Questions
Free assistive technology on a Mac
A Mac comes with more assistive technology than most people realise, and all of it is free and already installed. Before buying software, open System Settings, Accessibility and try what is there. This page lists the built-in tools by need, where each one lives, and the gap I built InputConfig to fill: using a game controller, an adaptive controller, a switch or a MIDI pad as the mouse and keyboard.
For movement and motor access
- Voice Control (Accessibility, Voice Control): the whole Mac by speech, with numbers or a grid over the screen for clicking.
- Switch Control (Accessibility, Switch Control): scans the screen so one or more switches can reach everything.
- Head pointer (Accessibility, Pointer Control): the pointer follows head movement seen by the camera.
- Mouse Keys (Accessibility, Pointer Control): the pointer moves from the keyboard.
- Accessibility Keyboard (Accessibility, Keyboard): an on-screen keyboard, with Dwell to click by resting the pointer.
- Sticky Keys and Slow Keys (Accessibility, Keyboard): shortcuts one key at a time, and keys that ignore brief accidental presses.
For reading, writing and seeing
- Dictation: write by voice in any text field.
- Spoken Content (Accessibility, Spoken Content): Speak Selection reads highlighted text aloud.
- VoiceOver: the full screen reader.
- Zoom and Hover Text: magnify the screen or the item under the pointer.
The gap: controllers, adaptive controllers and switches as a mouse
macOS pairs game controllers, including the Xbox Adaptive Controller and the PlayStation Access Controller, but on its own a controller only works in games that support it. It will not move the pointer or press keys in a browser or a writing app.
InputConfig fills that gap. It is a free, open source Mac App Store app that turns controllers, adaptive controllers, switches, joysticks, MIDI pads, the Mac's own keys and even a tap on some MacBooks into clicks, pointer movement, key presses and system actions such as Start Dictation, Zoom and Speak Selection. Each control can have a press, a hold and a double press, timing can be lengthened for slow or unsteady movement, and each action can speak its name. It has no account and no network access.
Guides: Xbox Adaptive Controller, PlayStation Access Controller, one to four switches, tremor and limited range, one-handed use, and setting it up for students on school Macs.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Which to try first
If speech is reliable, try Voice Control first. If only one or two movements are reliable, try Switch Control. If the person can press buttons or move a joystick but a mouse and keyboard are hard, a controller with InputConfig is often the fastest route, and it combines well with Dictation and the Accessibility Keyboard. Nothing here costs money, so it is reasonable to try all of them in one session.
Questions
Is there free assistive technology software for Mac?
Yes. macOS includes Voice Control, Switch Control, the head pointer, Mouse Keys, the Accessibility Keyboard with Dwell, Dictation, Speak Selection, VoiceOver and Zoom, all free in System Settings, Accessibility. InputConfig is a free app that adds controllers, adaptive controllers and switches as a mouse and keyboard.
Does a MacBook have an on-screen keyboard?
Yes, the Accessibility Keyboard in System Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard. It can be used with any pointer, including a controller stick driven by InputConfig.
Can a joystick be a mouse on a Mac for free?
Yes. InputConfig reads the joystick or controller stick and moves the pointer, with deadzones for tremor and adjustable speed. Buttons click, right click and scroll.
Does this work on iPad or Chromebook?
The built-in features listed here are the Mac versions; iPad has its own. InputConfig runs on Macs only, with macOS 14 or later.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.