Braille commands for the iPhone

Using Braille displays with iPhone

How to pair

1. Go to Settings>General>Bluetooth and make sure Bluetooth is switched on.
2. Double tap the back button to move back to the General dialog, then scroll too and activate Accessibility.
3. Scroll too and double tap on the “VoiceOver On” button to open the VoiceOver settings dialog.
4. Scroll to the “Braille” option and double tap to open the Braille settings dialog.
5. The iPhone should start searching for a Braille display. Turn your display on and on the phone itself, scroll one item past “”Choose Braille device”. This will say “Searching”. Once the display has been discovered, the name of the Braille display will show here.
6. Once the Braille display is found, double tap the Braille displays name. This will launch the pairing dialog. On the phone type the pairing code and double tap the done button in the top right corner to establish the connection.

Connection tips

Once the Braille display has been paired, if you wish to use Braille with the iPhone, Turn the Braille display on prior to bringing the iPhone out of standby and Braille will be automatically connected. Lock the phone before turning off the Braille display to allow for auto-connection the next time you wish to use Braille with the phone.

Practice gestures

It is a good idea to go in to the practice gestures option when you first pair your Braille display. In the practice gestures section, you can safely play with the Braille display, if the buttons you press have an action, VoiceOver will announce it. This is a great way to learn what does what on your Braille display and can also be used to figure out iPhone gestures that get performed on the iPhones screen.

To access the practice gestures screen:

1. Double tap settings.
2. Use a single right flick to move to “General”, then double tap to activate the general dialog.
3. Single right flick to the “Accessibility” button and double tap to open the dialog.
4. Single right flick to the “VoiceOver on” button and double tap to open the VoiceOver dialog.
5. Single right flick too the “Practice VoiceOver gestures” button and double tap.
6. Single write flick twice to get past the “Done button and in to the practice gestures area.

Listen to the instructions, then begin practicing gestures.

To leave the Practice Gestures area, you need to locate and double tap the “Done” button, by dragging your finger around the screen until you locate it. Then double tap to exit. The “Done” button is found at the top right of the screen, just below the status bar.

Navigation commands

These commands apply to all Braille displays that have a Braille keyboard.

Chord Function

Dot 1 chord Move to previous item
Dot 4 chord Move to next item
Dot 2 chord Pan Braille left
Dot 5 chord Pan Braille right
Dot 1 2 3 Move to the first element
Dot 4 5 6 Move to the last element
Dot 1 3 5 Scroll right one page
Dot 2 4 6 Scroll left one page
Dot 2 3 4 chord Moves to the status bar
Dot 2 3 chord Select previous rotor setting
Dot 5 6 chord Select next rotor setting
Dot 3 chord Move to previous item using rotor setting
Dot 6 Move to next item using rotor setting
Dot 1 2 5 chord twice quickly Launches the Task Switcher

Reading commands

Chord command Function
Dot 1 2 3 5 Read all starting at selected item
Dot 2 4 5 6 Read all, starting from the top
Dot 1 2 3 4 Pause or continue speech

General commands

Chord command Function
Dot 1 2 chord Activates the Back button, if present
Dot 1 4 5 chord or dot 7 chord Activates the Delete key
Dot 1 5 chord or dot 8 chord Activates the return key
Dot 1 2 4 5 chord Switch between contracted and uncontracted Braille
Dot 1 2 5 chord Activates the Home button (twice quickly to launch the task switcher)
Dot 1 3 4 chord Toggles speech on and off
Dot 2 3 4 5 chord Activates the Tab key
Dot 3 5 6 chord Select text
Dot 2 3 6 Unselect text
Dot 3 4 5 chord Volume up
Dot 1 2 6 chord Volume down
Dot 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toggle screen curtain on/off

Focus Blue specific commands

Command Action
Left pan button Pan Braille to the left
Left Rocker down Move to next item, (determined by rotor setting)
Left Rocker up Move to previous item, (determined by rotor setting)
Left Select button Activates the selected item
Right Select Activates the selected item
Right Rocker down Move to next item
Right Rocker up Move to previous item
Right Pan button Pan Braille to the right
Left wiz wheel down Pan Braille right
Left Wiz Wheel up Pan Braille left
Left Wiz wheel pressed Activates the selected item
Right Wiz Wheel down Pan Braille right
Right Wiz Wheel up Pan Braille left
Right Wiz Wheel pressed Activates selected item

EasyLink or Braille pen specific commands

Command Function
Right pan button Pan Braille to the right
Left pan button Pan Braille to the left
Joystick right Move to next item
Joystick left Move to previous item
Joystick up Move to previous item using rotor settings
Joystick Down Move to next item using rotor setting
Joystick action Activates the selected item

Baum Braille Connect 12

Function keys across the front of the display

Command Action
F1 Home
F2 Move to Status bar
F3 Back button, if present
F4 Stop/start speech
Joystick left Move to previous item
Joystick right Move to next item
Joystick Up Move to previous item using rotor settings
Joystick down Move to next item using rotor settings

The D1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 buttons, which are placed vertically at each end of the display line can be used to perform the above chorded commands with out the need to add the space bar.

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