When pixel precision is required, the trackpad or the USB mouse aren’t that efficient. That’s not because of the technical limitation, is it our hand that cannot do pixel precision movement correctly. This level of accuracy is required especially when you are designing something on your Mac. If you find yourself in such a situation, let me tell you that you can move and control the mouse pointer using the Mac Keyboard.
Mouse Keys is an accessibility feature included in macOS that allows you to do everything with the keyboard that you ideally do with the trackpad or the mouse. In this detailed guide, we will show you how to use it correctly and get the most out of it. Stay tuned.
Step #1. Head over to System Preferences → Accessibility → Mouse & Trackpad.
Step #2. In here, check the box beside “Enable Mouse Keys.”
This will enable the Mouse Key feature on your Mac. But you will need to customize it a little to suit your requirement. To do so, follow the steps given below.
Step #3. In the same window, click on “Options…”
Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac OS, Jelly Comb Ultra Slim Wireless Keyboard for Mac OS/iOS/iPad OS Rechargeable Bluetooth Keyboard MacBook, MacBook Air/Pro iMac, iPhone, iPad Pro- White and Silver. 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,385. Get it as soon as Fri, Apr 30. FREE Shipping by Amazon. If the Mac is still double typing characters and spaces, the next thing you should do is clean the Mac keyboard, which can be made easier with an app called ‘Keyboard Cleaner’ that temporarily blocks the keys on a computer so that they can be pressed down without inserting any characters. Typically wiping down the keys with a very lightly.
Here you can customize the following things:
Now that you have customized the preferences as per your requirement let’s see how you can actually use it.
Once the Mouse Keys option is enabled, you can use it everywhere. The cursor controls are as given below:
That’s a lot of keys to remember, but with overtime and regular practice you’ll master it and appreciate the precision it can achieve.
Signing off…
Mouse Keys feature is not for an average user that do regular work on the Mac. It is mainly for artists and designers who need extreme perfection. Besides that, this can come in handy if your trackpad isn’t working and also you don’t have a mouse; that’s more of a patchwork rather than a permanent solution.
Whatever is the reason, you only need to follow the guide above to get started.
You may also like to refer to:
How likely are you to use Mouse Keys? Do you like it already? Share your thoughts in the comments.