Michel Coornaert
Strasbourg, France

VoiceOver 10.9

Using TeXShop with VoiceOver Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks

TeXShop is a free software for MacOS 10 which can be used to edit TeX and LaTeX source files and convert them into PDF documents.
TeXShop may be downloaded on TeXShop official website. TeXShop is also contained in the MacTeX distribution (see MacTeX - TeX Users Group).
The compatibility of TeXShop with VoiceOver is very good. When reading PDF documents with TeXShop, VoiceOver reads correctly isolated Greek letters and many (but not all!) mathematical symbols under the condition that the option "all" has been previously selected in the Punctuation Menu of the Verbosity settings of VoiceOver. To select this option, open the Verbosity Rotor by pressing Ctrl + Opt + v, then select "All" in the Punctuation Menu by moving with the Right and Down arrows, then press the Escape key to quit the Verbosity Rotor.


  • Important: for the instructions below, it is assumed that VoiceOver is on and that Quick Nav is off.
    To toggle VoiceOver on or off, press Cmd + F5.
    When VoiceOver is on, press simultaneously the Right and Left arrows to toggle Quick Nav on or off.

  • To create a new source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "New" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To save a newly created source file in the current folder:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the file name, then
    Press the Return key. The file is then saved in the current folder with the default extention "tex".

  • To save a newly created file in a folder that is not the current folder:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the file name, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow twice until the checkbox "cdisclosure", then
    If this has not already been done, press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar to check the disclosure checkbox, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (7 times) until the radio button "column view", then
    If this has not already been done, press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar to check the column wiew radio button, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (3 times) until hearing the name of the current folder followed by "pop up button", then
    Select a parent folder of the wanted folder by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (4 times) until hearing "browser", then
    Move with the Arrows to select the wanted folder , then
    Press the Return key.

  • To open a recently used source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then 
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Open Recent" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press the Right Arrow, then
    Select the file with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To open a file contained in the current folder:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Open…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Select the file by using the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To open a file that is not contained in the current folder:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Open…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (4 times) until the radio button "column view", then
    If this has not already been done, press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar to check the column wiew radio button, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (3 times) until hearing the name of the current folder followed by "pop up button", then
    Select a parent folder of the wanted file by moving with the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow (4 times) until hearing "browser", then
    Move with the Arrows to select the wanted file, then
    Press the Return key.

  • to open a file from Finder:
    Select the file in Finder (see Using Finder), then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to the submenu "Open with" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Go to "TeXshop" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To save a source file that has been modified:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Save" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    The file keeps its name and extension unchanged.

  • To rename a file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Rename…" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the new file name, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To hear the name of the current file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + F2 (with Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + F2).

  • To select a part of the text in the source file:
    Use the Arrows while kepping the Shift key pressed.

  • To read the part of the text which has been selected in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + F6 (with Macbook Fn + Ctrl + Opt + F6).

  • To copy the part of the text which has been selected in a source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Copy" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To paste the part of the text which has been copied:
    Place the cursor where you want to paste the text, then
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing  Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Paste" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • To find a word in a source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Find" with the Down Arrow, then
    Go to "Find…" with the Right Arrow, then
    Type the word, then
    Press the Return key.

  • Another method to find a word in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + f, then
    Type the word, then
    Press the Return key.
    VoiceOver find the first occurrence of the word,
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a to read the sequel of the file.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + g to find the next occurrence of the word.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + g to find the previous occurrence of the word.
    Remark : instead of typping a word, one may select a word used in a previous search by using the Up and Down Arrows.
    Press Cmd + del to supress a word used in a previous search.

  • To go to the beginning of the text in a source file:
    Press Cmd + Up Arrow.

  • To go to the end of the text in a source file:
    Press Cmd + Down Arrow.

  • To go to a given line of the source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Edit" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Line Number…" with the Down Arrow, then 
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Type the line number, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To go one page backward in a source file:
    Press Opt + Page Up (with MacBook Fn +Opt + Up Arrow).

  • To go one page foreward in a source file:
    Press Opt + Page Down (with MacBook Fn +Opt + Down Arrow).

  • To go to the beginning of the current line in a source file:
    Press Cmd + Left Arrow.

  • To go to the end of the current line in a source file:
    Press Cmd + Right Arrow.

  • To read all the contents of a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a.

  • To read the current word in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + w.

  • To spell the current word in a source file:
    Press twice Ctrl + Opt + w.

  • To read the curent line in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + l.

  • To read the current sentence in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + s.

  • To read the current paragraph in a source file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + p.

  • To complete automatically a word in a source file:
    Press F5 (with macbook Fn + F5), then
    Select a word in the list by using the Up and Down Arrows, then
    Press Spacebar.

