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How to Use iOS Switch Control Recipes with Blue2 FT

  • Updated

Summary

This guide will cover how to set up a Recipe using iOS Switch Control on an iPad using Blue2 FT. It will use the examples of turning pages in an e-book, controlling music or a video, and using a cause and effect app such as Garage Band. 

What is a Switch Control Recipe?

A Switch Control Recipe allows a user to customize how their switches interact with the iPad. Recipes are pre-configured sets of actions that can be assigned to switches to perform specific tasks or actions more efficiently. 

Why would I use a Switch Control Recipe?

A recipe can can:

  • Simplify Tasks: A recipe can automate a sequence of actions, such as navigating an app or performing repetitive tasks, reducing the number of switch inputs needed.

  • Customize Control: A recipe allows users to assign specific functions to switches, such as scrolling through content, selecting items, or triggering specific gestures.

  • App-Specific Adjustments: Recipes can be tied to particular apps, enabling optimized control for different contexts. For example, a recipe for a video player app might include controls for play, pause, and volume adjustments.

  • Gesture Emulation: Recipes can emulate gestures like swiping, pinching, or tapping, making it easier for users to interact with touchscreen elements that would otherwise require complex motor input.

Required Items

Instructions

Before getting started, you will need to pair your Blue2 FT with your iPad. Please visit the Blue2 FT Getting Started page or the Blue2 FT iOS Switch Control article for instructions on how pair your Blue2 FT with your iPad. 

Using a Recipe to Turn Pages in an e-Book

These instructions use the iBooks app as an example. This recipe can also be used for navigating other books apps as well as slides in PowerPoint or Google Slides. 

  1. Go to the Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control.
  2. Turn Switch Control off. If Switch Control is on, the Recipe will not work correctly.
  3. Select Switches to confirm that your Blue2 FT is paired with the iPad.
  4. Return to the Switch Control menu, then select Recipes.
  5. In the Recipes menu, select Turn Pages. You will notice that both of your switches were automatically assigned to "Right to Left Swipe" and "Left to Right Swipe".
  6. Make sure Timeout is turned off.
  7. At the top of the screen, select Recipes to go back to the main Recipes menu.
  8. Select Launch Recipe, then select Turn Pages.
  9. At the top of the screen select Recipes to go back to the main Recipes menu, then back again to Switch Control.
  10. Turn Switch Control on.
  11. When Switch Control turns on, you will see a message appear in the middle of your screen that says Your switches are configured to use the "Turn Pages" recipe. 
  12. On the device, open the iBooks App.
  13. Select a book the user would like to read.
  14. When the user activates the Yellow Switch on Blue2 the page will turn forward. When the user activates the Blue Switch on Blue2 the page will turn backwards.
  15. Once finished with the eBook, you can turn the Recipe off by going to the Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control and turning Switch Control Off.
  16. You must also go to Recipes > Launch Recipe and change this back to None.

Using a Recipe to Control Music or a Video

These instructions use the Apple Music app as an example. This recipe can be used with any media player app.

