Accessibility Features

MouseCross is designed to be fully accessible for users with visual impairments, including those who use screen readers.

Screen Reader Support

Windows Screen Readers

MouseCross is fully compatible with the following Windows screen readers:

NVDA (Free)

  • Download from nvda.org
  • All controls properly announced
  • Slider values spoken when changed
  • Checkbox states announced
  • Button labels read correctly

JAWS (Commercial)

  • Industry standard professional screen reader
  • Full compatibility with all MouseCross features
  • Proper UI Automation roles respected

Windows Narrator (Built-in)

  • Included with Windows 10/11
  • Basic accessibility support
  • Press Windows+Ctrl+Enter to start

macOS Screen Readers

VoiceOver (Built-in)

  • Included with all Macs
  • Press Cmd+F5 to enable
  • Full support for all MouseCross controls
  • Proper control labels and states

Keyboard Accessibility

All MouseCross features are fully accessible via keyboard.

Complete Keyboard Navigation

  • No mouse required - All functions accessible via keyboard
  • Logical tab order - Controls follow natural reading order
  • Visible focus indicators - Always know which control is active
  • Standard shortcuts - Follows platform conventions

See the Keyboard Shortcuts page for complete shortcut reference.

Settings Dialog Accessibility (Windows)

Accessible Control Names

All controls have descriptive names that screen readers announce:

Sliders

  • "Line Width" - Current value announced when changed
  • "Opacity" - Current percentage spoken
  • "Cursor Offset" - Current pixel value spoken
  • "Thickness Growth" - Current multiplier value spoken
  • "Arrow Spacing" - Current spacing value spoken

Buttons

  • "Choose Color..." - Opens color picker
  • "Apply" - Saves changes without closing
  • "Restore Defaults" - Resets all settings
  • "OK" - Saves and closes dialog
  • "Cancel" - Discards changes

Checkboxes

  • "Show Direction Arrows" - State announced
  • "Start automatically with Windows" - State announced
  • "Activate crosshair on startup" - State announced

Other Controls

  • "Toggle Hotkey" - Current key combination spoken
  • "Color preview" - Announces "Current Color"

Keyboard Mnemonics

All labels have keyboard shortcuts using the Alt key:

  • Alt+L - Line Width
  • Alt+O - Opacity
  • Alt+C - Cursor Offset
  • Alt+T - Thickness Growth
  • Alt+I - Arrow Spacing
  • Alt+S - Show Direction Arrows
  • Alt+A - Start automatically
  • Alt+V - Activate on startup
  • Alt+H - Hotkey control
  • Alt+A - Apply button
  • Alt+R - Restore Defaults

System Tray Accessibility (Windows)

Accessible System Tray

  • Tooltip - Announces current state ("MouseCross - Active" or "MouseCross - Inactive")
  • Context menu - All items have keyboard mnemonics
  • Keyboard navigation - Full menu access via keyboard

System Tray Menu Shortcuts

  • Alt+T - Toggle Crosshair
  • Alt+S - Settings
  • Alt+A - About
  • Alt+X - Exit

High Contrast Support

MouseCross respects your system's high contrast settings:

Windows High Contrast Mode

  • Settings dialog adapts to high contrast themes
  • Text remains readable in all contrast modes
  • Focus indicators clearly visible

macOS Increase Contrast

  • Compatible with "Increase contrast" accessibility option
  • UI adapts to system contrast settings

Crosshair Visibility Features

Customizable for Your Needs

The crosshair itself is highly customizable for different visual needs:

Color Selection

  • Choose any color that works for your vision
  • High contrast colors recommended:
    • Bright red (255, 0, 0)
    • Cyan (0, 255, 255)
    • Lime green (0, 255, 0)
    • Yellow (255, 255, 0)

Inverted Mode

  • Automatically inverts colors underneath the crosshair
  • Ensures visibility on any background
  • No manual color adjustment needed

Size and Thickness

  • Adjust line width from 1-20 pixels
  • Larger lines for lower vision
  • Thinner lines for less obstruction

Opacity Control

  • Range from 0% (invisible) to 100% (fully opaque)
  • Balance between visibility and content obstruction
  • Default 80% works for most users

Testing with Screen Readers

Testing Checklist

If you use a screen reader, verify these features work correctly:

✅ Settings Dialog:

  • All sliders announce their names and values
  • Checkboxes announce their state
  • Buttons announce their labels
  • Tab order is logical
  • Keyboard mnemonics work (Alt+ shortcuts)

✅ System Tray (Windows):

  • Tooltip announces MouseCross state
  • Context menu items are announced
  • Menu shortcuts work (Alt+ keys)

✅ Menu Bar (macOS):

  • Menu items are announced
  • Keyboard navigation works
  • Settings window accessible

✅ Hotkey:

  • Global hotkey works (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C)
  • Crosshair toggle provides feedback
  • Hotkey can be customized

Reporting Accessibility Issues

If you encounter any accessibility issues:

  1. Note your screen reader software and version
  2. Describe the specific control or feature affected
  3. Include steps to reproduce the issue
  4. Report via GitHub Issues with "accessibility" label

macOS Accessibility Permissions

Required Permissions

MouseCross requires accessibility permissions on macOS to:

  • Track global mouse position
  • Display the crosshair overlay
  • Respond to global hotkeys

Granting Permissions

  1. When first launched, macOS will prompt for accessibility permissions
  2. Click "Open System Settings"
  3. In Privacy & Security → Accessibility, enable MouseCross
  4. Restart MouseCross

Troubleshooting Permissions

If the crosshair doesn't appear:

  1. Open System Settings
  2. Go to Privacy & Security → Accessibility
  3. Verify MouseCross is in the list and enabled
  4. If not, remove and re-add MouseCross
  5. Restart the application

Visual Design Considerations

Focused on Accessibility

MouseCross follows accessibility best practices:

  • Clear labels - All controls clearly labeled
  • Sufficient contrast - Text meets WCAG AA standards
  • Large click targets - Buttons easy to activate
  • Consistent layout - Predictable organization
  • Simple language - No confusing jargon
  • Error prevention - Settings applied safely

WCAG Compliance

MouseCross strives to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA guidelines:

  • ✅ Perceivable - Information presented in multiple ways
  • ✅ Operable - Fully keyboard accessible
  • ✅ Understandable - Clear, simple interface
  • ✅ Robust - Compatible with assistive technologies

Accessibility Resources

Screen Reader Downloads

  • NVDA (Windows) - nvda.org
  • JAWS (Windows) - freedomscientific.com
  • Windows Narrator - Built into Windows 10/11
  • VoiceOver (macOS) - Built into macOS

Accessibility Settings

Windows:

  • Settings → Accessibility → Screen reader (Narrator)
  • Settings → Accessibility → Visual effects → Contrast themes

macOS:

  • System Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver
  • System Settings → Accessibility → Display → Increase contrast

Future Accessibility Enhancements

Planned improvements:

  • Sound effects for crosshair toggle (audio feedback)
  • Additional language support for localization
  • Voice command integration
  • Customizable audio cues
  • Accessibility profiles (quick presets)

Contact for Accessibility Support

If you need assistance with accessibility features:

  • Open a GitHub issue with the "accessibility" label
  • Provide details about your setup and needs
  • We prioritize accessibility bug fixes

Next Steps