jKey for Mac: Type with your number pad, one big cluster at a time.
jKey for Mac turns your number pad into the jKey keyboard. Each key holds a cluster of letters, so you type with a handful of large keys you can find by touch, and jKey speaks everything it does, with or without VoiceOver.
- Price
- Free (with no in-app purchases)
- Platforms
- Mac
- Requires
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
| Key | Letters |
|---|---|
| 7 | q w e a s d |
| 8 | r t y u f g h |
| 9 | i o p j k l |
| 4 | z x c |
| 5 | v b n m |
Who it’s for
jKey for Mac is for anyone who finds a full keyboard hard to use.
- People with low vision who want a few large keys they can find by touch, and a panel in colors they can see.
- People with a tremor or limited dexterity: nothing needs a quick double press or holding a key down.
- VoiceOver users who know jKey on iPhone and want the same clusters on their Mac.
Features
Headline feature
Cluster Only Mode
Press one cluster key per letter and jKey works out the word, using the words before it. It reads the top suggestions aloud; press 1, 2 or 3 to type one. Right after a word, the same keys type a period, comma or question mark.
jKey capitalizes the start of a sentence for you, carries on a word you have already started, and learns the words you pick.
Letter mode
Press a cluster key and its letters move onto the number pad, in reading order from 7. Press the key for the letter you want. jKey reads the cluster when it opens and each letter as you type it.
Emoji mode
Keys 1, 2 and 3 open three emoji groups, and the six emoji in a group sit on the keys around them. jKey reads each emoji by name.
Its own voice
jKey speaks with its own voice, so you hear what each key does whether or not VoiceOver is running. Every new phrase cuts off the last, so fast typing never builds up a queue.
A keypad panel you can move and resize
A floating panel shows what each number pad key does right now, laid out like the keypad. Drag it anywhere, resize it, and choose from four high-contrast color schemes and four text sizes. It never takes focus from the app you are typing in.
Accessibility
jKey for Mac is built to be used without looking, and tested with VoiceOver.
- jKey speaks every cluster, letter, word and mode change in its own voice, and VoiceOver does not repeat it.
- No action needs a quick double press or a held key. Shift, caps lock and off are three presses of + at your own pace.
- jKey uses only number pad keys every keyboard has, so it works without Clear or =.
- jKey tells you when macOS pauses it in a password field, and when it resumes.
- Turn jKey off at any time with Control-Command-J to get your digits back, or to use VoiceOver’s NumPad Commander.
Privacy
jKey for Mac collects no data and has no network access.
- In Cluster Only Mode, jKey reads up to 200 characters before the cursor to know the previous words. They stay in memory and are never saved or sent, and password fields are never read.
- The words you pick are saved on your Mac only, so they rank higher next time.
- No analytics, no ads, no tracking and no account.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install jKey for Mac?
Download the zip file, open it, and move the jKeyMac app to your Applications folder. Open it, then turn on jKey in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility when macOS asks. jKey says “jKey ready” when it can start.
What do I need?
A Mac with macOS 14 Sonoma or later, and a keyboard with a number pad, or a separate number pad.
Why isn’t it on the Mac App Store?
jKey needs Accessibility permission to read the number pad and type for you, which Mac App Store apps can’t have. It is signed by Doxie Media and notarized by Apple, so macOS opens it without warning that the developer can’t be verified. As with any app from the internet, macOS asks you to confirm the first time you open it.
Does it work with VoiceOver?
Yes. jKey speaks in its own voice whether or not VoiceOver is on, and it was tested with VoiceOver in TextEdit, Notes, Safari and Mail.
How much does it cost?
jKey for Mac is free, with no in-app purchases.
Get jKey for Mac
A free download for Mac, signed by Doxie Media and notarized by Apple.