Episode
Quick Tip: Assigning a braille display command to tell the time on iOS
- Podcast
- AppleVis Podcast
- Published
- Sep 22, 2025
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Summary
In this short AppleVis episode, host Scott Davert walks through how to bind a custom braille display command that instantly announces and brailles the current date and time on an iPhone. The motivation is simple: while the lock screen shows the time, that isn’t always convenient; a dedicated braille command lets you check the time anywhere without leaving what you’re doing. The conversation centers on VoiceOver’s braille command customization inside iOS. Scott explains that, as of this recording, iOS does not offer an equivalent mapping for a connected QWERTY keyboard or a native touchscreen gesture; he hopes Apple adds those options later. He also points out a brief “silent” behavior in one of the command menus where speech may stop speaking; there’s a quick recovery keystroke for that. Finally, he clarifies that longer braille displays can show the entire date and time on one line, while shorter displays (like 20-cell units) may require a single pan forward to reveal all details. Step-by-step: Assign a braille display command to announce the time on iOS Open Settings on your iPhone with VoiceOver enabled. Go to Accessibility → VoiceOver → Braille . Select your connected braille display (e.g., Braille Edge) to open its command categories. Open the section for assigning Braille button commands . If speech goes quiet on this screen, press Space + dot 4 once to restore speech. Press Space + F to use Find, type time , and navigate to the Time action. Activate Assign New Braille Keys . When prompted, press your desired chord (example: Enter + T for “time”). If it doesn’t register, activate Assign again and retry promptly. Test your new binding: press the chord and confirm VoiceOver speaks—and your display shows—the current date and time. On 20-cell displays, pan forward on…