How Switchify works

Switch access means controlling a device using one or more switches — a button, a head movement, a facial expression — instead of (or alongside) the touchscreen. Switchify is the app that turns those inputs into all the actions you'd normally do by tapping.

This page walks through every way of selecting that Switchify supports, in the order you'd normally meet them. Pick the section that matches how you move.

Access techniques

An access technique is how Switchify decides what part of the screen you mean. There are three.

Point scanning

Point scanning uses moving lines to land on an exact spot. There are two flavours:

Single mode. A horizontal line moves down the screen. You press your switch when it's at the right height. A vertical line then moves sideways. You press again when it's over the right column. Where the two crossed is your tap point.
Block mode. The screen splits into quarters. You pick one quarter, then it splits again, and again, until you're at a small enough area to tap precisely. Quicker than single mode if you can read the screen quickly.

Item scanning

Item scanning ignores positions and instead highlights interactive things on the screen — buttons, links, text fields — one at a time. You press your switch when the one you want is highlighted. Faster than point scanning for everyday tasks, and the default for most users.

Radar mode

A line sweeps round the screen like a radar dish. You press your switch to lock the angle. A circle then slides along that line. You press again to drop your tap there. Useful for awkward corners and overlaid menus where item scanning can't reach.

Scanning methods

A scanning method is who does the moving — Switchify, or you.

Auto scanning. The highlight moves on its own at a speed you set. You press your switch to select when it reaches what you want. The right choice for single-switch users.
Manual scanning. One switch steps the highlight forward; another switch selects. The right choice for two-switch users — you control the timing completely.

Head control

With the front-facing camera, Switchify can track your head and move the cursor as you tilt and turn. Pair it with any access technique to combine hands-free pointing with switch selection. Movement zones and sensitivity are adjustable to match the range of motion you have.

Facial gestures

Switchify recognises smiles, winks, blinks, and head turns through the front camera. Each gesture can act as a switch — so you can use the app without any physical hardware. Sensitivity and hold-time are tunable to avoid false triggers.

Gesture patterns

Gesture patterns let you record a sequence — tap, swipe, drag, double-tap, pinch, zoom — and play it back later with one switch press. Up to ten gestures per pattern. Great for repetitive interactions you'd rather not drive step by step every time.

Recording, playing, and managing patterns all live on one tabbed screen, so you don't bounce between menus.

When Switchify is on, its own actions sit in a ring around an empty centre. Your scanner moves clockwise round the ring. The currently highlighted action's full name appears in a header above the ring, so long labels are never cut off by the scanner.

On a compact phone the ring shows four items at a time. On a large tablet it shows up to eight. When there are more items than fit, a prev / close / next row appears below the ring; close stays in the middle so it's where you expect as you page through.