Android Accessibility Features 

TalkBack (Screen Reader) 

Android's screen reader that speaks what's on screen and uses gestures to navigate. 

To turn it on: 

1. Open Settings 

2. Tap Accessibility 

3. Tap TalkBack 

4. Toggle Use TalkBack on 

5. Tap Allow in the confirmation popup 

Before you start: 

Run the TalkBack tutorial first—it takes about 10 minutes and teaches you the gestures. With TalkBack on, tap once to hear an item, double-tap to select it, and swipe with two fingers to scroll. 

To set up a quick toggle: 

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility shortcuts 

2. Assign TalkBack to the shortcut 

Now press and hold both volume buttons for 3 seconds to toggle TalkBack on or off quickly. 

Live Transcribe 

Turns speech into text in real time—great for conversations, meetings, or lectures. 

To set it up: 

1. Open Settings 

2. Tap Accessibility 

3. Tap Live Transcribe (under Hearing) 

4. Tap "Open Live Transcribe" to download if needed 

5. Toggle Live Transcribe shortcut on to add it to your accessibility button 

To use it: 

1. Tap the accessibility button (small person icon on screen) or open the Live Transcribe app 

2. Point your phone toward the person speaking 

3. Text appears on screen as they talk 

4. Tap the screen to access settings, save transcripts, or switch languages 

Good to know: Live Transcribe shows different speakers in different colors, adds punctuation automatically, and works in over 80 languages. You can save transcripts to look at later. 

Sound Amplifier 

Boosts and cleans up sounds around you through your earbuds or headphones. 

To set it up: 

1. Open Settings 

2. Tap Accessibility 

3. Tap Sound Amplifier (under Hearing) 

4. Toggle Sound Amplifier shortcut on 

5. Connect wired earbuds or Bluetooth headphones 

To use it: 

1. Tap the accessibility button on your screen (or open Sound Amplifier app) 

2. Use the sliders to boost sound and reduce background noise 

3. Adjust left and right ears separately if needed 

4. Toggle "Noise reduction" to filter out background sounds 

Great for: Noisy restaurants, crowded rooms, or anytime you need to hear someone more clearly. 

Lookout by Google (Free App) 

Uses your camera to read text, identify products, describe scenes, and find objects. 

To get it: 

1. Open Google Play Store 

2. Search for "Lookout by Google" 

3. Tap Install 

4. Open the app and grant camera permission 

Modes to try: 

• Text mode – Point at printed text (mail, signs, documents) and it reads aloud instantly 

• Explore mode – Describes objects and scenes as you move your camera around 

• Food Labels mode – Scans packaged food and reads nutritional info 

• Scan Documents mode – Takes a picture of a full document and reads it 

• Currency mode – Identifies paper money denominations 

Pro tip: In Explore mode, the app gives audio feedback as you scan a room—helpful for getting oriented in new spaces. 

Getting Started 

Don't try to learn everything at once. Pick one feature that would help with something you do every day. Spend a week getting comfortable with it, then add another. 

If you're in California, California Connect offers free accessible phones and devices, plus training on how to use them. Visit caconnect.org or call 1-800-806-1191 (Voice/VP) or 1-800-806-4474 (TTY).