5

Move to previous visible app (with split view on iPad)

SPC+2 6

Move to next visible app (with split view on iPad)

SPC+1 7

Move to previous container (iPad only)

SPC+4 7

Move to next container (iPad only)

Key Combination

Description

SPC+2 4 6

Scroll left

SPC+1 3 5

Scroll right

SPC+3 4 5 6 or

SPC+3 4 5 6 8

Scroll up

SPC+1 4 5 6 or

SPC+1 4 5 6 8

Scroll down

SPC+3 4

Read item summary

Key Combination

Description

SPC+3

Previous rotor item

SPC+6

Next rotor item

SPC+2 3

Previous rotor setting

SPC+5 6

Next rotor setting

Key Combination

Description

SPC+3 6

Activate item

SPC+1 2 5

Press home key

SPC+3 4 5

Press volume up

SPC+1 2 6

Press volume down

SPC+1 4 6

Hide/show screen keyboard

SPC+3 5 6

Preview item with 3D Touch

SPC+3 6 7 8

Perform long press

Key Combination

Description

SPC+1 2 3 5

Read from current item

SPC+2 4 5 6

Read from first item

Key Combination

Description

SPC+2 3 5 6

Select all

SPC+2 3 5

Select left

SPC+2 5 6

Select right

SPC+2 3 4 5

Forward tabulator

SPC+1 2 5 6

Backward tabulator

SPC+1 3 4 6

Cut

SPC+1 4

Copy

SPC+1 2 3 6

Paste

SPC+1 4 5

Press delete key

SPC+7

Press backspace key

SPC+1 5 or

SPC+8

Press enter key

SPC+1 3 5 6

Undo

SPC+2 3 4 6

Redo

SPC+1 2 4

Item text search

SPC+2 3 4 5 6

Read text style

SPC+1 5 6

Dictate (in input box)

Key Combination

Description

SPC+1 2 3 4 5 6

Toggle screen curtain

SPC+1 2 3 4

Toggle speech

SPC+1 3 4 or

SPC+1 3 4 7

Toggle mute

SPC+1 2 5 (twice)

App switcher

SPC+1 3 or

SPC+1 3 7

Start help

Stop with SPC+1 2

SPC+1 2 3 4 6

Label item

SPC+1 2 3 4 5 or

SPC+1 2 3 4 5 8

Toggle quick navigation

SPC+1 5 6

Toggle playback

Key Combination

Description

SPC+2

Move braille left

SPC+5

Move braille right

SPC+1 3 4 5

Toggle status display

SPC+4 5

Translation

SPC+1 2 4 5

Toggle output mode

SPC+2 3 6

Toggle input mode

If you have specific questions about using your Braille display or Braille keyboard with your mobile device, please contact the respective hardware manufacturer or supplier. Please note that we generally do not provide support for hardware.