In iOS 18, Braille Screen Input got a major overhaul. One of the main new features is Command Mode. This allows you to navigate your phone while never leaving Braille Screen Input.
If you are like me and have never used a Braille Display, you are not going to automatically know the commands that can be used.
Please find below a list of commands that can be used while in Command Mode of Braille Screen Input. I have tested all of the below commands to make sure they work. But please know that since I have never used a Braille display, I might have missed some.
Toggle from Braille Entry to Command Mode, 3 Finger swipe to the left or right.
Must be in Command Mode in order for the below commands to work.
1, Dot 4, swipe to the right.
2, Dot 1, Swipe to the left.
3, Double tap, dots 3 and 6.
4, Go to first item or top of screen, Dots 1, 2, and 3.
5, Go to last item or bottom of screen, dots 4, 5, and 6.
6, Item Chooser, letter I.
7, Status bar, letter S.
8, Notification Center, dot 4 and 6.
9, Control Center, dots 2 and 5.
10, Escape current context, letter B.
11, Scroll forward, swiping left to right, dots 1, 3, and 5.
12, Scroll back, swiping right to left, dots 2, 4, and 6.
13, Scroll up a page, swiping bottom to top, dots 1, 4,5,and 6.
14, Scroll down a page, swiping from top to bottom, dots 3, 4, 5, and 6.
15, Move to next rotor item, dot 6.
16, Move to previous rotor item, dot 3.
17, Move to next selection within a rotor setting, dots 5 and 6.
18, Move to previous selection within a rotor setting, dots 2 and 3.
19, volume Up, dots 3, 4, and 5.
20, Volume down, dots 1, 2, and 6.
21, Toggle show / hide keyboard, dots 1, 4, and 6.
22, 1 Finger Triple tap or double tap and hold, dots 3, 5, and 6.
23, Read page from top, letter W.
24, Read page from selected position, letter R.
25, Select All, dots 2, 3, 5, and 6.
26, Select left, dots 2, 3, and 5.
27, Select Right, dots 2, 5, and 6.
28, Copy, letter C.
29, Cut, Letter X.
30, Paste, Letter V.
31, Activates delete key, Letter D.
32, Text search, Letter F.
33, Start dictation in text field, dots 1, 5, and 6.
34, Toggle screen curtain, dots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
35, Toggle, Mute / Unmute Voice Over, Letter M.
36, Go to home screen, Letter H.
37, Go to App Switcher, Letter H twice.
38, 2 Finger Double tap and hold, dots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.
39, magic tap, dots 1, 5, and 6.
Again, if there are any that I missed, please let me know so I can add them to the list.
Comments
Thanks for the review.
I'm completely new to this, never having used a Braille display with my phone, and it's a lot to take in, and you saved me from scrolling down to Scott's post of a few days ago. I just have one question. What's the difference between swiping left and scrolling left? I thought they were the same thing until reading the list of Braille gestures.
Swiping versus scrolling
Think of it like this, swiping left or right is like taking your thumb and swiping left or right on your home screen between app icons.
Scrolling left or right would be like taking three fingers and swiping left or right to swap home screen pages.
Hope that makes sense.
To the OP, thanks for posting this. I too am new to BSI, and there are a lot of the command mode commands. I did not know of. So thanks again! 😎✌️
Thanks. That makes perfect sense
I most definitely have my work cut out for me and I don't learn quickly.
search text?
Hi, I don't know if it depends on the Braille table but for me, the letter F as search text doesn't work.
And even the "select all" or "delete" key -letter d-.
Copy, paste, cut, redo, undo, work perfectly instead.
On iPad instead, you have dots 2 and 6, then three and five, to move between two areas of split view screen. From right to left and left to right side of the screen.
Not sure about the 1+7 dots and 4+7 to go from right to left and left to right container.