Use a braille display with VoiceOver on iPad

iPad supports many international braille tables and refreshable braille displays. You can connect a Bluetooth wireless braille display to read VoiceOver output, including contracted and uncontracted braille and equations using Nemeth Code. When you edit text, the braille display shows the text in context, and your edits are automatically converted between braille and printed text. You can also use a braille display with input keys to control your iPad when VoiceOver is turned on.

For a list of supported braille displays, see the Apple Support article Braille displays supported by iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Connect a braille display and learn commands to control iPad

Turn on the braille display.
On iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth, turn on Bluetooth, then choose the display.
On iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille, then choose the display.
To see the braille commands for controlling iPad, tap More Info, then tap Braille Commands.

See the Apple Support article Common braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Change the braille display settings

On iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille.

Set any of the following:

Setting	Description
Output	Choose uncontracted six-dot, uncontracted eight-dot, or contracted braille.
Input	Choose uncontracted six-dot, uncontracted eight-dot, or contracted braille; you can also turn on Automatic Translation.
Braille Screen Input	Choose the input method for entering braille using the screen. See Type braille directly on iPad using VoiceOver.
Braille Tables	Add tables that appear in the Braille Table rotor.
Status Cells	Turn on the general and text status cells and choose their location.
Equations use Nemeth Code	Turn on Nemeth Code for mathematical equations.
Show On-screen Keyboard	Display the keyboard on the screen.
Turn Pages when Panning	Automatically turn pages when panning.
Word Wrap	Wrap words to the next line.
Braille Alert Messages	When turned on, your braille display shows an alert message for the specified duration.
Ignore Chord Duration	Adjust the amount of time required before subsequent key presses are recognized as braille chords.
Auto Advance Duration	Adjust this setting to your preferred reading speed.

Output closed captions in braille during media playback

On iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Verbosity.
Choose Braille or Speech and Braille.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide

Use a braille display with VoiceOver on iPad

Connect a braille display and learn commands to control iPad

Change the braille display settings

Output closed captions in braille during media playback