How to use a Mac without a mouse
On some days, or for some hands, no mouse or trackpad works well enough. A Mac has several built-in ways to point and click without one, all free and all in System Settings. Most people use one of them for part of the day, alongside the mouse.
The short answer: Mouse Keys moves the pointer and clicks with the keyboard. Voice Control clicks buttons when you say their name or a number. Full Keyboard Access lets Tab and Space reach every button. Dwell clicks when the pointer rests on something, and Head Pointer moves the pointer as you move your head. All of them are in System Settings › Accessibility, under Motor.
How do I move the pointer with the keyboard?
Turn on System Settings › Accessibility › Pointer Control › Mouse Keys. On a number pad, 8, 2, 4 and 6 move the pointer and 5 clicks. On a keyboard without one, as on a MacBook:
| Key | Does |
|---|---|
| 8 K U O J L 7 9 | Move the pointer up, down, left, right and diagonally |
| I | Click |
| M | Press and hold the button, for dragging |
| . | Let go of the button |
The info button beside Mouse Keys sets how soon the pointer starts moving and how fast it can go. Turn on Press the Option key five times to toggle Mouse Keys there, because the keyboard doesn't type while Mouse Keys is on.
Can I click by voice on a Mac?
Yes. Turn on System Settings › Accessibility › Voice Control. Say "click" and a button's name, such as "click Send". Where a button has no name, say "show numbers": every item you can click gets a number, and saying the number clicks it. "Show grid" divides the screen into numbered squares for places that aren't buttons.
How do I use the keyboard instead of clicking?
Turn on System Settings › Accessibility › Keyboard › Full Keyboard Access. Then Tab moves to every button, checkbox and field, not just text fields, and Space presses the one that's highlighted. Together with shortcuts such as ⌘ W to close a window, many tasks need no pointer at all.
What is dwell clicking, and does a Mac have it?
Dwell clicks for you when the pointer rests on one spot for a moment, so you only have to point, never press. A Mac has it, as part of the on-screen keyboard: turn on System Settings › Accessibility › Keyboard › Accessibility Keyboard, click the info button beside it, go to Dwell and turn on Show dwell actions in menu bar. The Dwell menu then lets you choose what a rest does: a click, a double-click, a right-click, a drag and drop or a scroll. Dwell needs a pointer that can stay nearly still for a moment, so it's easier with a steady pointer than a shaking one.
Can I move the pointer with my head?
Yes. System Settings › Accessibility › Pointer Control › Head pointer moves the pointer as you move your head in front of the camera, and Alternate pointer actions, in the same place, lets you click with a key, a switch or a facial expression. Switch Control, under Motor too, runs the whole Mac from one or two switches.