Android Accessibility Suite

Google LLC

About this app

Android Accessibility Suite is a collection of accessibility apps that help you use your Android device eyes-free or with a switch device.

Android Accessibility Suite includes:
• Accessibility Menu: Use this large on-screen menu to lock your phone, control volume and brightness, take screenshots, and more.
• Select to Speak: Select items on your screen and hear them read aloud.
• TalkBack screen reader: Get spoken feedback, control your device with gestures, and type with the on-screen braille keyboard.

To get started:
1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Select Accessibility.
3. Select Accessibility Menu, Select to Speak, or TalkBack.

Android Accessibility Suite requires Android 6 (Android M) or later. To use TalkBack for Wear, you'll need Wear OS 3.0 or later.

Permissions Notice
• Phone: Android Accessibility Suite observes the phone state so it can adapt announcements to your call status.
• Accessibility Service: Because this app is an accessibility service, it can observe your actions, retrieve window content, and observe text that you type.
• Notifications: When you allow this permission, TalkBack can notify you about updates.

Ratings and reviews

I hugely support accessibility for people with different abilities. In fact part of my job is managing production of accessible format e-books for readers with compromised vision. I take it seriously. But this app came and activated itself without asking and it's a huge nuisance. It keeps interrupting things I want to do with my phone and other apps. The worst thing is, the little icon is right next to the square button so it's really easy to tap by mistake. Every time I managed to suppress this app and get my necessary apps working, I manage to tap the Accessibility icon by accident and I get back into the same mess again. I've wasted so much time trying not to use these Accessible functions I don't need, which interfere with the normal functioning of my phone! Please, Google, change Accessibility so people who don't need it can make it switch it off.

Yeah, I guess a lot of people would find this Android feature (its not an app imho) useful, I fall with those that don't quite so! Despite having the Talkback feature turned off, I still get many random voice activated calls happening when I mistakenly hold the power button down and utter anything remotely resembling any name on my contact list. I am going to assume its more to do with my Huawei device than anything else. Or maybe I should switch it off using Google Assistant. idk!

The TalkBack function literally made the phone unusable. Was in the middle of an emergency medical situation when it updated and switched on. Had to ask a stranger to use their phone. As a disabled person I do need accessibility, but the app makes it almost criminally neglecting when it makes a phone needed for emergencies unusable. Thankfully the person was able to get help. But it's taken me 30 min to turn it off. That could have been a far worse outcome for both parties here.

What's new

TalkBack 15.0
• Detailed image descriptions with generative AI
• More verbosity options for symbols and punctuation
• New text editing shortcuts for braille

TalkBack on Wear OS 15.0
• Bug fixes