Use VoiceOver on iPad with an Apple external keyboard

If you use an Apple external keyboard with iPad, you can use keyboard shortcuts to activate VoiceOver commands.

Additionally, you can use VoiceOver Help to learn the keyboard layout and the actions associated with various key combinations. VoiceOver Help speaks keys and keyboard commands as you type them, without performing the associated action.

Choose the VoiceOver modifier

The modifier is a key or set of keys you press with one or more other keys to enter VoiceOver commands. You can set the modifier to be the Caps Lock key or the Control and Option keys pressed at the same time.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Typing > Modifier Keys.
Choose the modifier for VoiceOver commands: the Caps Lock key or the Control and Option keys.
This modifier is abbreviated as “VO” below.

VoiceOver keyboard commands

You can control VoiceOver using key combinations.

(VO = modifier keys)

Action	Shortcut
Turn on VoiceOver Help	VO-K
Turn off VoiceOver Help	Esc (Escape)
Select the next or previous item	VO-Right Arrow or VO-Left Arrow
Activate the selected item	VO-Space bar
Touch and hold the selected item	VO-Shift-M
Read from the current position	VO-A
Read from the top	VO-B
Pause or resume reading	Control
Copy the last spoken text to the clipboard	VO-Shift-C
Search for text	VO-F
Mute or unmute VoiceOver	VO-S
Go to the Home Screen	VO-H
Move to the status bar	VO-M
Open the notifications screen	Move to the status bar (VO-M), then Option-Up Arrow
Open Control Center	Move to the status bar (VO-M), then Option-Down Arrow
Open Search	Option-Up Arrow
Open the App Switcher	VO-H-H
Switch apps	Command-Tab or Command-Shift-Tab
Open the Item Chooser	VO-I
Change the label of the selected item	VO-/
Start, stop, or pause an action	VO-Hyphen
Swipe up or down	VO-Up Arrow or VO-Down Arrow
Turn the rotor left or right	VO-Command-Left Arrow or VO-Command-Right Arrow
Adjust the setting specified by the rotor	VO-Command-Up Arrow or VO-Command-Down Arrow
Turn the screen curtain on or off	VO-Fn-Hyphen (or VO-Globe key-Hyphen, depending on your keyboard)
Return to the previous screen	Esc

Quick Nav using the arrow keys

Turn on Quick Nav to control VoiceOver using the arrow keys.

Action	Shortcut
Turn Quick Nav on or off	Left Arrow-Right Arrow
Select the next or previous item	Right Arrow or Left Arrow
Select the next or previous item specified by the rotor	Up Arrow or Down Arrow
Select the first or last item	Control-Up Arrow or Control-Down Arrow
Tap an item	Up Arrow-Down Arrow
Scroll up, down, left, or right	Option-Up Arrow, Option-Down Arrow, Option-Left Arrow, or Option-Right Arrow
Adjust the rotor	Up Arrow-Left Arrow or Up Arrow-Right Arrow

Single-key Quick Nav for web browsing

To navigate a webpage quickly, turn on Quick Nav (VO-Q), then press keys on the keyboard to navigate to specific item types, such as headings or links. To move to the previous item, hold the Shift key as you press a key for the item type.

Item type	Shortcut
Heading	H
Link	L
Text field	R
Button	B
Form control	C
Image	I
Table	T
Static text	S
ARIA landmark	W
List	X
Item of the same type	M
Level 1 heading	1
Level 2 heading	2
Level 3 heading	3
Level 4 heading	4
Level 5 heading	5
Level 6 heading	6

Text editing

Use these commands (with Quick Nav turned off) to work with text. VoiceOver reads the text as you move the insertion point.

Action	Shortcut
Go forward or back one character	Right Arrow or Left Arrow
Go forward or back one word	Option-Right Arrow or Option-Left Arrow
Go up or down one line	Up Arrow or Down Arrow
Go to the beginning or end of the line	Command-Left Arrow or Command-Down Arrow
Go to the beginning or end of the paragraph	Option-Up Arrow or Option-Down Arrow
Go to the previous or next paragraph	Option-Up Arrow or Option-Down Arrow
Go to the top or bottom of the text field	Command-Up Arrow or Command-Down Arrow
Select text as you move	Shift any of the insertion point movement commands above
Select all text	Command-A
Copy, cut, or paste the selected text	Command-C, Command-X, or Command-V
Undo or redo last change	Command-Z or Shift-Command-Z

Helpful?

iPad User Guide