Use TalkBack on your Android XR devices

For hands-off device control, you can use TalkBack, a Google screen reader. This is included on Android XR devices.

Learn about TalkBack

TalkBack helps people who can’t find on screen content to use their Android XR devices.

When TalkBack is on:

  • A box outlines what content is on the screen.
  • To describe what’s on the screen content, your device plays sounds.

Activate TalkBack shortcut when you set up your device

When you set up your Android XR device, to turn on TalkBack, press and hold both Volume up and Volume down. After the set up, to turn TalkBack on or off, you can use the volume buttons as a shortcut.

If you no longer want to use the volume button as a TalkBack shortcut, you can turn it off.

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Settings app.
  2. Select Settings and then Accessibility and then TalkBack.
  3. Turn off TalkBack shortcut.

Learn how to use accessibility shortcuts.

Turn on TalkBack after you set up your device

You can turn on TalkBack through the device’s Settings app, shortcuts, and Gemini.

Use device settings

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Settings app.
  2. On the left, scroll to "Accessibility."
  3. Select Accessibility and then TalkBack and then Turn on TalkBack.

Use shortcuts

You can use a special button on your screen or press device buttons to turn TalkBack on or off.

  1. On your Android XR device, open the Settings app.
  2. On the left, scroll to "Accessibility."
  3. Select Accessibility and then TalkBack and then TalkBack shortcut.
  4. Turn on TalkBack shortcut.
  5. To use TalkBack, you can select these actions:
    • Tap Accessibility button
    • Press Top and Volume up buttons
    • Press and hold Volume up and down buttons for 3 seconds

Use voice with Gemini

If you have set up Gemini, you can just talk to your device.

  1. Say "Hey Gemini."
  2. To turn TalkBack on or off, say "Turn on TalkBack" or "Turn off TalkBack."

Use your device with TalkBack

Select & move your focus

When TalkBack is on, it speaks aloud what you’re focused on. On each new screen, the focus starts at the top and moves down.

  • To move forward:
    1. Turn your right palm out.
    2. Pinch.
  • To move back:
    1. Turn your left palm out.
    2. Pinch.
  • To pinch:
    1. Hold your hand upright and open.
    2. Tap your index finger and thumb together.
  • To double pinch: Perform 2 pinches one after the other.
    • If your first attempt doesn’t work, try double pinching slower.

Tips:

  • For best results, imagine you hold a golf ball in between your fingers, then quickly tap your index and thumb to complete each pinch.
  • If your pinch isn’t registered, try a slower pinch and rotate your hand so the camera can find your gesture.

Navigate your Android XR device

You can move around your device with gesture navigation.

  1. Turn your primary palm in towards your face.
  2. Hold your pinch.
  3. Move your hand left, right, or stay centered.
  4. To complete the action, release your fingers.

By default, your right hand is the primary hand. You can change this in Settings under "Input."

The list of possible gestures when you use gesture navigation includes:

  • Launcher:
    1. To go to the Launcher screen, turn your primary palm in.
    2. Pinch and hold.
    3. Release your fingers.
  • Recents:
    1. To find recently used apps, turn your primary palm in.
    2. Pinch and hold.
    3. Move your hand to the right.
    4. Release your fingers.
  • Go back:
    1. To return to a previous screen, turn your primary palm in.
    2. Pinch and hold.
    3. Move your hand to the left.
    4. Release your fingers.

Manage TalkBack menu

You can adjust settings anytime from the TalkBack menu. From here, you can change your language, perform a screen search, and more.

To open or close the TalkBack menu, turn your secondary palm in, and then pinch.

Use reading controls

When you use TalkBack, you can change how you focus on text.

  • To cycle forward:
    1. Turn your secondary palm in towards your face.
    2. To swipe right, pinch and hold.
    3. Move to the right.
    4. Release your fingers.
  • To cycle backward:
    1. Turn your secondary palm in towards your face.
    2. To swipe left, pinch and hold.
    3. Move to the left.
    4. Release your fingers.

Tip: For these gestures, make sure your palm faces directly towards your face. After you find the reading control you want, keep your secondary palm in, then swipe up to move your focus back or swipe down to move it forward.

Use explore mode

You can use explore mode to spatially navigate XR. With this mode on, you can simply hold out your hand to aim your pointer then pinch to select.

To turn explore mode on or off:

  1. Turn your secondary palm in.
  2. Pinch and hold.

Adjust the volume & mute speech

The volume for TalkBack speech is called Accessibility volume which is different from media volume.

  • To adjust the accessibility volume:
    1. With either hand, pinch and hold.
    2. While you hold your pinch, on your headset, press Volume up or Volume down.

Try these additional gestures

  • Swipe: If you swipe on a screen, like a long web page or photos, you can use a swipe gesture. You swipe, you can use either hand.
    • To swipe horizontally:
      1. With your index and thumb, pinch and hold.
      2. Drag to left or right.
    • To swipe and scroll vertically:
      1. With your index and thumb, pinch and hold.
      2. Drag up or down.
  • Auto-advance focus: Automatically move your focus forward and backward with auto-advance.
    • To auto-advance forward:
      1. With your right hand, pinch and hold.
      2. Drag your hand to the right.
        • Your focus moves forward through focus items until you release your pinch.
    • To auto-advance backward:
      1. With your left hand, pinch and hold.
      2. Drag your hand to the left.
        • Your focus moves backward through focus items until you release your pinch.

Type with TalkBack on

Enter text in boxes

When you select a text box, a virtual keyboard appears at the bottom of your view. To navigate the keyboard or set voice to type as your default typing method, use explore mode.

  1. Aim your hand at the bottom half of your view.
    • TalkBack announces the key you aim at.
  2. Pinch to select the key.

Use your voice to type

You can also switch the type method to voice when you select the voice button on the keyboard.

  1. Aim at the keyboard until you hear the voice button announced.
  2. At the top right, select Voice .
  3. Say what you want to type.

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