diff --git a/docs/Api_Methods.md b/docs/Api_Methods.md
index 084afc4d3..8b2a99e9e 100644
--- a/docs/Api_Methods.md
+++ b/docs/Api_Methods.md
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ mathField.typedText('x=-b\\pm \\sqrt b^2 -4ac');
 
 Specify an [ARIA label][`aria-label`] for this field, for screen readers. The actual [`aria-label`] includes this label followed by the math content of the field as speech. Default: `'Math Input'`
 
+## .setTabbable(tabbable)
+
+Specify whether this field should be in the tab order. 
+
 ## .getAriaLabel()
 
 Returns the [ARIA label][`aria-label`] for this field, for screen readers. If no ARIA label has been specified, `'Math Input'` is returned.
diff --git a/docs/Config.md b/docs/Config.md
index e338a805f..ecbb5b4e5 100644
--- a/docs/Config.md
+++ b/docs/Config.md
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ The configuration options object is of the following form:
   autoCommands: 'pi theta sqrt sum',
   autoOperatorNames: 'sin cos',
   maxDepth: 10,
-  substituteTextarea: function(tabbable) {
+  substituteTextarea: function() {
     const textarea = document.createElement('textarea');
-    textarea.setAttribute('tabindex', tabbable ? '0' : '-1');
     return textarea;
   },
   handlers: {
@@ -125,8 +124,6 @@ You can also specify a speech-friendly representation of the operator name by su
 `substituteTextarea` is a function that creates a focusable DOM element that is called when setting up a math field. Overwriting this may be useful for hacks like suppressing built-in virtual keyboards. It defaults to `<textarea autocorrect=off .../>`.
 For example, [Desmos](https://www.desmos.com/calculator) substitutes `<textarea inputmode=none />` to suppress the native virtual keyboard in favor of a custom math keypad that calls the MathQuill API. On old iOS versions that don't support `inputmode=none`, it uses `<span tabindex=0></span>` to suppress the native virtual keyboard, at the cost of bluetooth keyboards not working.
 
-The `substituteTextarea` takes one argument, a boolean `tabbable` that is true for editable math fields and for static math fields configured with `{tabbable: true}`. The textarea is permanently mounted to the page, so it should have `tabindex=-1` if `tabbable` is false.
-
 ## tabbable
 
 For static and editable math fields, when `tabbable` is false, the math field is not part of the page's tab order. Despite that, the math field can still be focused when selected by a mouse.
diff --git a/src/mathquill.d.ts b/src/mathquill.d.ts
index 0db653079..4972bf6b2 100644
--- a/src/mathquill.d.ts
+++ b/src/mathquill.d.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ declare namespace MathQuill {
       latex(latex: string): this;
       latex(): string;
       setAriaLabel(str: string): this;
+      setTabbable(tabbable: boolean): this;
       blur(): this;
       focus(): this;
       select(): this;
diff --git a/src/publicapi.ts b/src/publicapi.ts
index 787e1aa4e..963fc508e 100644
--- a/src/publicapi.ts
+++ b/src/publicapi.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Options {
   constructor(public version: 1 | 2 | 3) {}
 
   ignoreNextMousedown: (_el: MouseEvent) => boolean;
-  substituteTextarea: (tabbable?: boolean) => HTMLElement;
+  substituteTextarea: () => HTMLElement;
   /** Only used in interface versions 1 and 2. */
   substituteKeyboardEvents: SubstituteKeyboardEvents;
 
@@ -304,12 +304,17 @@ function getInterface(v: number): MathQuill.v3.API | MathQuill.v1.API {
     }
 
     setAriaLabel(ariaLabel: string) {
+      if (ariaLabel === this.__controller.getAriaLabel()) return this;
       this.__controller.setAriaLabel(ariaLabel);
       return this;
     }
     getAriaLabel() {
       return this.__controller.getAriaLabel();
     }
+    setTabbable(tabbable: boolean) {
+      this.__controller.setTabbable(tabbable);
+      return this;
+    }
     config(opts: ConfigOptions) {
       config(this.__options, opts);
       return this;
diff --git a/src/services/textarea.ts b/src/services/textarea.ts
index 702f20141..c3de3b315 100644
--- a/src/services/textarea.ts
+++ b/src/services/textarea.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@
  * Manage the MathQuill instance's textarea
  * (as owned by the Controller)
  ********************************************/
-Options.prototype.substituteTextarea = function (tabbable?: boolean) {
+Options.prototype.substituteTextarea = function () {
   return h('textarea', {
     autocapitalize: 'off',
     autocomplete: 'off',
     autocorrect: 'off',
     spellcheck: false,
     'x-palm-disable-ste-all': true,
-    tabindex: tabbable ? undefined : '-1'
   });
 };
 
@@ -30,22 +29,16 @@ Options.prototype.substituteKeyboardEvents = defaultSubstituteKeyboardEvents;
 class Controller extends Controller_scrollHoriz {
   selectFn: (text: string) => void = noop;
 
+  wasTabbable: boolean | undefined;
+
   createTextarea() {
     this.textareaSpan = h('span', { class: 'mq-textarea' });
 
-    const tabbable =
-      this.options.tabbable !== undefined
-        ? this.options.tabbable
-        : this.KIND_OF_MQ !== 'StaticMath';
-
-    const textarea = this.options.substituteTextarea(tabbable);
+    const textarea = this.options.substituteTextarea();
     if (!textarea.nodeType) {
       throw 'substituteTextarea() must return a DOM element, got ' + textarea;
     }
-    if (!this.options.tabbable && this.KIND_OF_MQ === 'StaticMath') {
-      // aria-hide noninteractive textarea element for static math
-      textarea.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
-    }
+
     this.textarea = domFrag(textarea)
       .appendTo(this.textareaSpan)
       .oneElement() as HTMLTextAreaElement;
@@ -61,14 +54,27 @@ class Controller extends Controller_scrollHoriz {
     if (this.mathspeakId) {
       textarea?.setAttribute('aria-labelledby', this.mathspeakId);
     }
-    if (tabbable && this.mathspeakSpan) {
-      this.mathspeakSpan.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
-    }
 
     var ctrlr = this;
     ctrlr.cursor.selectionChanged = function () {
       ctrlr.selectionChanged();
     };
+
+    const tabbable =
+      this.options.tabbable !== undefined
+        ? this.options.tabbable
+        : this.KIND_OF_MQ !== 'StaticMath';
+
+    this.setTabbable(tabbable);
+  }
+
+  setTabbable(tabbable: boolean) {
+    if (tabbable === this.wasTabbable) return;
+    this.wasTabbable = tabbable;
+
+    this.textarea?.setAttribute('tabindex', tabbable ? '0' : '-1');
+    this.textarea?.setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.options.tabbable && this.KIND_OF_MQ === 'StaticMath' ? 'true' : 'false');
+    this.mathspeakSpan?.setAttribute('aria-hidden', tabbable ? 'true' : 'false');
   }
 
   selectionChanged() {