How do you logon to OS X Lion Without Using Your Mouse

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Level 1

15 points

How do you logon to OS X Lion Without Using Your Mouse

I thought the answer to this question would be really easy to find on the web but I have had no luck so far so I am now hoping you guys on the Mac forum can provide the right answer.

So.... How do you login to your Mac OS when you can not use a mouse or other pointing device (trackpad)?

I have looked all over the Apple web site, and although there are lots of hints and tips on hundreds of keyboard shortcuts, there is nothing on logging in to your Mac OS without using a mouse. I struggle to beleive this is not possible.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on May 22, 2012 11:29 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

May 22, 2012 11:33 PM in response to loaderladdy

I'm not quite sure I understand. Since logging in requires entering data from a keyboard, why would you need a mouse? If you didn't have a mouse but had a trackpad, then what's the problem?

If you configure auto-login then you don't need a keyboard or a mouse.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

141,126 points

May 22, 2012 11:36 PM in response to loaderladdy

From the login window press the first letter of your login name. This highlights your name. Press Return. This renders a password field. Type your password. Press Return.

Does this not work?

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Answer 3

loaderladdy Author

Level 1

15 points

May 22, 2012 11:42 PM in response to John Galt

Cheers John,

That worked a treat. It never occured to me that the letters keys would select specific user accounts 🙂

What about selcting the Restart, Sleep & Shutdown options?

I tried letters, tabs, but no luck.

Kappy, it was one of those sad questions that keep me awake at night. I just needed to know 😎

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,177 points

May 22, 2012 11:51 PM in response to loaderladdy

Generally TAB generally moves through the Dialog buttons & Space Bar selects that choice where Enter/Return chooses the default blue button. Sometimes the CMD key + the first letter of the button selects it iirc. Sometimes the esc key passes for Cancel.

If it's not, in Sys Prefs change if the “Full keyboard access” under keyboard shortcuts is set to use text boxes and lists only, switch it to “All controls”.

http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/401945/keyboard-shortcuts-for-dialog-pop-ups /

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Answer 5

Jul 26, 2013 8:09 AM in response to BDAqua

You can also use Control+F7 to turn the "Full Keyboard Access" on/off and then you can tab through all the items on the login screen. This is really handy, in my case I have a Mac Mini without a mouse connected and when it boots up and I need to login, knowing this shortcut saved me from having to connect a mouse.

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Answer 6

May 11, 2017 8:37 PM in response to John Galt

This works on my MacBook Air, but not my iMac. I can't figure out why not.

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