Layout, Braille category, VoiceOver Utility on Mac
Use the Layout pane of the Braille category in VoiceOver Utility to customise settings for a braille display connected to your Mac.
To open VoiceOver Utility, press Command-F5 to turn VoiceOver on, then press VO-F8.
Note: VO represents the VoiceOver modifier.
Braille Display | VoiceOver indicates the braille display it detects. |
Braille Translation | Click the pop-up menu, then choose a translation language to use for showing output. |
Show contracted braille | Show output in contracted braille. By default, VoiceOver shows output in uncontracted eight-dot braille. If you choose to use contracted braille, the “Show eight-dot braille” tickbox is automatically deselected. |
Show eight-dot braille | Use eight-dot braille (uncontracted) if the primary braille display supports it. This option is selected by default. If you deselect this option, VoiceOver uses six-dot braille (uncontracted, if “Show contracted braille” isn’t selected). |
Use automatic braille translation | By default, VoiceOver automatically translates each character you type on your braille display into braille output, as you type it. If you use six-dot braille, VoiceOver automatically translates each word you type on your braille display into braille output, after it determines you’ve completed a word or you press Space on your display. If you deselect this option, you must manually indicate when you’ve finished typing. To do so, press one of the following on your braille display: the Space bar, dots 4 and 5 and the Space bar, or any non-Perkins braille key. |
Use dots 7 and 8 to indicate VoiceOver cursor | Raise dots 7 and 8 to indicate the position of the VoiceOver cursor. This option is selected by default. |
Use word wrap | Words that don’t fit on the current braille line are moved to the next line after you pan, instead of being broken across multiple lines. This option is selected by default. If you use a smaller braille display or work with content that includes many long words, it may be helpful to deselect this option. |
Status cells | Select tickboxes for the status cells you want to use. Show general display status: Show information about announcements, and about the direction in which to pan the current line. For example, dots 1 and 2 indicate unread and read announcements respectively, and dots 7 and 8 indicate you can pan the display left or right respectively. Show text style: Show common text styles, such as bold or italic font. For example, dots 1 and 2 indicate bold and italic text respectively, and dot 4 indicates the selected text is misspelled. Show extended text style: Show less common text styles, such as strikethrough or superscript. For example, dots 1 and 2 indicate text is superscript and subscript respectively, and dot 5 indicates the selected text has a double underline. |
Show status on the | Select a radio button to use cells to the left (the default) or right of the braille line as the status cells. Change this setting only if your braille display doesn’t provide dedicated status cells. |
Show alert messages for duration | Drag the slider left towards Short or to the right towards Long. |