As someone with low vision and dysgraphia, I might not notice typos or spelling mistakes when reading or writing unless I am specifically focusing on editing or making corrections to text. One of the most frustrating ways this can manifest is when typing website names or checking suspicious emails, as mistyping even a single character can redirect users to harmful websites that can steal user information or compromise safety; this is known as typosquatting.
Typo protection and checking URLs or email addresses for subtle spelling mistakes can help minimize the risk of encountering scams or other dangerous content, so I often include these high-impact online safety tips for low vision and blind users when discussing online safety for visual impairment. In honor of Safer Internet Day, here is a list of several internet safety strategies that can boost typo protection, minimize exposure to typosquatting websites, and help keep users with visual impairments and/or dysgraphia away from unwanted content.
Create an email filter for legitimate emails
At least once a week, I receive emails about hosting information for my website, billing statements for cloud storage that mention potential issues with payment methods, prompts to log in to accounts for Microsoft/Google/Apple, and notifications about online payments. While they may seem realistic at first, none of these emails are legitimate, as they often contain at least one or more of the following:
- The email address says it is from a specific company, but upon closer examination it is not from a genuine company email address. For example, two letters may be reversed in the company name, or it may be from a domain that is not associated with the company.
- Users are prompted to click links in the email, whether it is to reset a password, unsubscribe from notifications, or confirm that an email was sent to the wrong recipient.
- The emails themselves are filled with typos or errors or contain generic information (e.g. “dear user” or “to student”)
- Phone numbers that are not listed on the company website are listed.
To help reduce the risk of scam emails showing up in an email inbox, create an email rule that sends trusted email addresses to a specific folder or add a specific email address/domain to the safe senders list or whitelist. For example, someone could whitelist emails from “instructure.com” to receive Canvas notifications and reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of receiving fraudulent Canvas emails. Avoid whitelisting generic domains like Gmail.com or Outlook.com, which anyone can register for.
Related links
Pin frequently used websites to the taskbar
Typosquatting happens when criminals register misspelled or look-alike domain names to exploit typing errors and redirect users to malicious websites. It is especially common for high-traffic websites like online stores, tech companies, social media, and other sites that users visit frequently; I had to assist someone a few months ago after they made a typo when trying to access Amazon and almost downloaded a virus from a typosquatter!
To help prevent this from happening in the future, one strategy to consider is pinning frequently used websites to the taskbar, start menu, or desktop so that users don’t have to type in the URL each time. Instead, the website will automatically open when the user selects the icon/shortcut. Users can also create a folder on their desktop that has several website shortcuts; this may be easier to access than a text-heavy bookmarks menu that has small print or icons.
I have tested this strategy on Windows 10/Windows 11, MacOS, and ChromeOS (Chromebook) computers; this is also useful for bookmarking frequently used links for students or school computers as well.
To add a website to taskbar from Microsoft Edge:
- Select the three dots in the top right corner to open the Settings menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F
- Select More Tools
- Select Pin to Taskbar (or Pin to Start to add to the Start menu)
To add a website to taskbar from Google Chrome:
- Select the three dots in the top right corner to open the Settings menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F
- Select More Tools
- Select Cast, save, and share
- Select Create shortcut
- Save the shortcut to the desired location. If needed, drag the shortcut to the taskbar to pin.
Related links
Add websites to mobile home screen
Just like pinning a website to the desktop or taskbar on a computer, users can pin websites to their iPhone or Android home screen (or add websites to the iPad home screen or to an Android tablet). Website icons can also be added to folders, which can be helpful for organizing websites and minimizing the risk of errors from typing on a touchscreen.
To add a website to iOS home screen or iPadOS home screen:
- Open a website in the desired web browser
- Tap the Share button
- Tap Add to Home Screen
- Drag the icon to the desired location on the home screen
To add a website to Android home screen:
- Open a website in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome
- Select browser menu (three lines icon)
- Select Add to phone
- Select Install
- Place the icon on the home screen
Related links
- How To Organize Apps On iPad With Low Vision
- How To Create Custom iOS Icons and Custom Home Screen Designs
- How To Create A Custom Android Home Screen With Microsoft Launcher
Enable typo protection for web browsers
Some web browsers offer typo protection features that can reduce (but not eliminate) the risk of users encountering typosquatters or harmful/unwanted content online. These features typically need to be enabled manually in settings, but are tremendously helpful for users who make frequent typing mistakes or that might not notice if a letter is mistyped.
Enable typo protection for Safari (risky websites)
- Open Safari and go to Settings > Security
- Select checkboxes for warnings for fraudulent websites and non-secure site connections
Enable typo protection for Google Chrome (enhanced protection)
- Open Chrome
- Select More (three dots menu) > Settings
- Select Privacy and security > Security (or go to chrome://settings/security)
- Select Enhanced protection
Enable typo protection for Microsoft Edge
- Open Microsoft Edge
- Select More (three dots menu) > Settings
- Select Privacy search and services > Security (or go to edge://settings/privacy/security)
- Turn on website typo protection (note: may already be enabled by default)
Enable typo protection for Mozilla Firefox (phishing and malware protection)
- Open Firefox
- Select the Menu button (three lines icon) and select Settings
- Select Privacy & Security
- In the Security section, select Block dangerous and deceptive content
Related links
- Customize Microsoft Edge Accessibility For Low Vision
- How I Optimize My Website For Cognitive Accessibility
Be cautious with short URLs
In theory, short URLs may seem inherently more accessible for people with visual impairments as there are fewer opportunities to make typos. However, short URLs may be more challenging for users to preview in advance if it is hosted with a generic URL shortener, or it can be easy to mistype characters if copying visual links. For example, someone with low vision may misread or mistype the following characters if they are not otherwise part of a word/phrase:
- O and 0
- I, l, and 1
- S and 5
- B and 8
- Z and 2
- G and 6
- m and rn
- vv and w
When possible, use short URLs that provide context and give users an idea of what the link leads to, such as information for an event, and avoid using case sensitive URLs. Alternatively, consider using branded URL shorteners if available; I have used this strategy for sharing verified links at my university and it has been tremendously helpful for presentations or sharing links in emails.
