Change Pointer Control settings for accessibility on Mac

Double-click speed

Adjust the mouse or trackpad’s reaction time when you double-click an item.

Spring-loading

When dragging and dropping, drag an item to a folder and hold to open the folder.

Spring-loading speed

With Spring-loading turned on, adjust how long after you drag an item to a folder and hold before the folder opens.

Ignore built-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present

Disable the built-in trackpad on your Mac when you use a mouse or wireless trackpad.

If you use a non-Apple mouse, the driver software that came with your mouse may prevent this option from working as expected. For information, see the documentation for your mouse.

Trackpad Options

Set options for your trackpad:

Use trackpad for scrolling: Turn scrolling on or off.

Use inertia when scrolling: Control what happens when you lift your finger from the trackpad. With this option turned on, scrolling comes to a gradual stop. Otherwise, scrolling stops immediately.

Scroll speed: The speed at which you scroll through documents and windows using the trackpad.

Use trackpad for dragging: Turn dragging on or off.

Dragging style: Choose an option to control dragging.

• Without Drag Lock: Double-tap an item, then drag it without lifting your finger after the second tap; when you lift your finger, the item stops moving.

  The item can still be dragged for a fraction of a second (so you can reposition your finger if it’s at the edge of the trackpad). To immediately prevent further dragging, tap the trackpad once.

• With Drag Lock: Double-tap an item, then drag it without lifting your finger after the second tap; dragging continues when you lift your finger, and stops when you tap the trackpad once.

• Three Finger Drag: Drag an item with three fingers; dragging stops when you lift your fingers.

Mouse Options

Click to set options for your mouse:

Use mouse for scrolling: Turn scrolling on or off (for a mouse such as a Magic Mouse).

Use inertia when scrolling: Control what happens when you lift your finger from the mouse (a mouse such as a Magic Mouse). With this option turned on, scrolling comes to a gradual stop. Otherwise, scrolling stops immediately.

Scroll speed: The speed at which you scroll through documents and windows using the mouse.

Mouse Keys

Move the pointer and press the mouse button using the keyboard or a numeric keypad. See Use your keyboard like a mouse.

To customise, click :

• Press the Option key five times to toggle Mouse Keys: Use your keyboard to turn Mouse Keys on or off.

• Ignore built-in trackpad when Mouse Keys is on: Disable the trackpad on your Mac when you use Mouse Keys.

• Initial delay: Set how quickly the pointer starts moving when you press a key.

• Maximum speed: Set the maximum speed at which the pointer moves.

Alternate pointer actions

Perform a left-click, right-click, double-click or drag-and-drop action using keyboard keys, assistive switches or facial expressions (such as a smile or an open mouth).

To specify keys, switches and facial expressions, or to see the ones currently specified, click :

• To change the name or action assigned to a key, switch or facial expression, double-click the item in the list, then follow the onscreen instructions.

• To add a new key, switch or facial expression to the list, click , then follow the onscreen instructions.

• To remove a key, switch or facial expression from the list, select it, then click .

• To hear confirmation that your switch is recognised, turn on Play sounds.

• To see onscreen confirmation that your switch is recognised, turn on Show actions visually.

• To choose the camera to use to detect facial expressions, click Camera Options, then click the Camera pop-up menu.

  To customise the level of expressiveness the camera needs to detect in your facial expressions for an action to be taken, click the pop-up menu for an expression, then choose Slight, Default or Exaggerated.

  (The same camera and level of expressiveness are used for both alternative pointer actions and head pointer.)

Note: A left-click, right-click or double-click action occurs as soon as you use the specified switch. For example, if you set the switch for Left Click to the facial expression Stick Out Tongue, a left click occurs as soon as you stick out your tongue.

A drag-and-drop action requires you to use a switch twice: once to drag, then again to drop. For example, when you stick out your tongue, drag is activated; to drop, you must stick out your tongue again.

Head pointer

Move the pointer using the movement of your face or head as detected by the camera that’s built into or connected to your Mac. See Move the pointer using head pointer.

To customise, click :

• Pointer moves: Choose how you want the pointer to follow the movement of your face or head:

  When facing screen edges: The pointer follows the direction in which you turn your face away from the centre of the screen, similar to how you move a joystick. To stop the pointer, turn your face to the centre of the screen again. For example, if you turn your face towards the bottom right of the screen, the pointer moves towards that end of the Dock.

  Relative to head: The pointer follows the direction in which you move your head (regardless of where your face is turned), similar to how you move a mouse. To stop the pointer, stop moving your head. For example, if you move your head left (even though your face is turned to the right), the pointer moves to the left.

• Pointer speed: The speed at which the pointer moves when you turn your face or move your head. The lower the number, the slower the pointer moves; the higher the number, the faster it moves.

• Distance to edge: If head pointer is set to “When facing screen edges”, specify how far your face must be turned away from the centre of the screen before the pointer starts moving. Set a higher number to help the camera differentiate between intentional and accidental movements.

• Use a switch or facial expression to pause or resume: To specify a facial expression to use to pause or resume head pointer, click , then follow the onscreen instructions. Pausing head pointer can be useful if you’re going to be away from your Mac for a while.

• Use a switch or facial expression to recalibrate: To specify a facial expression to use to recalibrate head pointer, click , then follow the onscreen instructions. See Recalibrate head pointer.

• Camera Options: To choose the camera to use to detect movement of your face or head, click Camera Options, then click the Camera pop-up menu.

  To customise the level of expressiveness the camera needs to detect in your facial expressions for an action to be taken, click the pop-up menu for an expression, then choose Slight, Default or Exaggerated.

  (The same camera and level of expressiveness are used for both head pointer and alternative pointer actions.)