Explore best practices for creating inclusive apps for users of Apple accessibility features and users from diverse backgrounds.

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Keyboard Navigation Not Working for inline PhotosPicker
We are using inline PhotosPicker introduced with iOS 17.0. The accessbility navigation using touch gestures work fine but the navigation through Keyboard doesn't work properly. The tab/arrow based Keyboard navigation can't move from native app process to inline PhotosUI process or vice versa. This is logged as a high severity bug by our accessibility team. Please look into this. Sample code for repro: https://github.com/saalisumer/AccessibilityIssueInlinePhotoPickerIOS Repro video: https://github.com/saalisumer/AccessibilityIssueInlinePhotoPickerIOS/blob/main/Simulator%20Screen%20Recording%20-%20iPhone%2015%20Pro%20-%202024-12-16%20at%2016.27.48.mp4
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470
Dec ’24
Programmatically Modifying Per Application or System Wide Color Filters using Cocoa/Swift in MacOS?
I'm looking into how to programmatically control color filters in the Accessibility settings under "System Settings" -> "Accessibility" -> "Color Filters"--in particular the "Intensity" and "Filter type" settings. As far as I have gathered, changing this setting can only be accomplished using the CoreGraphics APIs or Accessibility APIs (I've poked around GitHub, Stack Overflow, and queried some LLMs), but there doesn't seem to be a clear cut example for doing this using public facing APIs, without ripping off source code from another project wholesale or using private APIs. My goal is to overlay a color filter at either a per-application or system level to help with accessibility. If there's a way to overlay this capability on an application-by-application basis as a third-party developer, that would be the most ideal scenario. For example, modifying the look and feel/UX for Launchpad, Photos, etc, as a third-party developer without accessing the source code of the application that I'm modifying the look/feel for (with appropriate user consent of course).
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354
Jul ’25
VoiceOver doesn't work well for accessing PDFs/forms with tables
I have been working to remediate PDFs for a client. The documents/forms have many tables. When I correctly tag a table, using Foxit Editor Pro, it works beautifully on a PC reading it with NVDA. On Mac using VoiceOver the table isn't accessible. It doesn't matter if I try to read it in Adobe Acrobat, Foxit, or Preview. The reader often says the document is empty, omits column headers, and/or associates the wrong header with the column data. The documents have essentially the same coding behind them as for the web. Why is it they perform so well on a PC with NVDA, but so poorly with Mac VoiceOver? I am a Quality Assurance Specialist. I review websites apps, and documents for accessibility. Why can't I do my job using only my Mac system? As a Mac user, it frustrates me that I can't use my preferred system for checking documents to see if they are accessible because VoiceOver doesn't work well. I actually have to recommend to my clients and their customers that they need to use a PC with NVDA or Jaws for these documents to be able to get all the information. Unfortunately, most people aren't able to have, or maintain, both systems. Overall, Mac products are very high quality. This, and other issues with VoiceOver, seems to be a large gap in Apple's offerings and functionality. I would appreciate a human response to the original email I sent about this on 7/30/2025.
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118
Jul ’25
Speak Selection broken with SwiftUI text
I have users who need to be able to hear the content of SwiftUI Text views. I have specified the .textSelection(.enabled) modifier for the text views. Adding this modifier causes a "copy" option to appear on long press, but it doesn't enable the visible selection of text, nor does it provide the "Speak" menu item that UIKit allows on text selection. Is the "Speak Selection" accessibility feature broken for SwiftUI Text views? I've found that there's another accessibility feature that does work (enabling the Speech Controller button for "Speak Screen"). Do I need to tell my users that Apple is deprecating the "Speak Selection" accessibility feature, and that they need to use the Speech Controller instead? Or is there something else I can do to my SwiftUI to get that feature to work?
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209
Jul ’25
mkdir actions-runner && cd actions-runner
curl -o actions-runner-osx-x64-2.321.0.tar.gz -L https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/download/v2.321.0/actions-runner-osx-x64-2.321.0.tar.gz echo "b2c91416b3e4d579ae69fc2c381fc50dbda13f1b3fcc283187e2c75d1b173072 actions-runner-osx-x64-2.321.0.tar.gz" | shasum -a 256 -c tar xzf ./actions-runner-osx-x64-2.321.0.tar.gz ./config.sh --url https://github.com/funds123/tpsdk --token BMOPQPZNQKB57MXE4BDDKKTHMTHJO ./run.sh Save this configuration as com.github.actions.runner.plist in
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629
Dec ’24
Programmatically force VoiceOver to read parentheses for math expressions
How can I force VoiceOver to read parentheses for math expressions like this: Text("(2+3)×4") // VoiceOver: Two plus three, times four I’m looking for a way to have VoiceOver announce parentheses (e.g. “left paren”, “right paren”) without relying on NumberFormatter.Style.spellOut or .speechAlwaysIncludesPunctuation(), as both have drawbacks. Using .spellOut breaks braille output and Rotor › Characters menu by turning numbers and symbols into words. And .speechAlwaysIncludesPunctuation() makes VoiceOver overly verbose—for example, it reads “21” as “twenty hyphen one.” Is there a better way to selectively announce specific punctuation like parentheses while keeping numbers and symbols intact for braille and Rotor use?