  • To use the spellchecker in a source file:
    Press Cmd + Semicolon (VoiceOver read the first uncorrect word), then
    Type the correct word.
    One may use a list of suggested word by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + m, then use the Up and Down Arrows to select a word in the list, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    One may spell the uncorrect word or a suggested word by pressing twice Ctrl + Opt + w.

  • To create a PDF document from a LaTeX source file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Typeset" with the Right Arrow, then  
    Go to "LaTeX" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar. If there are no LaTeX syntax errors, a PDF file is created and VoiceOver starts to read the first page of the PDF doccument.
    TeXShop always saves the source file before typesetting.
    To read PDF documents with VoiceOver, one can also use Quick Look (see Using Finder), or Preview (see Using Preview) or VisioVoice (see Using VisioVoice).
    Remark: one encounters many problems when trying to read a PDF document with VoiceOver, especially if it contains mathematical formulas, whatever the application used.

  • If there are syntax errors in the source file, TeXShop open a console containing the list of errors when typesetting.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Left Arrow (4 times) until hearing "Goto error", then press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar to go to the first error in the source file. Another method to go to the first error is to go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then go to "Edit" with the Right arrow, then to go to "Goto Error" with the Down Arrow, then press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.
    If you press only once Ctrl + Opt + Left Arrow VoiceOver reads the page containing the whole list of errors. This page beggins with "This is pdfeTeX, version ..." and is often very long. You can interact with this page by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then move through this page by using Ctrl + Opt + one of the Arrows.

  • To go to the next page when reading a PDF document:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Preview" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Next Page" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Down Arrow.

  • To go to the previous page when reading a PDF document:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "Preview" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Previous Page" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Down Arrow.

  • To go to a given page in a PDF document:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Left Arrow to go to the Toolbar, then
    Interact with the "Toolbar" by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Left Arrow and Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow until hearing "Go to Page", then
    Interact with "Go to Page" by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Move to "Edit text contents" by using  Ctrl + Opt + Left Arrow and Ctrl + Opt + Right Arrow, then
    Type the page numbre, then
    Press the Return key, then
    Stop the interaction with "Go to Page" and "Toolbar" by pressing twice Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Down Arrow.

  • To read the selected page in a PDF file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Down Arrow.

  • To spell a word contained in the selected page of a PDF file:
    Interact with the page by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Move to the word by using  Ctrl + Opt + one of the Arrows, then
    Press twice Ctrl + Opt + w.
    Stop the interaction with the page by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Up Arrow.

  • To find a word in a PDF file:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + f, then
    Type the word, then
    Press the Return key.
    VoiceOver reads the first occurrence of the word,
    Press Ctrl + Opt + a to read the sequel of the document.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + g to go to the next occurrence.
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Shift + g to go to the previous occurrence.
    Remark : instead of typing a word, one may select a word used in a previous search by using the Up and Down Arrows.
    Press Cmd + del to supress a word used in a previous search.

  • To read all the contents of a PDF file:
    If this has not already been done, interact with the text by pressing Ctrl + Opt + Shift + Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + B to read from beginning, or
    Press Ctrl + Opt + A to read from the current position.
    Press Ctrl to stop reading, then
    Press Ctrl again to resume reading.

  • To print a source or PDF file:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing  Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "File" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "Print..." with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar, then
    Press the Return key.

  • To know the version of TeXShop that is currently used:
    Go to the Menu bar by pressing  Ctrl + Opt + m, then
    Go to "TeXShop" with the Right Arrow, then
    Go to "About TeXShop" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Ctrl + Opt + Spacebar.

  • Some Shortcuts :
    To save : Cmd + s
    To copy: Cmd + c
    To cut: Cmd + x
    To paste: Cmd + v
    To select all: Cmd + a
    To undo: Cmd + z
    To open a document: Cmd + o
    To open a new document: Cmd + n
    To print. . . : Cmd + p
    To close the current window: Cmd + w
    To close all windows: Cmd + Opt + w
    To go to a given line of the source file : Cmd + l
    To typeset a LaTeX source file: Cmd + shift + l
    To go to error: Cmd + Ctrl + e
    To quit TeXshop: Cmd + q 

  • Some settings of VoiceOver suggested for using TeXShop:
    Press Ctrl + Opt + v to acess verbosity settings, then
    Go to "Typing Echo" with the Right Arrow, then
    Select "Character" with the Down Arrow, then
    Go to "Punctuation" with the Right Arrow, then
    Select "All" with the Down Arrow, then
    Go to "Text attributes" with the Right Arrow, then
    Select "Do nothing" with the Down Arrow, then
    Go to "Capitals" with the Right Arrow, then
    Select "Play tone" with the Down Arrow, then
    Press Esc to quit.

  • VoiceOver Commands

  • TexShop Version: TexShop 3.51

  • Please send me your comments about this page by e-mail


  • Last Update: January 3, 2016