Complete VoiceOver keyboard shortcuts reference — 18 shortcuts across 2 categories. Quick reference cheat sheet for macOS.
VoiceOver is the screen reader built into every Mac (and iPhone). Its shortcuts are built around the VO modifier — Control + Option by default — plus the rotor for fast web navigation.
This page covers all 18 VoiceOver shortcuts across 2 categories: Basics (8), Navigation & Tools (10). Each shortcut includes a description to help you understand when and how to use it effectively.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Cmd + F5 | Toggle VoiceOver |
| VO + A | Read all |
| Ctrl | Pause speech |
| VO + Right | Next item |
| VO + Left | Previous item |
| VO + Space | Activate item |
| VO + Shift + Down | Interact with item |
| VO + Shift + Up | Stop interacting |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| VO + U | Open rotor |
| VO + Cmd + H | Next heading |
| VO + Cmd + L | Next link |
| VO + Cmd + T | Next table |
| VO + F | Find text |
| VO + M | Menu bar |
| VO + D | Open Dock |
| VO + H | VoiceOver Help |
| VO + K | Keyboard help |
| VO + F8 | VoiceOver Utility |
VoiceOver's 18 shortcuts on this page are organized into 2 categories: Basics (8), Navigation & Tools (10). Navigation & Tools is the largest group with 10 shortcuts — a good place to focus first if you're building muscle memory from scratch.
Unlike many tools we cover, VoiceOver's key combinations here don't heavily overlap with other platforms in our database — worth learning on their own terms rather than by analogy.
New to VoiceOver? Start with Basics above — it's usually where the shortcuts you'll reach for constantly live. Once those feel automatic, work through Navigation & Tools to round out your workflow.
Want this on paper? The printable cheat sheet turns these 18 shortcuts into a one-page PDF you can pin above your desk.
The most essential VoiceOver shortcuts are: Cmd + F5 (Toggle VoiceOver), VO + A (Read all), Ctrl (Pause speech). These cover the most frequent actions and can significantly speed up your workflow.
VoiceOver has 18 keyboard shortcuts across 2 categories on shortcut-tools.com.
Simply press the key combination while VoiceOver is focused. Most shortcuts work immediately. On Mac, replace Ctrl with Cmd and Alt with Option for most shortcuts.
The VoiceOver shortcut for toggle voiceover is Cmd + F5.
VoiceOver includes 10 Navigation & Tools shortcuts, including VO + U (Open rotor) and VO + Cmd + H (Next heading). See the full list in the Navigation & Tools section above.
Print the VoiceOver cheat sheet and keep it next to your keyboard for the first week, then switch to active recall: cover the answer column and quiz yourself until each one is automatic.
Yes — use My Stack to combine VoiceOver shortcuts with any other platform on this site into one printable reference, which is useful if your daily workflow spans several tools.
No — VoiceOver is built into macOS and iOS only. On Windows the equivalents are NVDA (free) and JAWS (commercial); both use Insert as their modifier instead of Control + Option.
Start with the essentials: Learn Cmd + F5 (Toggle VoiceOver) and VO + A (Read all) first — these are the most commonly used.
Practice daily: Pick 2–3 new shortcuts each day and consciously use them instead of the mouse. Within a week, they become muscle memory.
Print this cheat sheet: Keep a reference nearby until shortcuts become automatic. Focus on the Navigation & Tools category first.
Accessibility tip: Master the single-letter quick-navigation keys on the web first — they are nearly identical across screen readers, so the effort transfers.