Adobe XD makes prototyping more accessible with macOS Voice Control support

From the beginning, Adobe XD was built to make designing experiences more accessible through intuitive, easy-to-use tools. Today, the prototyping app is taking another major leap forward in accessibility by adding support for macOS Voice Control.

Voice Control was announced last June at WWDC and shipped with macOS Catalina. Located inside the Accessibility pane of System Preferences, Voice Control allows users with physical or motor disabilities to interact with their Mac in a whole new way. 

The February 2020 release of Adobe XD adds rich support for Voice Control with enhanced labeling of features in the XD interface. Adobe says you’ll be able to access all of the core features of the app, including prototyping interactions in Prototype mode.

Voice Control can be configured to create custom commands for quick access to menu items, like grouping selected objects and converting them into a component. Here’s how to enable the feature and put it to work:

To use Voice Control with Adobe XD, you’ll need to enable Voice Control in the Accessibility section in your System Preferences for macOS Catalina and update to the latest version of Adobe XD. Once you’re set-up, you can say “Open XD” and let your creativity flow!

Voice Control can also be used to create prototype interactions in Prototype mode. With two artboards ready, say “Click Prototype,” and then use Voice Control’s grid to target the “+” button in the Interactions section in the Property Inspector. Then, you can select the target artboard, configure any options using the names of the menu items, and say “Click Desktop Preview” to preview your prototype. Support with macOS works for multiple languages, as long as the OS language and XD language are set to the same language.

Adobe commented on the importance of prioritizing accessibility features in XD:

Paired with macOS Voice Control, Adobe XD is enabling designers of all abilities to be part of the design process. Adobe is committed to accessibility and inclusion, and with the release of improved voice control in XD, we are unlocking new opportunities in design that haven’t previously been accessible. We’re excited to be able to work with Apple to bring this feature to life and further support empowering Creativity for All.

The February 2020 release of XD adds a few more workflow improvements and features for enterprise customers. You can read about everything new on Adobe’s website, and learn more about Voice Control in our getting started guide. The update is available to all Creative Cloud subscribers starting today.