Action Blocks

Google LLC

About this app

Action Blocks makes routine actions easier with customizable buttons on your Android home screen.

Powered by the Google Assistant, you can easily set up Action Blocks for a loved one. Action Blocks can be configured to do anything the Assistant can do, in just one tap: call a friend, watch your favorite show, control the lights, and more.

Action Blocks can also be configured to speak phrases. This can be especially useful to people with speech and language disorders to quickly communicate during urgent situations.

Built with the growing number of people with age-related conditions and cognitive differences in mind, Action Blocks can also be used for people with learning differences, or even for adults who want a very simple way to access routine actions on their phones. Set it up for your family, friends, or for yourself.Action Blocks now features tens of thousands of picture communication symbols (PCS® by Tobii Dynavox), providing a seamless visual experience for users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices and special education software.

Action Blocks may also be useful for anyone who could benefit from an easier way to perform routine actions on their device, including individuals with dementia, aphasia, speech disorder, autism, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dexterity impairments, or other conditions. People who use adaptive switches, Switch Access, or Voice Access may also benefit.

Action Blocks includes an Accessibility Service, and uses that capability to enable you to connect a switch. If you don't want to connect a switch, it works fine without enabling the service.

Learn more about Action Blocks in the Help Center:
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9711267

Ratings and reviews

I like it very much. The actions go through the Google assistant though, so it is not that easy to get done what you need. For instance, I couldn't find a way to make sure that one single button sent a text message containing both my location and a personalized text. So, basically, you are restrained to the possibilities of Google Assistant.

Worked for a couple of days...now all blocks show interface and not items example: alarm clock but no time to set Example shopping list has interface delete button and thumb up and thumb down buttons, but no shopping list...It's not a big deal, but if I had one job and did not do my job, I would be replaced...so I replaced it with pen a paper lol.

A very nice idea! Can be improved. 1. More icons needed in the symbol library 2. Ability to combine multiple icons would be amazing. Say, music and tv, so that I know it means, 'play music on living room TV' 3. There is no default lights off symbol available in the library. It only comes up as a suggestion.

What’s new

• Bug fixes