Use TalkBack keyboard shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts to have TalkBack read, navigate your screen, or manage your settings.

Step 1: Set up your device & keyboard

To use keyboard shortcuts with TalkBack, connect an external keyboard to your Android device.

Learn how to connect through Bluetooth on your device.

Step 2: Use keyboard shortcuts

TalkBack offers 2 sets of keyboard shortcuts, called keymaps. Most devices use the default keymap, which includes more shortcuts. To switch keymaps, learn how to change keyboard shortcut settings.

Default keymap

Navigation

Navigate to next item

  • In continuous reading mode, this shortcut fast-forwards the text.
Alt + right arrow

Navigate to previous item

  • In continuous reading mode, this shortcut rewinds the text.
Alt + left arrow
Navigate to above item Alt + up arrow
Navigate to below item Alt + down arrow
Navigate to first item Alt + ctrl + left arrow
Navigate to last item Alt + ctrl + right arrow
Navigate to next window Alt + ctrl + down arrow

Navigate to previous window

  • In split screen view, this shortcut moves your focus between 2 open apps. Otherwise, it moves focus between the navigation bar, main screen, and status bar.
Alt + ctrl + up arrow
Navigate to next word Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow
Navigate to previous word Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow
Navigate to next character Alt + shift + right arrow
Navigate to previous character Alt + shift + left arrow
Click the focused element Alt + enter
Touch and hold the focused element Alt + shift + enter

Global actions

Back Alt + backspace
Home Alt + ctrl + h
Recent apps Alt + ctrl + r
Notifications Alt + ctrl + n
Play or pause media Alt + shift + space
Next reading control Alt + shift + ctrl + down arrow
Previous reading control Alt + shift + ctrl + up arrow
Adjust reading control up Alt + shift + up arrow
Adjust reading control down Alt + shift + down arrow

Other actions

Read from top Alt + ctrl + enter
Read from next item Alt + shift + ctrl + enter
Show TalkBack Menu Alt + space
Show actions Alt + ctrl + space
Show installed languages Alt + ctrl + l
Search the screen for an item Alt + ctrl + /

Text navigation

Move to next word Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow
Move to the previous word Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow
Move to next character Alt + shift + right arrow
Move to previous character Alt + shift + left arrow

Chrome web page navigation

Use these shortcuts to move to the next or previous element on a page.

ARIA landmark
  • Next: Alt + d
  • Previous: Alt + shift + d
Button
  • Next: Alt + b
  • Previous: Alt + shift + b
Checkbox
  • Next: Alt + x
  • Previous: Alt + shift + x
Combo box
  • Next: Alt + z
  • Previous: Alt + shift + z
Control
  • Next: Alt + c
  • Previous: Alt + shift + c
Editable field
  • Next: Alt + e
  • Previous: Alt + shift + e
Focusable item
  • Next: Alt + f
  • Previous: Alt + shift + f
Graphic
  • Next: Alt + g
  • Previous: Alt + shift + g
Heading
  • Next: Alt + h
  • Previous: Alt + shift + h
Heading level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
  • Next: Alt + [1-6]
  • Previous: Alt + shift + [1-6]
Link
  • Next: Alt + l
  • Previous: Alt + shift + l
List
  • Next: Alt + o
  • Previous: Alt + shift + o
List item
  • Next: Alt + i
  • Previous: Alt + shift + i
Table
  • Next: Alt + t
  • Previous: Alt + shift + t

Tip: You can choose a key other than Alt for your shortcuts. To choose a different modifier key, open TalkBack settings. Then, select Advanced settings and then Keyboard shortcuts and then Choose modifier key.

Classic keymap

Navigation

Move to next item Alt + shift + right arrow
Move to previous item Alt + shift + left arrow
Move to first item Alt + shift + up arrow
Move to last item Alt + shift + down arrow
Click focused element Alt + shift + enter

Global actions

Back Alt + backspace
Home Alt + ctrl + h
Recent apps Alt + ctrl + r
Notification Alt + ctrl + n
Play or pause media Alt + shift + space
Select next reading control Shift + ctrl + arrow down
Select previous reading control Shift + ctrl + arrow up
Adjust reading control up Ctrl + arrow up
Adjust reading control down Ctrl + arrow down

Navigation settings

Next navigation setting Alt + shift + =
Previous navigation setting Alt + shift + -

Other actions

Search the screen for an item Alt + shift + /
Show TalkBack menu Alt + shift + g

Change your keyboard shortcut settings

To switch between the default and classic keymaps:

  1. Open the TalkBack menu.
    • On devices with multi-finger gestures: Three-finger tap. Or, in one motion, swipe down then right.
    • On devices without multi-finger gestures (prior to updated Android R with TalkBack 9.1): In one motion, swipe down then right.
  2. Select TalkBack settings and then Advanced settings and then Keyboard shortcuts.
  3. Under "Keymap," select Choose a keymap.
  4. Choose a keymap:
    • Classic keymap: Includes basic shortcuts.
    • Default keymap: Includes more shortcuts, like shortcuts to navigate pages in Chrome.

Tip: You can reassign keyboard shortcuts. On the settings screen, select the shortcut. Then, follow the on-screen instructions.

Get more help

For more Accessibility help, contact the Disability Support team.