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How to Use VoiceOver on Mac

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Open Accessibility in System Settings

    Go to the "Accessibility" section in System Settings.

  2. Turn on VoiceOver

    Flip the switch in the "VoiceOver" menu, and your Mac will read the screen's contents aloud.

  3. Learn basic navigation

    Practice moving through screen elements one at a time using the arrow keys combined with Control and Option.

  4. Adjust the speech rate and voice

    In VoiceOver's user settings, adjust the reading speed and voice to whatever suits you.

  5. Why this is useful

    Someone who has difficulty seeing the screen can still navigate and use nearly all of a Mac's features by keyboard alone, guided by spoken feedback.

Use a Mac fully by ear

For anyone who finds it hard to check the screen visually, spoken guidance makes it possible to explore and operate almost every feature of a Mac using only the keyboard.

Turning it off quickly

If you just want to toggle VoiceOver on or off without digging through menus, the keyboard shortcut Command+F5 does it instantly from anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn VoiceOver off?

Flip the switch off again in Accessibility settings, or press the keyboard shortcut Command+F5 to toggle it on or off at any time.

Does it support languages other than English?

Yes, you can choose from voices in a variety of languages in the settings.