Android Accessibility Suite is a collection of Google tools designed to make phones and tablets easier to use for people with visual, motor and other accessibility needs. It includes the TalkBack screen reader, Select to Speak and an on-screen Accessibility Menu for common device controls.

The suite comes pre-installed as a system component on many Android devices. Its tools do not normally open like a standard app. Instead, each service is enabled separately through the Accessibility section of the device settings.

TalkBack screen reader

TalkBack describes interface elements, notifications and user actions with spoken feedback. It allows people to navigate and control an Android device without looking at the screen.

Key TalkBack features include:

• spoken descriptions of buttons, menus and notifications;

• gesture-based navigation;

• reading text in webpages and compatible apps;

• adjustable speech rate, pitch and verbosity;

• support for physical keyboards and shortcuts;

• a built-in on-screen braille keyboard;

• support for compatible braille displays;

• optional sound and vibration feedback.

A tutorial opens when TalkBack is enabled for the first time. Completing it is useful because standard touchscreen behaviour changes: one tap selects and reads an item, while a double tap activates the selected item.

Other accessibility tools

Select to Speak lets users select text or another item on the screen and hear it read aloud. It is useful when occasional spoken assistance is needed without keeping a full screen reader active.

The Accessibility Menu provides large on-screen controls for changing volume and brightness, taking screenshots, locking the device and performing other common actions.

Depending on the device manufacturer and Android version, control through external switches or a keyboard may also be available.

Permissions and privacy

To function as a screen reader, the accessibility service needs to observe on-screen content, user actions and entered text. This broad level of access allows TalkBack to describe the interface and assist with device navigation.

Android displays the required permissions before the service is enabled. Users should activate it through the official Accessibility settings on their device.

Things to consider

Available features, menu names and gestures may vary depending on the device manufacturer, Android version and installed TalkBack version. Android Accessibility Suite requires Android 7 or later. TalkBack for smartwatches requires Wear OS 3.0 or later.

If TalkBack is enabled accidentally, touchscreen controls will behave differently. It can be turned off from the Accessibility settings or with the assigned volume-key shortcut when that shortcut has been configured.

How to install and enable Android Accessibility Suite

To install or update Android Accessibility Suite, tap the download button on this page. Google Play may display “Update” instead of “Install” if the suite is already present on the device.

After installation, open the Android settings, select “Accessibility” and choose TalkBack, Select to Speak or the Accessibility Menu. Each tool can be enabled and configured separately.