Use Google’s TalkBack Screen Reader for those who are Blind, Partially Blind or Visually Impaired
Google TalkBack screen reader is an essential accessibility tool for those who are blind or partially blind. It provides spoken feedback for everything that happens on your Android device, from navigation to notifications. TalkBack can be used with a variety of input methods, including touch, voice, and braille. Learn how to use Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android.
Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android describes your actions and provides feedback and suggested additional actions. The Google TalkBack screen reader for Android also will read notifications and alerts. It functions as Android’s voice telling and describing to you what you cannot see for the blind or visually impaired.
How to use an Android phone if you are blind or partially blind?
Most newer Android phones have TalkBack pre-installed and the app only needs to be enabled. If you don’t have TalkBack already installed, it is easy to download from Google Play store. TalkBack is part of the Android Accessibility Suite – Click here to download –> Android Accessibility Suite. This page may be helpful to you for installing the app –> How to install apps on Android phones?.
Another useful accessibility took is the speech-to-text Live Transcribe and Notification tool. Learn more about Live Transcribe – How to use Live Transcribe and Notifications?
How to use TalkBack Screen Reader for Android?
Now that you have confirmed the existence of the Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android, Let’s get started using it.
- Open Settings, scroll down and Touch on Accessibility
- On the Accessibility menu screen, Touch on TalkBack to open the TalkBack options
- On the TalkBack menu
- To enable TalkBack, move the slider switch to the right to turn it on.
- Also, it is a good idea to also enable the TalkBack shortcut. This places an icon on the bottom of all your screen so you can easily start up to use TalkBack.
- For more TalkBack options, Touch on Settings.
Navigating with Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android:
Once TalkBack is turned on, you can navigate your device using a variety of gestures. Some of the most common gestures include:
- Swipe right: To move the focus to the next item on the screen.
- Swipe left: To move the focus to the previous item on the screen.
- Swipe up: To scroll up on the screen.
- Swipe down: To scroll down on the screen.
- Double tap: To activate the item that is currently in focus.
Using TalkBack with Apps:
TalkBack can be used with almost any Android app. When you open an app, TalkBack will speak the name of the app and the name of the first item on the screen. You can then use the gestures described above to navigate through the app.
Customize settings for using Google’s TalkBack screen reader app for Android:
- On the TalkBack Settings screen you have options to fine tune how TalkBack works.
- Text-to-Speech settings
- You can choose the language you want TalkBack to speak in, how fast to speak, and what pitch the voice should be in.
- Speak useful hints – it is a good feature to use. With this turned on, TalkBack will help you to know additional things to do to complete the task you are doing.
- Speak list and grid info – a nice feature to help you understand where on the screen you are touching.
- Always speak number of list items – nice to have if you are scrolling through a list, you can know where on the list you are.
- This screen allows you to customize the sound and vibration feedback you get.
- Turn on Vibration feedback to get a vibration of the phone when you do actions
- Audio ducking is very handy, with this enabled, the other sounds coming from the phone or tablet (music, podcasts reading, etc.) will be dampened when TalkBack is speaking to you.
- Sound feedback – enable this to get sounds from the phone or tablet when performing actions.
- Sound feedback volume – control how loud the sound feedback is.
Mastering Google TalkBack, the screen reader for Android, empowers individuals with visual impairments to navigate their devices with ease. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions on using TalkBack’s essential features, enabling you to explore your Android smartphone independently. Embrace the world of Android with TalkBack, your gateway to an accessible mobile experience.
Common problems and solutions for using Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android:
Problem: TalkBack is not reading the screen correctly.
Solution:
- Check the TalkBack settings: Make sure that TalkBack is turned on and that the speech rate, pitch, and voice are set to your liking.
- Restart your device: This can often fix minor glitches that can cause TalkBack to malfunction.
- Update the TalkBack app: Make sure you are using the latest version of the TalkBack app.
- Reset TalkBack: If all else fails, you can reset TalkBack to its default settings. To do this, open the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack > Reset.
Problem: TalkBack is not responding to your voice commands.
Solution:
- Make sure that voice recognition is turned on: Go to the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack > Speech Recognition.
- Speak clearly and slowly: TalkBack may not be able to understand you if you speak too fast or too softly.