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344
Jul ’25
VoiceOver needs to support CFBundleSpokenName
VoiceOver does not support the plist property CFBundleSpokenName. This is wrong and should be fixed. Ultimately the issue I am dealing with is that our app name is UWCU, and instead of VoiceOver pronouncing each letter, it tries to read this as a word and horribly butchers our organization's/app's name. Alternatives such as using U.W.C.U. and U W C U are not acceptable. @Apple, I know you're first response is going to be "no, it is working perfectly," but quite frankly you are wrong. I know you feel strongly about this, given your response in posts like this: https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/734545?answerId=760084022 HOWEVER, with iOS 18, your argument for "VoiceOver should read what's on the screen" doesn't hold water anymore. With iOS 18, you Apple have added a new feature that lets users customize their home screens and completely remove the name of apps. Here's your own guide: https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/customize-apps-and-widgets-on-the-home-screen-iph385473442/ios Quoted from your guide: Make the icons bigger: Tap Large. (In large size, the names of the apps disappear.) With large icons + VoiceOver turned on, VoiceOver still reads the app name even though it has disappeared from the screen. So, your own argument "VoiceOver should read the text as it appears on the screen" is invalid, because there is NO text on the screen. If you can't tell, I'm pretty peeved about all this. There's a reason why screen readers support aria attributes to help deliver the right accessible experience. It's a simple ask for VoiceOver to do the same thing.
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863
Oct ’24
White screen in iOS18
Our app: https://apps.apple.com/it/app/bookapp-business/id1511129368 BookApp Business, does not work in iOS 18 when it starts it opens a white screen it is developed in Xamarin Forms and we cannot update it are there any solutions? tanks for support Alex
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1.3k
Sep ’24
AXIsProcessTrusted returns true, but AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue fails with .cannotComplete
This was working a few days ago, but it has since stopped and I can't figure out why. I've tried resetting TCC, double-checking my entitlements, restarting, deleting and rebuilding, and nothing works. My app is a sandboxed macOS SwiftUI LSUIElement app that, when invoked, checks to see if the frontmost process is Terminal, then tries to get the frontmost window’s title. func getFrontmostWindowTitle() throws -> String? { let trusted = AXIsProcessTrusted() print("getFrontmostWindowTitle AX trusted: \(trusted)") guard let app = NSWorkspace.shared.frontmostApplication else { return nil } let appElement = AXUIElementCreateApplication(app.processIdentifier) var focusedWindow: AnyObject? let status = AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(appElement, kAXFocusedWindowAttribute as CFString, &focusedWindow) guard status == .success, let window = focusedWindow else { if status == .cannotComplete { throw Errors.needAccessibilityPermission } return nil } var title: AnyObject? let titleStatus = AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(window as! AXUIElement, kAXTitleAttribute as CFString, &title) guard titleStatus == .success else { return nil } return title as? String } I recently renamed the app, but the Bundle ID has not yet changed. I have com.apple.security.accessibility set to YES in the Entitlements file (although i had to add it manually), and a NSAccessibilityUsageDescription string set in Info.plist. The first time I ran this, macOS nicely prompted for permission. Now it won't do that, even when I use AXIsProcessTrustedWithOptions() to try to force it. If I use tccutil to reset accessibility and apple events, it still doesn't prompt. If I drag my app from the build products folder to System Settings, it gets added to the system TCC DB (not the user DB). It shows an auth value of 2 for my app: % sudo sqlite3 "/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db" "SELECT client,auth_value FROM access WHERE service='kTCCServiceAccessibility' OR service='kTCCServiceAppleEvents';" com.latencyzero.<redacted>|2 <redactd> I'm at a loss as to what went wrong. I proved out the concept earlier and it worked, and have since spent a lot of time enhancing and polishing the app, and now things aren't working and I'm starting to worry.
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980
Jul ’25
Voice memos
Can it please be explained why the voice memo layers is exclusive to iPhone 16 pro models? I was told by apple support that if it was possible on older models Apple would have implemented it. This type of functionality has been in technology for tens of years and has a proven track record of being implemented across so many different platforms and even apps in Apples on App Store. So that response from apple support is just rubbish to be honest. Even if the response is “so we can sell the iPhone 16 pro“ then so be it. ive noticed Apple locking software features to new devices lately and it’s genuinely making me think about buying my first even android phone.. because I really don’t support these kind of scummy tactics. many thanks,
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670
Oct ’24
xcstrings file in not being updated
I'm using Xcode 15.2 and have migrated my (macOS) project to use an xcstrings file a while back. Now when I check the xcstrings file, all items are marked as "stale". When I add new localized strings in code, they don't show up in the xcstrings file. The xcstrings file is built correctly (into .lproj/Localizable.strings) when building. Where can I check which source files are checked to update xcstrings status? "xcstringstool" appears to have a "sync" feature which reads "stringsdata" files, but there is no information in the xcstringstool help on where the stringsdata files come from. If I create a new project I can see a "stringsdata" file being generated for each source file in the intermediate build products folder.
