diff --git a/cli/types/index.d.ts b/cli/types/index.d.ts
index 7786c0c3a66..cde3e7d074d 100644
--- a/cli/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/cli/types/index.d.ts
@@ -2255,12 +2255,12 @@ declare namespace Cypress {
      */
     delay: number
     /**
-     * Disable typing special characters for strings surrounded by `{}`,
-     * such as `{esc}`, and type the literal characters instead
+     * Parse special characters for strings surrounded by `{}`,
+     * such as `{esc}`. Set to `false` to type the literal characters instead
      *
-     * @default false
+     * @default true
      */
-    disableSpecialCharSequences: boolean
+    parseSpecialCharSequences: boolean
     /**
      * Forces the action, disables waiting for actionability
      *
diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cy/commands/actions/type.coffee b/packages/driver/src/cy/commands/actions/type.coffee
index fb2ce3cf600..2cc680ef6da 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cy/commands/actions/type.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cy/commands/actions/type.coffee
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module.exports = (Commands, Cypress, cy, state, config) ->
         force: false
         delay: 10
         release: true
-        disableSpecialCharSequences: false
+        parseSpecialCharSequences: true
         waitForAnimations: config("waitForAnimations")
         animationDistanceThreshold: config("animationDistanceThreshold")
       })
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ module.exports = (Commands, Cypress, cy, state, config) ->
           chars:                        options.chars
           delay:                        options.delay
           release:                      options.release
-          disableSpecialCharSequences:  options.disableSpecialCharSequences
+          parseSpecialCharSequences:    options.parseSpecialCharSequences
           window:                       win
 
           updateValue: (el, key) ->
diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee b/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
index 29ebd6bfb76..751de97eb10 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
@@ -903,7 +903,14 @@ module.exports = {
 
   type:
     empty_string: "#{cmd('type')} cannot accept an empty String. You need to actually type something."
-    invalid: "Special character sequence: '{{chars}}' is not recognized. Available sequences are: {{allChars}}"
+    readonly: "#{cmd('type')} cannot type into an element with a 'readonly' attribute. The element typed into was: {{node}}"
+    invalid: """
+      Special character sequence: '{{chars}}' is not recognized. Available sequences are: {{allChars}}
+
+      If you want to skip parsing special character sequences and type the text exactly as written, pass the option: {parseSpecialCharSequences: false}
+
+      https://on.cypress.io/type
+    """
     invalid_date: "Typing into a date input with #{cmd('type')} requires a valid date with the format 'yyyy-MM-dd'. You passed: {{chars}}"
     invalid_month: "Typing into a month input with #{cmd('type')} requires a valid month with the format 'yyyy-MM'. You passed: {{chars}}"
     invalid_week: "Typing into a week input with #{cmd('type')} requires a valid week with the format 'yyyy-Www', where W is the literal character 'W' and ww is the week number (00-53). You passed: {{chars}}"
diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cypress/keyboard.js b/packages/driver/src/cypress/keyboard.js
index 36ef6c46d62..e281470bfb4 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cypress/keyboard.js
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cypress/keyboard.js
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ const $Keyboard = {
   type (options = {}) {
     _.defaults(options, {
       delay: 10,
-      disableSpecialCharSequences: false,
+      parseSpecialCharSequences: true,
       onEvent () {},
       onBeforeEvent () {},
       onBeforeType () {},
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ const $Keyboard = {
 
     let keys = options.chars
 
-    if (!options.disableSpecialCharSequences) {
+    if (options.parseSpecialCharSequences) {
       keys = options.chars.split(charsBetweenCurlyBracesRe).map((chars) => {
         if (charsBetweenCurlyBracesRe.test(chars)) {
           //# allow special chars and modifiers to be case-insensitive
diff --git a/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/commands/actions/type_spec.js b/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/commands/actions/type_spec.js
index dd052b5a3d0..f30007e895c 100644
--- a/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/commands/actions/type_spec.js
+++ b/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/commands/actions/type_spec.js
@@ -1529,10 +1529,10 @@ describe('src/cy/commands/actions/type', () => {
 
     describe('specialChars', () => {
 
-      context('disableSpecialCharSequences: true', () => {
+      context('parseSpecialCharSequences: false', () => {
         it('types special character sequences literally', (done) => {
           cy.get(':text:first').invoke('val', 'foo')
-          .type('{{}{backspace}', { disableSpecialCharSequences: true }).then(($input) => {
+          .type('{{}{backspace}', { parseSpecialCharSequences: false }).then(($input) => {
             expect($input).to.have.value('foo{{}{backspace}')
 
             done()
@@ -4340,7 +4340,11 @@ describe('src/cy/commands/actions/type', () => {
 
           const allChars = _.keys(Keyboard.specialChars).concat(_.keys(Keyboard.modifierChars)).join(', ')
 
-          expect(err.message).to.eq(`Special character sequence: '{bar}' is not recognized. Available sequences are: ${allChars}`)
+          expect(err.message).to.eq(`Special character sequence: '{bar}' is not recognized. Available sequences are: ${allChars}
+
+If you want to skip parsing special character sequences and type the text exactly as written, pass the option: {parseSpecialCharSequences: false}
+
+https://on.cypress.io/type`)
 
           done()
         })