Tips and tools to make using digital devices easier for people with motor impairments or reduced dexterity.
There are tools and settings that can make phones, tablets, laptops and browsers easier to use for people with motor impairments, reduced dexterity or limited hand and arm movement including Parkinson’s, arthritis and Reynaud’s. Some settings or tools may not be available or work on older phones, tablets or laptops.
You can find settings for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS in the sections below. These include simplifying layouts, reducing distractions and using voice commands to control your device.
Look for the cog icon. This is usually on your home screen, in your app list on phones and tablets, or in the Start menu on Windows.
My Computer My Way from AbilityNet also offers step-by-step instructions to change settings to meet your needs.
You can set up shortcuts on your smartphone for quick access to settings you find useful.
Keyboard
- Full keyboard access – control everything on the screen using only the keyboard, without needing a mouse
- Sticky keys – press key combinations one key at a time instead of holding multiple keys at once (e.g. Ctrl + C)
- Filter keys – set the sensitivity of the keyboard so it can ignore brief or repeated keystrokes Toggle keys – makes a sound when Caps lock, Num Lock or Scroll lock are pressed
- Slow keys – adjust the delay between when you press a key and when it’s activated, reducing accidental key presses
- On-screen keyboard, Accessibility keyboard – virtual keyboard controlled by mouse, pointer or switch
- Word suggestion, predictive text, text suggestions – show suggestions for the next word to speed up typing and reduce the number of key presses needed
Pointer and touch
- Accessibility menu / AssistiveTouch – a large on-screen menu of your most-used controls such as screenshot and pinch to zoom, available as single tap buttons rather than complex gestures
- Mouse keys – use the numeric keypad to move the mouse pointer instead of a mouse
- Pointer speed – adjust how fast the mouse pointer moves across the screen Mouse pointer size, colour, trails – make it easier to see what you’re pointing at Dwell control – clicks or taps automatically when you hover the pointer for a set time rather than having to physically click or tap
- Touch and hold delay, Hold duration – increase the time before a tap-and-hold action is triggered
- Time to take action – choose how long to show temporary messages that ask you to act
- Touch Accommodation – change how the screen responds to taps, swipes and other gestures Ignore repeat – multiple accidental or involuntary taps are read as a single tap
- One-handed mode,Reachability – slides the top half of the screen down so you can reach everything without stretching your hand
- Back tap, Quick tap – tap the back of the phone twice or three times to trigger an action that you set up e.g. taking a screenshot, playing or pausing media
- Stylus – use to tap the screen rather than having to use your fingers
Alternative Inputs
- Voice typing, dictation – replaces typing with speaking
- Voice Access, Voice Control – control your device using your voice e.g. open apps, tap buttons, scroll
- Switch Access / Switch Control – control your device using one or more external switch buttons e.g. with a hand, foot or “sip-and-puff” tube (requires compatible switch button)
- Eye control – control your device using eye movements and gestures (requires compatible eye-tracking hardware)
- Head pointer – use the webcam to track head movements to move the mouse cursor
Display
- Display size – change how big everything is on-screen e.g. icons, buttons
- Text size – make text bigger
Reduce screen clutter on websites and documents
Remove distracting parts of websites such as ads and navigation menus so you are less likely to tap or click on links you don’t want.
- change text size, style and spacing
- change background colour
- read webpage text aloud
- Options vary depending on browser or programme used. Not all websites are supported.
