Android Accessibility Quick Guide
Back to links and documents for this presentation
Resources
- Carrie on Accessibility – I go over a lot of Accessibility, tech, and more!, and more! – Android Accessibility Playlist
- Blind Android Users Podcast – Great podcast and large community ready to answer questions! – TalkBack highlights playlist
- Live Accessible – My old channel, some TalkBack videos though a bit outdated. (Working on new videos!) – Talkback 101 Playlist
- The Blind Life – Sam has some videos on Android, too! – TalkBack 101 Playlist
- Google Accessibility Help
Major Android Accessibility Features
| Android Accessibility Feature | Similar iOS feature |
| Talkback | Voice Over |
| Select to Speak | Speak screen |
| Magnification | Zoom |
| Display Size / Screen Zoom | Zoom view in display settings |
Android Accessibility Suite
- Pre-installed app that helps keep Accessibility features stay updated.
- Can’t uninstall
- Updates independently from OS
- This will keep TalkBack and some other accessibility features updated
- Samsung Devices – it is not pre-installed, but you can install
- Make sure to keep this updated! Android Accessibility Suite on the Google Play Store
Accessibility Shortcuts
(Note: For now, you can only choose accessibility gesture or button, not both.)
- At setup – You can use volume key shortcuts at Android set up OR hold 2 fingers on the screen until TalkBack turns on (around 10 seconds)
- Volume Keys shortcut – Press and hold both volume keys at the same time for about 2 seconds. (Samsung devices may take an extra 1-2 seconds). If you assign more than one accessibility feature to this shortcut, a menu will appear each time you activate this shortcut.
- Accessibility Gesture – With talkback off, 2 fingers flick up from the bottom. With talkback on, 3 fingers flick up from the bottom.
- Switch Feature used by gesture – If you have more than one accessibility feature assigned to the accessibility gesture, you can select which feature activates. With talkback off, 2 fingers swipe up and hold for about 1 second. With talkback on, 3 fingers swipe up and hold for about 1 second. Then select an accessibility feature from the pop up. (Samsung devices will always show a menu if multiple features are assigned.)
- Recommendation for Talkback users: Assign a custom gesture for the “accessibility gesture” and “hold accessibility gesture”.
- Accessibility Button (floating) – Adjustable floating button on the screen. Drag the button to move it. Tap or double tap with talkback on.
- If you assign more than one accessibility feature to this shortcut, the buttons will stack.
- Swipe to the edge to hide buttons.
- Accessibility Button on Navigation Bar – If you are using 3 button navigation, the accessibility button appears on the bottom right corner. You can tap or double tap if you have talkback on. Tap and hold (or double tap and hold with talkback) to switch to another accessibility feature that is assigned to this shortcut.
- Samsung’s Volume Up and Side Key – Quickly press the Volume up and Side Key. If you assign more than one accessibility feature, it will bring up a menu.
Android Magnification
- You can assign magnification to any of the android accessibility shortcuts (see “Android Accessibility shortcuts section)
- You can also assign magnification to “triple tap”. (sometimes under “advanced”)
(Note: This may slow down your device’s performance, but can be very convenient.)
- Triple tap, hold, and drag to quickly pan around the screen. Alternatively, activate an accessibility shortcut then tap, hold, then drag.
Select full screen, lens, or ability to toggle between the two in settings.
TalkBack Basic Gestures
Recommended to turn off “cover proximity sensor in TalkBack settings!
For a list of all TalkBack Gestures, go to TalkBack gestures, then customize gestures.
| Action | Single Finger Gesture | Multi finger Gesture |
| Talkback Tutorial Menu | (go to talkback settings) | 4 finger double tap |
| Talkback Gesture Practice | (got o talkback settings) | 4 finger tap |
| Move to next item | Swipe right | Swipe right |
| Move to previous item | Swipe left | Swipe left |
| Explore by touch (speak item below your finger) | Drag 1 finger on screen | Drag 1 finger on screen |
| Next reading control | Up then down | 3 finger swipe down/right |
| Previous reading control | Down then up | 3 finger swipe up/left |
| Change value, next or previous item in reading control OR cycle through actions when available | Swipe up or down | Swipe up or down |
| Set focus on an item | Tap | Tap |
| Activate item | 1 finger double tap | 1 finger double tap |
| Pause or resume speech | 2 finger tap | |
| Talkback Menu | Up then right or down and right | 3 finger tap |
| Play or pause mediaAnswer or hang up calls(does not work for dictation) | 2 finger double tap | |
| Adjust TalkBack volume | 1 finger hold on the screen while pressing volume buttons | 1 finger hold on the screen while pressing volume buttons |
| Scroll (pass through) | 2 finger swipe/drag | 2 finger swipe/drag |
| Scroll forward or next | Swipe left then right | Swipe left then right |
| Scroll back or previous | Swipe right then left | Swipe right then left |
| Voice Command | Swipe right then up | Swipe right then up |
Talkback System Navigation
Note: On Android, you can choose 3 button navigation or gesture navigation. Some users find 3 button navigation easier.
| System Action | Gesture |
| Home | Talkback Default: Swipe up then leftGesture Navigation: Two finger flick up from bottom |
| Back | Talkback default: Swipe down then leftGesture Navigation: Two finger swipe towards the middle from left or right edge of screen |
| Recent Apps | Talkback default: Swipe left then upGesture Navigation: Two finger swipe up from bottom of screen and hold for one second |
| Notification Shade | Talkback default: Swipe right then downPass through Navigation: Two finger swipe down from top edge |
| Quick Settings | Talkback default: Open notification shade, then two finger swipe down.Pass through Navigation: Two finger swipe down from top, then two finger swipe down again. |
| App drawer | Pass through Navigation: When on home screen, two finger swipe up from middle of screen |
| Accessibility Gesture | Recommendation: Create custom talkback gesture for “accessibility gesture” and “hold accessibility gesture”. (Go to talkback settings > Customize gestures)With Talkback On: Three finger swipe up from the bottom (This may not always work well)With Talkback Off: Two finger swipe up from bottom |
Android Accessibility Apps
| App | Description | Price |
| WeZoom | BEST android magnifier | Free |
| Seeing AI | Made by Microsoft. Same as iOS! | Free |
| Google Lookout | Made by Google. Similar to Seeing AI, read text, documents, identify currency and food labels. | Free |
| Reading Mode | Made by Google. Use this app to listen to articles. | Free |
| @Voice Aloud | Listen to articles, websites, documents, and more. | Free |
| Speechify | Listen to articles, websites, documents, and more. | Free (or paid) |
| Big Launcher | Create a simpler and customizable experience. Big phone and big SMS is also available. | Free, paid recommended |
| Nova Launcher | Accessible home screen replacement launcher great for customization and extra gesture shortcuts. | Free, with paid version |
| Digi Clock | Customizable clock that is great for Low Vision! | Free (paid version) |
| Vocalizer TTS | Purchase additional TTS voices | Paid, $3.99/voice |
| Voice Access | Made by Google. Use your voice to control the phone. (Note: Does not work well with talkback) | Free |
| Live Transcribe | Made by Google. Use this app to transcribe speech to text. | Free |
| Button Mapper | For more advanced users. Allows customization of volume keys. E.g. Press and hold volume down to launch an app. | Free (paid version) |
| Good Lock | Only for Samsung users. Great for advanced customization. | Free |
Other Apps available on Android
- BARD mobile
- Aira Explorer
- Envision AI
- Supersense
- Lazarillo
- Bookshare
- Bing (Co-Pilot)
- Action Blocks
- Live Transcribe
- Audible
- Libby
- Librivox
- Tile
- Recorder
- Alexa Ap