macOS 13 Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

macOS 13 (Ventura) includes a comprehensive set of default keyboard shortcuts mapped to physical keys that allow users to activate and control accessibility features instantly. Rather than navigating deep into System Settings, users can trigger specific tools—such as VoiceOver, Zoom, and Invert Colors—or summon a centralized Accessibility Shortcuts panel directly using key combinations on their physical keyboard.

The Primary Accessibility Shortcut Panel

The most versatile physical shortcut in macOS 13 is the command to open the Accessibility Shortcuts panel:

  • Shortcut: Option + Command + F5 (or a quick triple-press of the Touch ID / power button on MacBooks).

This brings up a system dialog on your screen, allowing you to instantly toggle features like VoiceOver, Zoom, Invert Colors, Sticky Keys, and Mouse Keys using your keyboard’s arrow keys and Spacebar.

Dedicated Physical Key Shortcuts for Vision

macOS 13 provides direct physical key combinations for several visual accessibility tools:

  • Turn VoiceOver On or Off: Command + F5 (On keyboards with an Fn key, you may need to press Fn + Command + F5).
  • Toggle Zoom: Option + Command + 8
  • Zoom In: Option + Command + Equal Sign (=)
  • Zoom Out: Option + Command + Minus Sign (-)
  • Invert Screen Colors: Control + Option + Command + 8
  • Turn Contrast On or Off: Control + Option + Command + Period (.)

Dedicated Shortcuts for Motor and Mobility

For physical typing and navigation assistance, macOS 13 supports several hardware-level triggers:

  • Mouse Keys: Press the Option key five times in rapid succession to enable or disable Mouse Keys (which allows the numeric keypad or standard keyboard to control the mouse pointer). Note: This setting must first be allowed under System Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control.
  • Sticky Keys: Press the Shift key five times in succession to toggle Sticky Keys, enabling sequential modifier key entry instead of simultaneous presses.
  • Full Keyboard Access: When enabled in settings, pressing Tab, arrow keys, and the Spacebar allows total navigation of the macOS interface without touching a mouse or trackpad.

Customizing Accessibility Shortcuts in macOS 13

If you want to modify which tools appear in the shortcut menu or assign custom physical key combinations, you can do so in macOS 13:

  1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
  2. Select Accessibility from the sidebar.
  3. Scroll to the bottom and select Shortcut.
  4. Check or uncheck the accessibility features you want mapped to the Option + Command + F5 shortcut.
  5. To change specific global key bindings, navigate to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Accessibility to assign your preferred key combinations to specific actions.