or
More > Immersive Reader icon in the address bar
Microsoft Office
Word, OneNote, Outlook, Excel, Teams
View > Immersive Reader
Teams: Hover over or tap message > More icon > More actions > Immersive Reader
Google Chrome
More icon > More tools > Reading mode
Highlight text > right click > Open in reading mode
Mozilla Firefox
Reader view icon in address bar
Apple Safari
Reader icon in address bar > Show Reader
To return: page icon in address bar > Hide Reader
Android Settings
Accessibility menu
Accessibility > Interaction controls
Word suggestions
System > Keyboard > On screen keyboard > Corrections and suggestions
Touch and hold delay
Accessibility > Interaction controls > Timing controls
Time to take action
Accessibility > Interaction controls > Timing controls
One-handed mode
Accessibility > System controls
Quick tap
System > Gestures
Voice Access
Accessibility > Voice Access
Voice typing
System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard
or
System > Languages and input > On-screen keyboard
Tap microphone on keyboard
Switch Access
Accessibility > Interaction controls > Switch Access
Display size
Accessibility > Display size and text
Text size
Accessibility > Display size and text
Apple iOS/iPadOS settings
AssistiveTouch
Accessibility > Touch
Triple click side or home button
(once configured)
Predictive text
General > Keyboard
Dwell control
Accessibility > Touch
Hold duration
Accessibility > Touch > Touch Accommodations
Ignore repeat
Accessibility > Touch > Touch Accommodations
Reachability
Accessibility > Touch
Swipe down on bottom edge of screen or double tap home button
Back tap
Accessibility > Touch
Double or triple tap back of phone
Voice Control
Accessibility > Voice Control
Voice typing
General > Keyboard > Enable Dictation
Tap microphone on keyboard
Switch Control
Accessibility > Switch Control
Triple click side button (once configured)
Display size
Accessibility > Zoom
Text size
Accessibility > Display & Text Size
Button shapes
Accessibility > Display & Text Size
Microsoft Windows settings
Sticky keys
Accessibility > Keyboard > Sticky keys
Shortcut: Shift 5 times
Filter keys
Accessibility > Keyboard > Filter keys
Shortcut: Right Shift 8 seconds
Toggle keys
Accessibility > Keyboard > Toggle keys
Shortcut: Num Lock 5 seconds
On-screen keyboard
Accessibility > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard
Shortcut: Win + Ctrl + O
Voice typing
Accessibility > Speech > Voice typing
Shortcut: Win + H
Voice access
Accessibility > Speech > Voice access
Shortcut: Win + Ctrl + S
Mouse keys
Accessibility > Mouse > Mouse keys
Shortcut: Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock
Mouse pointer size, colour, trails
Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch
Pointer speed
Bluetooth & devices > Mouse > Mouse pointer speed
Eye control
Accessibility > Eye control
Text suggestions
Time & language > Typing
Text size
Accessibility > Text size
Display size
System > Display > Scale
Apple macOS settings
Full keyboard access
Accessibility > Keyboard
Sticky keys
Accessibility > Keyboard
Slow keys
Accessibility > Keyboard
Accessibility keyboard
Accessibility > Keyboard
Text suggestions / predictive text
System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Show inline predictive text
Mouse keys
Accessibility > Pointer Control
Pointer speed
Mouse / Trackpad > Tracking speed
Mouse pointer size and colour
Accessibility > Display > Pointer
Dwell control
Accessibility > Pointer Control > Alternate Control Methods > Enable Dwell Control
Voice Control
Accessibility > Voice Control
Voice typing
System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation
Shortcut: Microphone icon
Switch control
Accessibility > Switch Control
Display size
Displays > Larger Text / Default / More Space
Text size
Accessibility > Display > Text
Tools and apps
Many of these are free or offer free trials. Paid versions give you full features.
- Big Launcher – turns any Android into a huge-button phone
- Assistive Access – simplified and bigger screen layout on iOS
- Dragon speech recognition – voice-to-text tool to dictate and edit documents hands-free
- Voice typing apps – type with your voice e.g. WhisperTyping, AquaVoice
- Action blocks – set up specific tasks that can be done with only one tap of a big button e.g. phone someone, open up favourite radio station
- Smart home assistants e.g. Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod – control your home and get reminders using your voice without needing to reach, press or hold buttons or navigate apps
- Smart devices e.g. lightbulbs, heating control, curtain openers, smart locks – control everyday items hands-free, reducing the need to operate switches, handles or physical controls
Download the guide
Need further support?
Get in touch with our Support Line if you have any digital support questions or if you would like support to change your settings.