  1. Orient the device in the direction the user will be using it. This is important because we will be marking a specific location on the screen of the device for the Switch Control Recipe.
  2. On the device, open the app you are going to use to play your music or video.
  3. Select your media so that the controls appear on the screen.
  4. Using a small piece of the sticky note, mark on the screen where the Skip Track Forward button is located. If you wanted to use the Play/Pause or Skip Track Backwards buttons, you could mark those instead.  
  5. Leaving your sticky note marker on the screen of your device, exit out of the Music App. 
  6. Go to the Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control.
  7. Turn Switch Control Off. If Switch Control is On, the Recipe will not work correctly.
  8. Select Recipes.
  9. Under Recipes select Create New Recipe.
  10. Name your recipe Skip Track Forward (you may need to activate the keyboard button on the side of Blue2 FT to get the on-screen keyboard to appear).
  11. Select Assign a Switch.
  12. Choose Blue.
  13. Select Custom Gesture.
  14. You will be brought to a screen with instructions. If your sticky note is on top of the Play Stop bar at the bottom of the screen, you will need to tap Hide Controls before creating the custom gesture. Here we are going to record the gesture we want assigned to the blue switch top. Tap on your sticky note marker, and then select Save in the upper right corner of the screen. If you chose to hide the controls you will have to wait for them to come back before you can click Save. You can now remove the sticky note. 
  15. Tap Assign a Switch, then New Recipe to return to the New Recipe screen. You will now see under Switches that Blue has been assigned a Custom Gesture. Make sure Timeout is turned Off.
  16. At the top of the screen select Recipes to go back to the main Recipes menu.
  17. Select Launch Recipe.
  18. Select Skip Track Forward.
  19. At the top of the screen select Recipes to go back to the main Recipes menu, then select Switch Control to go back to the main Switch Control menu.
  20. Turn Switch Control On.
  21. When Switch Control turns On, you will see a message appear in the middle of your device screen that says Your switches are configured to use the "Skip Track Forward" recipe. 
  22. On the device, open the media app. Make sure the device is in the same orientation as it was when you placed your sticky note marker on the screen.
  23. In our example, we will make sure the music is playing before giving the device to the user, as the recipe we created will allow them to change the song playing.
  24. When the user activates the Blue switch top on Blue2 FT, the app will skip to the next song.
  25. Once finished with the media app, you can turn the Recipe Off by going to the Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control and turning Switch Control Off.
  26. You must ALSO go to Recipes > Launch Recipe and change this back to None.

Using a Recipe with a Cause and Effect App

This type of recipe can be used with any cause and effect app, or any app that uses gestures such as swiping, pinching/expanding, double tapping, etc. These instructions use Garage Band as an example. 

  1. Orient the device in the direction the user will be using it. This is important because we will be marking a specific locations on the screen for the Switch Control Recipe.
  2. Open the app you are going to use for cause and effect. For our example, we are using Garage Band.
  3. Under Tracks select Drums.
  4. Once you select the Drums you will be presented with a full drum set.
  5. Place small pieces of the sticky note on three different drums (you can select less or more than three drums to mark). Make sure you leave your sticky note markers on the screen of your device.
  6. Leaving your sticky note marker on the screen of your device, exit out of Garage Band.
  7. Go to the Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control
  8. Turn Switch Control Off. If Switch Control is On, the Recipe will not work correctly.
  9. Select Recipes.
  10. Under Recipes select Create New Recipe.
  11. Name your recipe (you may need to activate the keyboard button on the side of Blue2 FT to get the on-screen keyboard to appear).
  12. Select Assign a Switch.
  13. Choose Blue.
  14. Select Custom Gesture.
  15. You will be brought to a screen with instructions. Here we are going to record the gesture we want assigned to the blue switch top. Quickly tap all of your sticky note markers multiple times, select Stop in the lower right hand corner of the screen, then Save in the upper right-hand corner. Tapping your sticky note markers needs to be done quickly because when the user activates their switch it will play your drums back in the same sequence they were recorded in. You can now remove the sticky notes.
  16. Tap Assign a Switch, then New Recipe to return to the New Recipe screen. You will now see under Switches that Blue has been assigned a Custom Gesture. Make sure Timeout is turned Off.
  17. At the top of the screen select Recipes to go back to the main Recipes menu.
  18. Select Launch Recipe.
  19. Select Drum Solo.
  20. At the top of the screen select Recipes then Switch Control to go back to the main Switch Control menu.
  21. Turn Switch Control On.
  22. When Switch Control turns On, you will see a message appear in the middle of your device screen that says Your switches are configured to use the "Drum Solo" recipe.
  23. On the device, open the Garage Band App. Make sure the device is in the same orientation as it was when you placed your sticky note marker on the screen.
  24. When the user activates the Blue switch top on Blue2 FT, the drum solo will play.
  25. Once finished with the Garage Band App, you can turn the Recipe Off, by going to Settings App > Accessibility > Switch Control and turning Switch Control Off.
  26. You must also go to Recipes > Launch Recipe and change this back to None.

Tips and Troubleshooting

For more information on the Blue2 FT, please visit the Blue2 FT Knowledge Base.

These instructions were updated using iOS 18. For the most up-to-date information about Switch Control, please visit the Apple Switch Control support article. 

If you have additional questions, please contact the ableCARE Product Success Team for further assistance.

 

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