Questions
Mouse Keys on a Mac
Mouse Keys is a macOS accessibility setting that moves the pointer and clicks from the keyboard. Its switch is in System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control. If the keys U, I, O, J, K and L have stopped typing, Mouse Keys is the likely reason: Apple notes that the keyboard cannot enter text while it is on.
I make InputConfig, a free Mac app that moves the pointer from a game controller instead, which leaves the keyboard free for typing. This page covers Mouse Keys first.
On this page: 9 sections
Steps
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Click Accessibility in the sidebar, then Pointer Control.
- Turn Mouse Keys on or off.
- With it on, move the pointer with 7, 8, 9, U, O, J, K and L, or with a numeric keypad.
- Press I, or 5 on a keypad, to click.
Turn Mouse Keys on or off
- You: Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then Pointer Control.
- macOS: Shows the Mouse Keys switch and its options.
- Check: With the switch off, every key types again.
The options include Press the Option key five times to toggle Mouse Keys. With that turned on, five quick presses of Option switch Mouse Keys on or off from anywhere, and they can switch it on when you did not mean to. If the keyboard suddenly stops typing, look at this switch first.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
Know the keys
These are the keys in Apple's guide:
| Action | Numeric keypad | Main keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Move the pointer | 7, 8, 9, 4, 6, 1, 2, 3 | 7, 8, 9, U, O, J, K, L |
| Click | 5 | I |
| Press and hold the button | 0 | M |
| Release the button | Period | Period |
Press and hold is for dragging: hold the button, move the pointer, then release it. A keyboard with no numeric keypad still works, on the keys around J and K.
Adjust how the pointer moves
The Mouse Keys options hold three more settings:
- Initial delay. How soon the pointer gets going when a key is held.
- Maximum speed. How fast the pointer gets while a key stays down.
- Ignore built-in trackpad when Mouse Keys is on. The trackpad stops moving the pointer while Mouse Keys is on.
These three settings change how Mouse Keys feels, not which keys it uses.
If Mouse Keys does not work
Climb this ladder, smallest step first:
- Check the switch. System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control, Mouse Keys.
- Use the right keys. Without a numeric keypad the pointer moves on 7, 8, 9, U, O, J, K and L, and I clicks.
- Hold the key. Keep it down to keep the pointer moving.
- Change the options. Initial delay and Maximum speed set how soon and how fast the pointer travels.
On a keyboard without a keypad, the letters around J and K are the direction keys.
Right click and other mouse actions
Mouse Keys itself presses the main button. For the rest, Apple's guide points to Alternate pointer actions, in the same Pointer Control settings: it lets keyboard shortcuts, assistive switches or facial expressions perform a left click, a right click or a double click. Turn on Alternate pointer actions when you need more than a plain click.
Other ways to move the pointer without a mouse
- A game controller. In InputConfig a stick moves the pointer and buttons click, and the keyboard keeps typing. How to use a game controller as a mouse on a Mac has the setup.
- Head pointer. The pointer follows your head through the camera. See how to click with head pointer on a Mac.
- Full Keyboard Access. Apple's guide suggests it for moving between items on screen with shortcuts.
How to use a Mac without a mouse compares them. Mouse Keys borrows the keyboard, and a controller leaves it alone.
The short version
- On or off. System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control, Mouse Keys.
- Keys. 7, 8, 9, U, O, J, K and L move, I clicks, M holds and Period releases.
- Typing stopped. Mouse Keys is on. Turn it off.
While Mouse Keys is on, the keyboard is a mouse and not a keyboard.
Questions
How do I turn off Mouse Keys on a Mac?
Open System Settings, click Accessibility, then Pointer Control, and turn Mouse Keys off. If the option to toggle it with the Option key is on, pressing Option five times turns it off too.
What is the shortcut for Mouse Keys on a Mac?
Press the Option key five times, once that option is turned on in the Mouse Keys settings. Apple's Accessibility Shortcuts can switch it on and off as well.
Why can I not type when Mouse Keys is on?
Apple notes that the keyboard and the numeric keypad cannot enter text while Mouse Keys is on, because those keys are moving the pointer. Turn it off to type.
Does Mouse Keys work without a numeric keypad?
Yes. On the main keyboard, 7, 8, 9, U, O, J, K and L move the pointer, I clicks, M presses and holds the button, and Period releases it.
How do I right click with Mouse Keys on a Mac?
Turn on Alternate pointer actions in System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control. It lets a keyboard shortcut, a switch or a facial expression perform a right click or a double click.
Related
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Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.