Text Reading and Editing#
Working with text is one of the most common computer tasks. This chapter covers VoiceOver’s comprehensive text handling capabilities, from reading documents to editing and selecting text.
Entering Text Areas#
Before you can read or edit text, you typically need to interact with the text area:
- Navigate to the text field or document
- Press VO + Shift + Down Arrow to interact
- Use text commands (covered below)
- Press VO + Shift + Up Arrow when finished
In simple single-line fields, you may not need to interact—just start typing.
Reading Text at Different Levels#
VoiceOver can read text at various granularities:
Reading Units#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Read character | VO + C |
| Spell character phonetically | VO + C + C |
| Read word | VO + W |
| Spell word | VO + W + W |
| Read line | VO + L |
| Read sentence | VO + S |
| Read paragraph | VO + P |
| Read all from cursor | VO + A |
Reading All#
VO + A starts continuous reading from the current position. VoiceOver advances through the text automatically. Press Control to stop.
Reading the Current Selection#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Read selected text | VO + F6 |
Text Navigation#
Move through text efficiently:
Character and Word Movement#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Next character | Right Arrow |
| Previous character | Left Arrow |
| Next word | Option + Right Arrow |
| Previous word | Option + Left Arrow |
Line Navigation#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Next line | Down Arrow |
| Previous line | Up Arrow |
| Beginning of line | Command + Left Arrow |
| End of line | Command + Right Arrow |
Document Navigation#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Beginning of document | Command + Up Arrow |
| End of document | Command + Down Arrow |
| Page up | Page Up (or Fn + Up Arrow) |
| Page down | Page Down (or Fn + Down Arrow) |
Sentence and Paragraph#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Previous sentence | Page Up |
| Next sentence | Page Down |
| Previous paragraph | Option + Up Arrow |
| Next paragraph | Option + Down Arrow |
Text Attributes#
Understand the formatting of text you’re reading:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Read text attributes | VO + T |
VoiceOver announces attributes like:
- Font name and size
- Bold, italic, underline
- Text color
- Link status
- Spelling errors
Finding Attribute Changes#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Next text with different attributes | VO + Command + C |
| Previous text with different attributes | VO + Command + Shift + C |
This helps you find where formatting changes occur.
Text Selection#
Selecting text is essential for copying, cutting, and formatting:
Selection Mode#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Start/stop selection mode | VO + Return |
How selection mode works:
- Position cursor at selection start
- Press VO + Return to begin selecting
- Navigate to selection end (any movement extends selection)
- Press VO + Return to stop selecting
Standard Selection Commands#
These macOS selection commands work with VoiceOver:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Select all | Command + A |
| Extend selection right by character | Shift + Right Arrow |
| Extend selection left by character | Shift + Left Arrow |
| Extend selection right by word | Option + Shift + Right Arrow |
| Extend selection left by word | Option + Shift + Left Arrow |
| Extend selection down by line | Shift + Down Arrow |
| Extend selection up by line | Shift + Up Arrow |
| Select to beginning of line | Command + Shift + Left Arrow |
| Select to end of line | Command + Shift + Right Arrow |
| Select to beginning of document | Command + Shift + Up Arrow |
| Select to end of document | Command + Shift + Down Arrow |
Hearing Your Selection#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Read current selection | VO + F6 |
Always confirm what you’ve selected before cutting or copying.
Text Editing#
Standard editing commands work within VoiceOver:
Cut, Copy, Paste#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Cut | Command + X |
| Copy | Command + C |
| Paste | Command + V |
| Undo | Command + Z |
| Redo | Command + Shift + Z |
Deleting Text#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Delete character before cursor | Delete |
| Delete character after cursor | Fn + Delete (Forward Delete) |
| Delete word before cursor | Option + Delete |
| Delete word after cursor | Option + Fn + Delete |
Find and Replace#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Find | Command + F |
| Find next | Command + G |
| Find previous | Command + Shift + G |
| Find and replace | Command + Option + F (in most apps) |
VoiceOver works with the Find bar—type your search term, and use Command + G to jump between matches.
VoiceOver’s Find Commands#
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Open VoiceOver Find | VO + F |
| Find next occurrence | VO + G |
| Find previous occurrence | VO + Shift + G |
| Find next misspelled word | VO + Command + E |
| Find previous misspelled word | VO + Command + Shift + E |
VO + F opens a VoiceOver-specific search panel that searches within the current context.
Typing Echo#
Control what VoiceOver announces as you type:
| Setting | What VoiceOver Speaks |
|---|---|
| Characters | Each character as typed |
| Words | Each word after you press space |
| Characters and Words | Both |
| Nothing | Silent typing |
Adjusting Typing Echo#
- Press VO + V to open the verbosity rotor
- Press Left/Right Arrow until you hear “Typing echo”
- Press Up/Down Arrow to change the setting
Or configure in VoiceOver Utility > Verbosity > Speech.
Hearing Deletions#
VoiceOver can announce characters you delete:
- Open VoiceOver Utility (VO + F8)
- Go to Verbosity > Speech
- Enable “Speak deleted characters”
This helps confirm you’re deleting the right content.
Capitalization and Punctuation#
Control how VoiceOver handles capitals and punctuation:
Capitalization#
Options for announcing capital letters:
- Speak “cap” before capitals
- Play a sound for capitals
- Change pitch for capitals
- Do nothing
Configure in VoiceOver Utility > Verbosity > Speech, or adjust via VO + V.
Punctuation#
Punctuation verbosity levels:
- All: Speaks every punctuation mark
- Most: Speaks most punctuation
- Some: Speaks important punctuation
- None: Speaks no punctuation
Adjust with VO + V and select “Punctuation,” then Up/Down Arrow to change level.
Working with Spell Check#
When spell check is available:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Find next misspelled word | VO + Command + E |
| Find previous misspelled word | VO + Command + Shift + E |
When VoiceOver lands on a misspelled word, it announces “misspelled.” You can:
- Edit the word manually
- Press VO + Shift + M for spelling suggestions
- Use the application’s spell check panel
Word Completion#
Many apps offer word completion. When suggestions appear:
- Continue typing to narrow suggestions
- Press Down Arrow to enter the suggestions list
- Press Return to accept a suggestion
- Press Escape to dismiss suggestions
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Complete partial word | VO + \ (backslash) |
Dictation#
You can speak text instead of typing:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Start dictation | Press Fn twice or F5 (depending on settings) |
When dictation is active:
- Speak your text
- Say punctuation names (“period,” “comma,” “new line”)
- Press the dictation key again to stop
Configure dictation in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation.
Summary#
Text handling in VoiceOver is comprehensive:
- Read at any level: characters, words, lines, sentences, paragraphs, or continuously
- Navigate precisely: standard macOS navigation commands work with VoiceOver
- Select text: use selection mode (VO + Return) or Shift + navigation keys
- Edit efficiently: all standard cut/copy/paste commands work
- Find text: use both macOS Find and VoiceOver’s search commands
- Customize feedback: typing echo, punctuation, and capitalization settings
With these commands, you can read and edit documents as efficiently as any sighted user.