How to type braille directly on the iPad screen with VoiceOver

With Braille Screen Input in VoiceOver, you can use your fingers to type braille directly on the iPad screen, without a physical braille keyboard. You can also use Braille Screen Input to enter braille commands for navigating and controlling your iPad.

You can use it in tabletop mode, with iPad flat in front of you, or in screen away mode, with the screen facing away from you. Gestures let you enter a space, delete the previous character, move to a new line, or cycle through spelling suggestions.

Enter braille on the screen

1. With VoiceOver turned on, do one of the following to start Braille Screen Input:
   • Use a gesture: Place one finger from each hand at the top and bottom edges of the screen and double-tap. If the gesture doesn’t work, open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap VoiceOver, and then tap Braille. Tap Braille Screen Input and turn on Use Activation Gestures.
   • Use the rotor: When you’re in a text input area, set the rotor to Braille Screen Input. If Braille Screen Input isn’t in the rotor, open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap VoiceOver, and then tap Rotor. Tap Rotor Items, then select Braille Screen Input.
2. Place iPad in one of the following positions:
   • Tabletop mode: Lay iPad flat in front of you.
   • Screen away mode: Hold iPad in landscape orientation with the screen facing away from you. Your fingers wrap around the sides of iPad to tap the screen.
3. Enter braille characters by tapping the screen with one or more fingers at the same time.

   Tip: To hear where each dot is located, touch and hold, then drag your finger around the screen. To move the entry dots to match your natural finger positions, double-tap all six typing fingers at the same time (your right three fingers for dots 4, 5, and 6, and your left three fingers for dots 1, 2, and 3).

   You can also use gestures to perform actions such as the following:

   Action	Gesture
   Enter a space	Swipe right with one finger; in screen away mode, swipe to your right
   Delete the previous character	Swipe left with one finger
   Move to a new line	Swipe right with two fingers
   Cycle through spelling suggestions	Swipe up or down with one finger
   Enter a carriage return, or send a message (in Messages)	Swipe up with three fingers
   Cycle through modes (like Braille Entry Mode and Command Mode)	Swipe left or right with three fingers
   Translate immediately (if you’re typing contracted braille)	Swipe down with two fingers
   Switch to the next braille table	Swipe up with two fingers

4. To exit Braille Screen Input, slide two fingers in opposite directions, or do a two-finger scrub (draw the letter “z” by quickly moving two fingers back and forth three times).

Quick tip: Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands > Braille Screen Input, and you can view and edit the commands and gestures you can use when Braille Screen Input is turned on.

Type on the screen to enter braille commands

Braille Screen Input Command Mode means you can control iPad by typing braille commands on the screen, using the same commands you use with a refreshable braille display.

1. With VoiceOver turned on, place one finger from each hand at the top and bottom edges of the screen and double-tap to start Braille Screen Input.
2. Switch to Command Mode by swiping left or right with three fingers.
3. Type braille commands directly on the screen.

Change Braille Screen Input settings

1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Tap Accessibility, then tap VoiceOver.
3. Tap Braille, then tap Braille Screen Input.
4. Set any of the following:
   • Use Activation Gestures: To start Braille Screen Input, place one finger from each hand at the top and bottom edges of the screen and double-tap. If this option is off, use the rotor to start Braille Screen Input.
   • Start Automatically when Editing Text: Have Braille Screen Input start automatically when you enter a text input area.
   • Keep Active until Dismissed: After you launch an app or choose an item in Braille Entry Mode, automatically switch to Command Mode and keep it active.
   • Customize Commands: Go to the command you want to customize and tap Assign New Braille Keys.
   • Learn Dot Positions: Have Braille Screen Input calibrate the positions of dots as you enter them.
   • Reverse Dot Positions: For six-dot braille, swap the positions of dots 1 and 3, and dots 4 and 6.
   • Visual Text Feedback: As you type in braille, display a text translation of what you’re typing.
   • Typing Feedback: Get sound feedback as you enter text with Braille Screen Input.
   • Mode announcements: When you switch Braille Screen Input modes, have VoiceOver speak, play sounds, or both.
   • Choose a Braille table: Select a braille format.

See also

• Use a braille display with VoiceOver on iPad
• Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on iPad
• Accessibility features for vision on iPad