Mail with a bluetooth keyboard for VoiceOver users
Keyboard commands for iPhone and iPad VoiceOver users of the Mail app on an external bluetooth keyboard
Keyboard equivalents of VoiceOver gestures require the VoiceOver modifier key or keys to be held down while another key or keys are tapped. The default modifier requires two keys to be held down - the control and option keys, which are the second and third keys along the bottom row from the bottom left key on keyboards with the standard Apple layout. On the Logitech keyboard they are the first and third keys. There is an alternative single key modifier, the caps lock key, which is the third key up from bottom left on the left edge of the keyboard. Your choice can be set in Settings / Accessibility / VoiceOver / typing.
I have followed Apple's convention here and use the two capital letters, V and O, to indicate when the modifier key needs to be held down. For example, the keyboard equivalent of a double tap is to hold down the modifier key or keys and tap the space bar. This is written as VO - space, the capital letters V and O, a hyphen and then the word space.
Apple also offer QuickNav which permits the omission of the VO keys for some commands. I do not describe QuickNav here; you will find details in Apple's user guides.
OK, let's get started. The Mail app can be started with the Siri command "Open Mail" or you can locate the app on your Home screen and double tap. However, if you prefer to take total control with the keyboard, here's how.
Ensure that you are on the Home screen by typing VO-H. Start the item chooser with VO-I. You will then be in the item chooser's search field. There is a bug in iOS and iPadOS 14.4 which makes it impossible to use this search field with a keyboard; I would have preferred to advise using this to search for Mail. However, there is an acceptable alternative. Swipe right with VO-right arrow until you reach the Item Chooser and then swipe down with VO-down arrow until you reach the letter M. Next swipe right with VO-right arrow until you hear "Mil" and finally double tap with VO-space to put VoiceOver focus on Mail. Finally, use VO-space to open the Mail app. It may sound complex, but after you have used the item chooser a few times, the principle will become clear and you should find it very easy. Basically, the item chooser lets you quickly locate an item on the screen and leaves VoiceOver focused on it, leaving you to activate the item in your next command.
Once you have started the Mail app, the following commands will be useful.
Most of the time you will be able to work with a keyboard by performing keyboard equivalents of touch gestures. This won't be possible, however, for those times when you search for a button by feeling for it at a known location like a back button near top left of the screen or a send button near top right of the screen. Back buttons are easy. The keyboard equivalent is always the Escape key at the top left of the keyboard. Other buttons can be located using the item chooser for which you type VO-I. With the item chooser, you can either swipe right with VO-right arrow through all of the items on screen or use the Section Index to move more quickly to the item you need. Recall that the item chooser lets you place VoiceOver's focus on an item. It does not activate the item.
Here are some keyboard equivalents for touch gestures that you will find useful in Mail.
To select the next item, use VO-right arrow.
To select the previous item, use VO-left arrow.
To activate the selected item, use VO-space.
To read from the current position, use VO-A. (This is the equivalent of a two finger swipe down).
To pause or resume reading, tap the Control key. (This is the second key from the left on Apple keyboards and the first on the Logitech keyboard.)
To go back to the previous screen, use the escape key on its own. Escape is the top left key. This is the keyboard equivalent of locating and double tapping a Back button.
To return to the home screen, use VO-H.
To swipe up or down, use VO-up arrow or down arrow.
To open the item chooser, use VO-I.
Mail keyboard shortcuts
There is a command key on either side of the space bar. Either may be used in these shortcuts.
To begin a new email, Command- N.
To reply, Command-R
To view previous email, Command-Up arrow
To view next email, Command-Down arrow
Keyboard editing commands
The keyboard editing commands will be useful when entering or correcting the body of the email message. These commands work only when QuickNav is turned off. QuickNav sometimes seems to turn on automatically so, before using the keyboard editing commands, please ensure that QuickNav is off by tapping the left and right arrow keys simultaneously. This toggles QuickNav. A rising tone will be heard if QuickNav has just been turned on and a falling tone will be heard if QuickNav has just been turned off.
Go forward or back one character:
Right arrow or left arrow.
Go forward or back one word:
Option-right arrow or option-left arrow.
Go up or down one line:
Up arrow or down arrow.
Go to the beginning or end of the paragraph:
note that a paragraph is ended with a newline character.
Option-up arrow or option-down arrow.
Go to the previous or next paragraph:
Option-up arrow or option-down arrow.
Go to the beginning or end of the text field:
Command-up arrow or command-down arrow.
Select text as you move:
Shift + any of the insertion point moving tools above.
Select all text:
Command-A.
Copy, cut or paste the selected text:
Command-C, Command-X or Command-V.
Speak text from the current position:
VO-A.