Hot Spots and Window Spots#

Hot Spots and Window Spots let you mark frequently accessed locations for instant navigation. These powerful features save time when you regularly need to jump to specific controls or areas.

Hot Spots#

Hot Spots are global bookmarks—they work across applications and persist between sessions.

Setting Hot Spots#

You can create up to 10 Hot Spots (numbered 0-9):

To set a Hot Spot:

1. Navigate to the item you want to bookmark
2. Press VO + Shift + [number] (e.g., VO + Shift + 1)
3. VoiceOver confirms: “Hot spot 1 set”

If that number is already used, the new location replaces the old one.

Jumping to Hot Spots#

Press VO + 1 to jump to Hot Spot 1, VO + 2 for Hot Spot 2, and so on.

Hot Spot Information#

Describe Hot Spot tells you what’s at that location without jumping to it.

Monitor Hot Spot watches for value changes and announces them automatically—useful for monitoring download progress, stock prices, or other dynamic content.

Hot Spot Chooser#

The Chooser shows all your Hot Spots in a list:

1. Navigate with Up/Down Arrow
2. Press Return to jump to selected Hot Spot
3. Press Escape to cancel

Removing Hot Spots#

To remove a Hot Spot:

1. Jump to it (VO + [number])
2. Set it again (VO + Shift + [number])

Since you’re setting it to the same location, you can also set it to a different location to effectively “move” it.

Hot Spots with Activities#

If you use VoiceOver Activities, each activity gets its own set of 10 Hot Spots. This means you can have different Hot Spots for different contexts.

Window Spots#

Window Spots are bookmarks within a specific window. They help you quickly scan or jump to important areas of complex interfaces.

Creating Window Spots#

Window Spots are managed through the Rotor:

1. Navigate to the location you want to mark
2. Press VO + U to open Rotor
3. Navigate to Window Spots category
4. You can add the current location to Window Spots

Or navigate to an existing Window Spot and update it.

Using Window Spots#

1. Open Rotor (VO + U)
2. Navigate to Window Spots category
3. Use Up/Down Arrow to navigate your spots
4. Press Return to jump to one

When to Use Window Spots#

Window Spots are ideal for:

• Complex application windows (like DAWs or IDEs)
• Dashboards with multiple data areas
• Web pages you visit regularly
• Any window where you need to quickly check multiple locations

Practical Examples#

Example 1: Monitoring a Download#

1. Start a download
2. Navigate to the progress indicator
3. Press VO + Shift + 1 to set Hot Spot 1
4. Press VO + Command + Shift + 1 to monitor it
5. VoiceOver announces progress changes automatically

Example 2: Quick Access to Dock Apps#

1. Press VO + D to go to Dock
2. Navigate to Mail
3. Press VO + Shift + 2 to set Hot Spot 2
4. Navigate to Safari
5. Press VO + Shift + 3 to set Hot Spot 3

Now press VO + 2 to jump to Mail, VO + 3 for Safari.

Example 3: Dashboard Monitoring#

In an application with multiple data areas:

1. Navigate to first data area
2. Set Hot Spot 1
3. Navigate to second area
4. Set Hot Spot 2
5. etc.

Now you can quickly cycle through data areas with VO + 1, 2, 3…

Example 4: Complex Window Navigation#

For an app like Logic Pro or Xcode:

1. Set Window Spots for timeline, mixer, library, inspector
2. Use Rotor > Window Spots to jump between them
3. Build muscle memory for your most-used areas

Tips for Hot Spots and Window Spots#

Tip 1: Plan Your Hot Spots#

Reserve certain numbers for certain purposes:

• 1-3: Current project locations
• 4-6: Frequently used apps
• 7-9: Temporary monitoring

Tip 2: Use Monitoring Sparingly#

Monitoring too many Hot Spots can be distracting. Turn off monitoring (press the command again) when you no longer need updates.

Tip 3: Combine with Activities#

Create activities for different workflows, each with appropriate Hot Spots:

• Email activity: Hot Spots for inbox, compose, folders
• Web research activity: Hot Spots for search, articles, notes
• Coding activity: Hot Spots for editor, terminal, documentation

Tip 4: Document Your Hot Spots#

Keep a mental or physical note of your Hot Spot assignments, especially when starting out. The Hot Spot Chooser (VO + Shift + X) can remind you.

Tip 5: Window Spots for Web Pages#

For complex web applications you use regularly (like web email), set Window Spots for:

• Navigation menu
• Main content area
• Compose button
• Search field

Summary#

Hot Spots and Window Spots dramatically speed up navigation:

Hot Spots:

• Set with VO + Shift + [0-9]
• Jump with VO + [0-9]
• Describe with VO + Command + [0-9]
• Monitor with VO + Command + Shift + [0-9]
• Choose from list with VO + Shift + X
• Global and persistent

Window Spots:

• Created and accessed via Rotor
• Specific to individual windows
• Ideal for complex interfaces

Use these features to build a personalized, efficient navigation system.