- Check the microphone: Make sure that your microphone is not muted or obstructed.
Problem: TalkBack is not working with a particular app.
Solution:
- Make sure that the app is compatible with TalkBack: Not all apps are compatible with TalkBack. You can check the app’s description in the Google Play Store to see if it is compatible.
- Restart the app: This can often fix minor glitches that can cause TalkBack to malfunction.
- Update the app: Make sure you are using the latest version of the app.
Problem: TalkBack is draining your battery.
Solution:
- Turn off TalkBack’s continuous feedback: Go to the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack > Speech Recognition > Continuous feedback.
- Reduce the TalkBack speech rate: Go to the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack > Speech > Speech rate.
- Use a power-saving mode: Most Android devices have a power-saving mode that can help extend your battery life.
Problem: TalkBack is speaking too much or too little.
Solution:
- Adjust the TalkBack verbosity level: Go to the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack > Speech > Verbosity level.
- Use TalkBack’s feedback settings: TalkBack has a variety of feedback settings that you can customize. For example, you can choose to have TalkBack only speak the names of buttons and links, or you can choose to have it speak everything that happens on the screen.
- Use TalkBack’s interrupt commands: TalkBack has a variety of interrupt commands that you can use to control how much it speaks. For example, you can say “Stop” to stop TalkBack from speaking, or you can say “Brief” to have TalkBack speak only a brief description of what is happening on the screen.
Frequently asked questions and answers for using Google TalkBack Screen Reader app for Android:
Q: What is Google TalkBack?
A: Google TalkBack is a screen reader for Android devices that provides spoken feedback for everything that happens on the screen, from navigation to notifications. TalkBack can be used with a variety of input methods, including touch, voice, and braille.
Q: How do I turn on TalkBack?
A: There are two ways to turn on TalkBack:
- Using the volume buttons: Press and hold both volume buttons for three seconds.
- In the Settings app: Open the Settings app > Accessibility > TalkBack.
Q: How do I navigate with TalkBack?
A: Once TalkBack is turned on, you can navigate your device using a variety of gestures. Some of the most common gestures include:
- Swipe right: To move the focus to the next item on the screen.
- Swipe left: To move the focus to the previous item on the screen.
- Swipe up: To scroll up on the screen.
- Swipe down: To scroll down on the screen.
- Double tap: To activate the item that is currently in focus.
Q: How do I use TalkBack with apps?
A: TalkBack can be used with almost any Android app. When you open an app, TalkBack will speak the name of the app and the name of the first item on the screen. You can then use the gestures described above to navigate through the app.
Q: How do I customize TalkBack?
A: There are a variety of ways to customize TalkBack to your needs. You can change the speech rate, the pitch, and the voice. You can also customize the feedback that TalkBack provides, such as the amount of detail that is spoken.
Q: What are some common problems with using TalkBack?
A: Some common problems with using TalkBack include:
- TalkBack is not reading the screen correctly.
- TalkBack is not responding to your voice commands.
- TalkBack is not working with a particular app.
- TalkBack is draining your battery.
- TalkBack is speaking too much or too little.
Q: How do I troubleshoot problems with TalkBack?
A: If you are having problems with TalkBack, you can try the following:
- Check the TalkBack settings.
- Restart your device.
- Update the TalkBack app.
- Reset TalkBack.
- Visit the Google TalkBack Help Center.
- Join the Google TalkBack community forum.
Description |
Accessibility Page Links |
| Android’s sound amplifier for the hard of hearing or hearing impaired | Sound Amplifier for the Hard of Hearing – Android |
| Use the voice access module to speak commands to Android | Voice Access Spoken Commands – Android |
| Magnify the text and images on the screen for users with low vision and visually impaired | Screen Magnification for Low Vision – Android |
| TalkBack screen reader to tell you about your actions for the blind and visually impaired | TalkBack Screen Reader for Android |
| TalkBack braille keyboard for your Android device | Talkback Braille Keyboard for Android |
| Change the font and image size displayed on all screens for the partially blind and visually impaired | Change Font and Image Size for Partially blind – Android |
| Google’s Live Transcribe and Notification app is very useful speech-to-text tool | Google Live Transcribe and Notification for Android |