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2.6k
Oct ’24
To say I'm extremely hurt is an understatement! 😔
Voice Control Disabling System Services After Reboot I recently learned from Apple Accessibility Support that the issue I’m experiencing with Voice Control is now affecting multiple users. When I first reported the problem, I appeared to be the first case—what you might call “patient zero.” I have provided extensive feedback and system logs, but now that the issue is more widespread, I have been told that I will not be informed of the cause or notified directly when a fix is found. Instead, updates will be released as solutions are identified, and support staff will not necessarily know the details of the underlying problem. To summarize my experience: after enabling Voice Control and rebooting my MacBook Pro (14.2-inch, M4 chip), critical Apple system services—including FaceTime, Apple Music, and News—stop functioning. Dictation remains available, but it is not as accurate or effective for my needs as Voice Control. I rely on these accessibility features daily due to my disability and cerebral palsy, and this issue has persisted for over five months. I have always valued contributing to the developer program and supporting Apple’s efforts to improve accessibility. However, I find it discouraging that there is no clear communication about the status of this issue or its resolution. My theory is that there may be a hardware interaction—perhaps between the neural engine and the new Wi-Fi chip—rather than a purely software problem. I understand that some information may not be immediately available, but I believe that users who rely on accessibility features should be kept informed about major issues and their progress toward resolution. I appreciate the dedication of the accessibility and development teams, and I want to continue supporting Apple’s mission of inclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Donald Spencer Kirby Dayton, Ohio
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147
Jun ’25
MacOS Sequoia support for VoiceOver AppleScript automation
We are unable to programmatically enable AppleScript automation for VoiceOver on macOS 15 (Sequoia) In macOS 15, Apple moved the VoiceOver configuration from: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.VoiceOver4/default.plist to a sandboxed path: ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.VoiceOver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.VoiceOver4/default.plist Steps to Reproduce: Use a macOS 15 (ARM64) machine (or GitHub Actions runner image with macOS 15 ARM). Open VoiceOver: open /System/Library/CoreServices/VoiceOver.app Set the SCREnableAppleScript flag to true in the new sandboxed .plist: plutil -replace SCREnableAppleScript -bool true ~/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.apple.VoiceOver/Library/Preferences/com.apple.VoiceOver4/default.plist Confirm csrutil status is either disabled or not enforced. Attempt to control VoiceOver via AppleScript (e.g., using osascript voiceOverPerform.applescript). Observe that the AppleScript command fails with no useful output (exit code 1), and VoiceOver does not respond to automation.
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152
Jun ’25
IOS18.1
Just updated my iPhone 16 pro max to the iOS 18.1 however the record icon doesn’t show on my screen while am having a phone call like other devices
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405
Oct ’24
New ipados 18.3 beta troubleshooting
Hi apple, ive been having a problem with my ipad pro 5th generation. since updating my ipad it has been acting weird lately… to be specific it keeps closing twice randomly and the widgets turn white andcmy screen keeps going black when i go on apps it keeps exiting out of the app also the new siri is so slow and wouldnt answer when i say [hey siri] only on random ocasions please help me fix this problem because i need my ipad for studying… thank you.
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704
Jan ’25
Text Replacement preferences are not exportabe, is there a PLIST file or similar that stores these values?
macOS > Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacement is a macOS/iOS feature I use extensively but it is unavailable in quite a few macOS applications — including some Apple apps like Xcode. Other apps I want Text Replacement to work in but it doesn't are the Adobe CC suite, all my code text editors like VC Studio, Sublime Text, BBEdit, emacs etc and Firefox. Does anybody know what the file path is for the file that stores the Text Replacement key/string pair data? If i can access the .plist file or similar where the Text Replacement key/string pairs are stored I will be able to convert to JSON using REGEX and import to the Firefox plugin that will replicate Text Replacement functionality in Firefox for me. Ditto other code editor applications with their own particular text substitution functionality. Background Some of these apps have plugins or functional equivalents of Text Replacement but i need a way to do the import/export dance to keep them in sync with my Text Replacement text pairs. Sadly, even though we can select the Text Replacement table (in macOS but not in iOS versions), we can't copy that information. This seems to me a violation of good GUI design principles. Why allow selection of the entire table if we cannot copy it to the clipboard? Nor can we import or export the table of text tuples. The Text Replacement GUI has no buttons to do this (consider this post also a FR for that). Screen-capturing and running text recognition software over the PNG it is not an option given: a) all the UTF-16 unusual glyphs and combination glyphs i use; b) that I'd like to script this as a multi-directional syncing application I can run periodically. Typically macOS and app preferences are stored in plist files. I want to find such a file and convert it to JSON for importing into a Firefox plugin that replicates Text Replacement within Firefox. I tried modifying Text Replacements by adding a new item to the list and clicking "Done" and then filtering ~/Library for .plist files and sorting by "Date Modified" but nothing is showing up with these values in it.
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524
Oct ’24