Use Accessibility Features on Wear OS

You can customize your Wear OS device with accessibility settings and apps.

Important: Features may vary by device capability and software version. Additional features may be available from your device manufacturer. Get device help here.

As you navigate your device, TalkBack gives you audio feedback so that you don't have to look at your screen when you use your watch.

Turn on TalkBack when you first set up your watch

Important: TalkBack setup is only available in English. After you finish turning it on, you can choose from other languages.

  1. Press the Power button on the side of your watch to wake it up.
  2. Press two fingers onto your watch’s screen until you hear a sound. The sound means TalkBack has been turned on.
  3. Follow the instructions to finish setup.

Turn on TalkBack after you set up your watch

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance.
  1. Press the Power button on the side of your watch to wake it up.
  2. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then TalkBack.
  4. Tap the toggle switch to turn Talkback on.
  5. Follow the onscreen instructions and agree to any permissions.

After you turn on TalkBack, text-to-speech will take a moment to start up. You’ll know TalkBack is turned on when you hear text-to-speech feedback.

If TalkBack is already on

If your watch highlights items on screen and speaks to you, TalkBack is on.

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance. Depending on your device, from your device’s app, you can turn off TalkBack.

Navigate your watch with TalkBack gestures

For all gestures, use a single motion, a steady speed, and even finger pressure.

Action

Gesture

Scroll up or down

Two-finger swipe up or down

Scroll left or right

Two-finger swipe left or right

Next item

One-finger swipe right

Previous item

One-finger swipe left

Back

Two-finger swipe right

Turn volume up

One-finger swipe right then up

Turn volume down

One-finger swipe right then down

Turn the screen off

Place palm over screen

Customize your gestures

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance. Depending on your device, from your device’s app, you can turn off TalkBack.

  1. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then TalkBack.
  2. Turn "Talkback" on.
  3. Tap TalkBack settings and then Customize gestures.

Gestures you can customize:

Action

Gesture

Scroll back

Swipe left then right

Scroll forward

Swipe right then left

Home

Swipe up then left

Back

Swipe down then left

Back

Two-finger swipe right

Pause/Resume speech

Two finger tap

Turn off TalkBack

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance. Depending on your device, from your device’s app, you can turn off TalkBack.

For devices with Wear 3 and up, press the physical button above the crown 3 times.

If the physical button doesn't work:

  1. To wake up your watch, press the power button on the side.
  2. Press the crown.
  3. Use two fingers to scroll down through the list of apps.
  4. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then TalkBack.
    • When TalkBack is on, you must double tap each item to selet it.
    • When TalkBack is on, you must scroll with two fingers.
  5. To turn off TalkBack, double tap the toggle switch.

Color correction & greyscale

Wear 3

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance.

For a wider range of vision preferences, color-correction and greyscale modes help optimize the display.

To enable color correction modes or greyscale:

  1. To wake up your watch, press the power button on the side.
  2. From the top of the screen, swipe down.
  3. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then Color correction.
  4. Turn Use color correction on.
  5. Select your color correction mode.

Mono-audio

Wear 3

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance.

You can ensure the audio is balanced on both left and right earbuds or speakers. To enable mono-audio:

  1. To wake up your watch, tap the screen.
  2. From the top of the screen, swipe down.
  3. Tap Settings and then Sound and then Mono-audio.
  4. Turn Mono-audio on.

Font Size

Wear 3

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance.

To make your font size smaller or larger:

  1. Press the Power button on the side of your watch to wake it up.
  2. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then Display Settings and then Font Size.

Select your preferred font size: Small, Normal (Default), Medium, Large, Larger, Largest

Magnification

Important: The following steps require sighted assistance.

To zoom or magnify to see your Wear OS device’s screen better:

Wear 3

  1. Press the Power button on the side of your watch to wake it up.
  2. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Settings and then Accessibility and then Magnification.

Zoom in or out

  1. Triple tap the screen.
  2. Drag with two fingers to pan across the screen.

Zoom temporarily

  1. Triple tap the screen and hold on the third tap.
  2. Drag your finger to pan across the screen.
  3. Lift your finger to exit zoom.

Wear 2.x

  1. If the screen is dim, tap it to wake up the watch.
  2. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
  3. Tap Settings.
  • Tip: If you don't immediately see the settings icon, swipe left to find it.
  1. Tap Accessibility.
  2. Tap Magnification Gestures to turn on or off.
  3. Tap the check mark to confirm.

Zoom in or out

  1. Triple tap the screen.
  2. Pinch to adjust the zoom.
  3. Drag with two fingers to pan across the screen.

Zoom temporarily

  1. Triple tap the screen and hold on the third tap.
  2. Drag your finger to pan across the screen.
  3. Lift your finger to exit zoom.

Learn more

There's more you can do with your device after you set up TalkBack. Learn how to get started with TalkBack.

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