# 3. The Orca Modifier

A key that works like Shift, Ctrl, and Alt
Joanmarie Diggs
joanied@gnome.org

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# The Orca Modifier

Orca has a special modifier key that works like Shift, Ctrl, and Alt. It is designed specifically for performing Orca commands and doing so without introducing conflicts with the commands of the applications you are accessing.

Which key the "Orca Modifier" is bound to will, by default, depend on whether you are using Orca's Laptop keyboard layout or its Desktop keyboard layout:

If you are using the Laptop layout, the default Orca Modifier will be CapsLock

If you are using the Desktop layout, the Orca Modifier will be both Insert and KP_Insert, the latter being the same key as KP_0.

If you want to maintain your current keyboard layout but select a different modifier key, you can do so by performing the following steps:

# Changing the Orca Modifier

Get into the Orca Preferences dialog by pressing Orca Modifier Space. Alternatively, you can start Orca with the preferences dialog open from a terminal: type orca -s and press Return.

Move to the Key Bindings page.

Move to the Screen Reader Modifier Key(s) combobox.

Arrow to the desired modifier. The available options are:

Insert, KP_Insert

KP_Insert

Insert

Caps_Lock

Press the Apply button.