Chromebooks come equipped with a wide array of accessibility features. Some are design for those that are visually impaired while others are meant to assist those who may have limited hand mobility and dexterity. While mainly for those with impairments, there are a few accessibility features that can be useful for any user given the right use case. For example, if you are an avid writer, the built in ChromeOS dictation tool is a great way to jot down your thoughts without having to type. By enabling dictation, you can highlight any text area and pres Search + D to activate the feature. From there, just start talking and sit back while your Chromebook does the heavy lifting.
Auto Click
We play a variety of mobile battle royale games here at Chrome Unboxed and the term “auto clicker” immediately conjures up images of those players that use cheats and hacks to absolutely demolish competitors. However, the auto click function on a Chromebook serves a much more noble purpose than pwning some noobs in a PUBG match. No, this feature is yet another wonderful accessibility feature that’s design to assist those with physical impairments. That said, many users may find this feature handy for any number of purposes and enabling it is a cinch.
What is Auto Click
As the name implies, “auto clicking” a feature that automates mouse clicks or touch input on a computer or mobile device. The feature is built into some operating systems but there are also third-party applications available that give users more control over auto clicking. These controls can include frequency, click count as well as on-screen mapping for clicks. The latter has many use cases but the built-in auto click feature on ChromeOS is specifically designed as an accessibility feature.
Auto Click on ChromeOS allows users to hover their cursor over on-screen elements and after a predetermined delay, the element will be automatically clicked. This is great for users with limited mobility or those that suffer hand fatigue but anyone who doesn’t like wasting time clicking a mouse or trackpad can benefit from the auto click feature. To enable Auto Click, just head to your Chromebook’s settings menu. Click in the system tray where the clock is located. Next, click the gear icon to open the settings menu.
Power Tip: You can add the Accessibility features to your Quick Settings menu is the system tray by enabling them in the Accessibility section of the ChromeOS settings.
From here, click the Accessibility tab on the left-hand menu. It should be located directly beneath the “Apps” tab. In the Accessibility section, select Cursor and Touchpad. The first option at the top of this section will be Automatic Clicks. Enable the toggle and you will then have a few options to tweak the auto clicker. You can set the delay for the click ranging from 0.6 to 4 seconds, adjust the cursor area size as well as opt to ignore minor mouse movements which is very helpful for users that may suffer from hand tremors or other involuntary muscle movement.
Now, when your cursor comes to rest, it will click on the screen where it stops. If it is a clickable element like a link, text box, toggle button or what have you, it will do exactly the same thing as left-clicking your mouse or trackpad. Whether you have a disability or you have a specific use case for automatic clicks, this is a powerful feature to keep in you ChromeOS toolbox and now, you know exactly how to use it. To disable Auto Click, just head back to the Accessibility menu and click the toggle to the opposite position until you need it again.