Related links
Read by character with screen reader (screen reader verbosity)
When inspecting URLs, email addresses, or other content, it can be helpful to adjust screen reader verbosity settings to read individual characters to spot potential spelling errors or enable Keyboard Echo to read characters as they are typed in real time. This can also be helpful when proofreading emails or when verifying that links are typed correctly.
Read by character with JAWS
- NUM PAD 5 speaks the current character
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+COMMA speaks the current character
- RIGHT ARROW moves to and reads the next character
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+M for the next character
- LEFT ARROW moves to and reads the prior character
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+PERIOD for the prior character
- NUM PAD 5 twice quickly will say the character phonetically
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+COMMA twice quickly to read the current character
- INSERT + HOME twice quickly spells to cursor location
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+SHIFT+J twice quickly spells to cursor location
- INSERT + PAGE UP twice quickly spells from cursor location
- Laptop users: CAPS LOCK+I twice quickly spells from cursor location
Read by character with NVDA
- NUM PAD 2 speaks the current character
- RIGHT ARROW moves to and reads the next character
- LEFT ARROW moves to and reads the prior character
- NUM PAD 2 twice quickly will say the character phonetically
- INSERT + PAGE UP twice quickly spells current line
- INSERT + 2 speaks characters typed
Read by character with VoiceOver (MacOS)
VO = VoiceOver modifier key
- VO + C speaks the current character
- RIGHT ARROW moves to and reads the next character
- LEFT ARROW moves to and reads the prior character
- VO + C twice quickly will say the character phonetically
- VO + W + W spells current word
- VO + V opens verbosity rotor to configure typing echo
Read by character with VoiceOver (iOS, iPadOS)
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Rotor > Rotor Items
- Enable Characters, Words, Lines, Typing Mode, Misspelled Words (and other items as relevant to user needs)
To use the rotor:
- Rotate two fingers on your iOS or iPadOS device’s screen as if turning a dial. VoiceOver will say the first rotor option.
- Keep rotating fingers to hear more options.
- Lift fingers to choose an option.
- After choosing an option, flick the finger up or down on the screen to use it, e.g. read by character
Read by character with TalkBack (Android)
- On devices with multi-finger gestures: Three-finger swipe up or down. Or, single-finger swipe up then down, or down then up.
- Open TalkBack settings
- Select Customize menus
- Select Customize reading controls
- Select Characters to read character by character.
- To read the next character: Swipe down.
- To read the previous character: Swipe up.
Read search engine results carefully
When navigating search engine results, it is important to read URLs and website descriptions carefully to ensure that users are accessing legitimate websites. Some typosquatters will buy ads or use search engine optimization to rank higher in search results, sometimes appearing on lists before genuine websites; I have noticed this when shopping for clothes and shoes, as sometimes ads will pop up for scam websites that can resemble store names or mention branded products. Here are some strategies that I have used to minimize (but not fully eliminate) the risk of encountering typosquatters or scam websites:
- Avoid opening ads or promoted links. Often times, the very first links on a search results page are paid ads
- Add -ai to the end of search queries to remove AI summaries, which may contain outdated, inaccurate, or misleading information/links
- When possible, go directly to websites instead of using a search engine (use bookmarks or add shortcuts/icons to taskbar)
- Become familiar with official websites and how they share URLs. For example, Microsoft online applications are hosted on the cloud.microsoft domain (e.g. excel.cloud.microsoft)
- Verify phone numbers or email addresses on official websites before using them
Related links
- How To Run Effective Web Searches
- How I Write Research Papers On Accessibility Topics
- How To Recognize Phishing Attempts With Low Vision
What if I accidentally encounter a typosquatter online?
Even with these prevention measures in place, users may still make mistakes when typing and access a website that threatens to lock their computer or that requires them to call a phone number to avoid compromising data. This may also be paired with sound effects or multiple pop-ups. If this happens, use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4, Command + Q, or Alt + Shift + Forward (Chromebook) to close the entire application, or otherwise close the internet browser. After closing the web browser, make sure to clear browsing history, cookies and other site data, and cache to avoid accessing the website again.
Some users may also prefer to turn off the device entirely and ask someone else for help; the goal is to avoid engaging with content or downloading/opening anything that could put the user at risk.
More strategies for typo protection, avoiding typosquatting, and online safety tips for low vision
- Another valuable strategy for typo protection is to practice typing skills. I share several recommendations in Learning To Type With Low Vision
- When I am writing, I find it helpful to use autocorrect and tools like text expanders to help minimize spelling mistakes that can come from dysgraphia. Learn more in Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
- Searching for more online safety tips for visually impaired users? Read Online Safety For Visually Impaired Users: Safer Internet Day and How To Recognize Phishing Attempts With Low Vision
- Want to learn more about screen readers and assistive technology for visual impairment? Check out Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Activity Ideas for Students or A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Published February 10, 2026. Updated April 2026