Why I built Switchify

I'm Owen McGirr. I'm a software developer in Donegal, Ireland, and I have cerebral palsy. I've used switches to control computers since I was a teenager.

The built-in switch access on Android wasn't built for the way I move. The scan speed never felt right, the keyboard was slow, and I missed a hundred small things I'd had on other platforms. So I started building my own.

Switchify is what came out of that. It's the app I wanted to use.

What Switchify is trying to do

Three things. First, give switch users the same fluent control of an Android device that everyone else gets with their thumbs. Second, do that without locking essential features behind a subscription — every access technique works in the free version. Third, treat the people using it as adults: clear language, no condescension, no charity framing.

Why it's open source

The whole codebase is on GitHub under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0). Anyone can audit how Switchify reads the screen, stores settings, and handles data. Anyone can fork it and improve it. The licence ensures derivatives stay open too — so the source can't quietly disappear behind a closed wall.

Open source is a promise, not a marketing line. If you find a bug or want a feature, a pull request beats an email.

How to reach me

Email me at owen@switchifyapp.com, or schedule a call if you'd rather talk. For feature ideas, the Featurebase portal is the best place — other users can vote on what they'd find most useful too.