Section 130. Use Sticky Keys

130. Use Sticky Keys

SEE ALSO

128 Zoom In

131 Control the Mouse Pointer Using the Keyboard

Sticky Keys let you more easily use key combinations that involve two or more keys that must be pressed at the same time. If you're only able to press one key on the keyboard at a time, the Sticky Keys feature lets you use such key combinations by enabling a "stack" of pressed modifier keys that are all applied to the next regular key you press. For instance, with Sticky Keys turned on, you can simulate the key combination by pressing first Command , then Option , and then M ; the symbols for Command and Option appear floating on the screen to tell you that they will be applied to the first "regular" key you pressin this case, the M .

TIP

To remove a pressed modifier key from the displayed list, press that key twice in succession.

1.	Open the Universal Access Preferences Open the System Preferences application (under the Apple menu); click Universal Access to open the Universal Access Preferences pane. Click the Keyboard tab.
2.	Turn On Sticky Keys Select the Sticky Keys: On radio button. From now on, icons for the modifier keys you press will appear in the upper-right corner of the screen until you press a regular key. 130. Use Sticky Keys
3.	Use the Shift Key to Turn Sticky Keys On and Off The Press the Shift key five times to turn Sticky Keys on or and off check box lets you turn Sticky Keys on and off by pressing Shift five times in a row. Because this key sequence is very unlikely to be used for any other purpose, it's assigned to the Sticky Keys feature and is pretty safe to enable.
4.	Enable the Beep for Modifier Keys When selected, the Beep when a modifier key is set check box tells the system to make a soft "key press" sound effect when you press any modifier key. This can be helpful if you have vision difficulties. Deselect the check box if you want the modifier keys to be silent.
5.	Display the Pressed Modifier Keys Onscreen If you don't want the pressed modifier keys to be displayed floating in the upper right of the screen, deselect the Display pressed keys on screen check box. The Sticky Keys feature will still be in effect; you just won't be able to see it in action.