Mouse Keys

Press the Option key 5 times to turn Mouse Keys on or off quickly (if enabled in your Pointer Control settings).

w/ Numeric Keypad – or – Standard keyboard

Moving the Pointer

• 8 or U – Move Up
• 2 or K – Move Down
• 4 or J – Move Left
• 6 or L – Move Right
• 7 or 7 – Move Diagonally Up-Left
• 9 or 9 – Move Diagonally Up-Right
• 1 or O – Move Diagonally Down-Left
• 3 or 0 – Move Diagonally Down-Right

Clicking and Dragging

• 5 or I – Left Click
• 0 or M – Press and Hold Mouse Button (To start dragging)
• . (period) or . (period) – Release Mouse Button (To drop)

How to Right-Click with Mouse Keys

Because macOS considers right-clicking to be a “secondary click,” you can trigger it with a simple combination: [1, 2]

• Standard Keyboard: Press and hold Control, then press I.
• Numeric Keypad: Press and hold Control, then press 5. [1]

Extra Features & Settings

You can customize exactly how Mouse Keys behaves by clicking the Info (“i”) button right next to the Mouse Keys toggle in your Apple Menu Pointer Control settings.

• Initial Delay: This slider controls how long you have to hold down a movement key before the pointer actually starts moving. Turn it down if you want the pointer to react instantly.

• Maximum Speed: This slider controls how fast the pointer moves across your screen once it gets going. Slide it to the right to make the cursor fly across the screen faster.

• Ignore Built-in Trackpad: You can check a box that automatically turns off your Mac’s regular trackpad or mouse whenever Mouse Keys is turned on. This prevents accidental hand bumps from moving your cursor.

• Press Option Key Five Times: An option inside this menu lets you toggle the whole Mouse Keys feature on and off just by tapping your keyboard’s Option key 5 times in a row.

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  Sticky Keys

  Press the Shift key 5 times in a row to turn the Sticky Keys feature on or off quickly (you can turn this shortcut on in your Accessibility Keyboard settings).

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  *Sticky Keys* is a built-in Mac feature that lets you press keyboard shortcuts one key at a time instead of holding them all down at once.

  Normally, to do a shortcut like Command + C (Copy), you have to hold both keys together. With Sticky Keys turned on, you can tap Command, let go, and then tap C.

  Why it is helpful

  • One-handed typing: It helps if you prefer or need to type with only one hand.
  • Reduces strain: It stops you from having to stretch your fingers across the keyboard.
  • Perfect for Mouse Keys: As mentioned before, right-clicking with Mouse Keys requires holding Control and pressing I. Sticky Keys lets you tap Control first, let go, and then tap I.

  The Sticky Keys Modifiers

  When Sticky Keys is turned on, you tap these keys one by one to build your shortcut:

  • ⌘ Command
  • ⌥ Option
  • ⌃ Control
  • ⇧ Shift
  • ⇪ Caps Lock
  • 🌐 Fn (Function key)

  Common Shortcuts (Pressed One Key at a Time)

  Instead of twisting your fingers to hold these together, just tap them in order from left to right:

  • Right-Click: Tap Control → Tap I (with Mouse Keys active)
  • Copy: Tap Command → Tap C
  • Paste: Tap Command → Tap V
  • Undo: Tap Command → Tap Z
  • Force Quit: Tap Command → Tap Option → Tap Escape

  Sticky Keys Secret Moves

  You can change how a modifier key behaves by how many times you tap it:

  • Tap Once: “Sticks” the key. The Mac acts like you are holding it down until you tap your next regular key (like a letter or number).
  • Tap Twice: “Locks” the key. The key stays held down permanently until you tap it a third time to unlock it. This is great if you need to use the Shift key to type a long string of capital letters or symbols.

  Sticky Keys Onscreen Overlay

  Would you like to know how to turn on the onscreen overlay so you can see exactly which keys are currently “stuck” or “locked”?

  The onscreen overlay is a small, gray box that appears on your screen when Sticky Keys is turned on. It shows you exactly which modifier keys (like Command or Shift) are currently “stuck” or “locked” so you don’t have to guess.

  How to Turn On the Onscreen Overlay

  1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
  2. Click Accessibility in the sidebar.
  3. Select Keyboard under the Motor section.
  4. Click the Info (“i”) button next to the Sticky Keys toggle.
  5. Turn on the switch that says “Display modifier keys on screen.”
  6. Click Done.

  How to Read the Overlay Symbols

  The overlay will appear in a corner of your screen (usually the top right). When you tap a modifier key, its symbol will light up in white:

  • Single White Symbol: The key is Stuck. It will apply to the very next key you type, then turn off.
  • Double White Symbol (or a brighter white outline): The key is Locked. It will stay active for every single key you type until you press it again to release it.

Turning off | Mouse Keys + Sticky Keys

1. The “5 Taps” Trick (Two Separate Shortcuts)

If you have the individual shortcuts turned on in your settings, you can turn them off one right after the other without using your mouse:

• Tap the Shift key 5 times to turn off Sticky Keys.
• Tap the Option key 5 times to turn off Mouse Keys. [1, 2]

Would you like to know how to make sure those 5-tap shortcuts are fully turned on so they work next time?

2. The Accessibility Panel Shortcut (Best Choice)

Press Option + Command + F5 (or quickly tap the Touch ID / Power button three times if you are using a MacBook). [1, 2]

1. This pops up the Accessibility Shortcuts menu instantly.
2. Press the Tab key to highlight Sticky Keys, then press the Spacebar to uncheck it.
3. Press Tab again to move to Mouse Keys, then press Spacebar to uncheck it.
4. Press Escape to close the window. [1, 2]

Once upon a time. . .