Voice Assistant + TalkBack

Voice Assistant + TalkBack

#Voice Assistant #TalkBack

Voice Assistant + TalkBack

Samsung and Google have been working closely to provide a unique, accessible and unified experience throughout Android devices.
Now, Samsung's Voice Assistant and Google's TalkBack are merged into one unified screen reader. With both Voice Assistant & TalkBack's unique identities in control, you now have a much more convenient and effective screen reader across all of your Android devices.
Experience the newly improved TalkBack.

How to use TalkBack

  • • Learn basic usage

    TalkBack reads the focused item aloud. Focus can be controlled by tapping or sliding on the screen.

  • • Hear what's on the screen

    Tap the screen with one finger, or explore the screen by moving freely on the screen while touching.

  • • Run the focused item

    Double tap with one finger.

  • • Move focus to another item

    Swipe left/right with one finger.

    You can learn basic usage methods through ’Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Tutorial and help’

Identity of Voice Assistant integrated with TalkBack

  • • Multi-finger Gestures

    Voice Assistant's multi-finger gestures are now available in addition to TalkBack’s one-finger gestures. Run TalkBack's various functions right away using multi-finger gestures without having to go to settings. If you don't like a gesture, you can always change it anyhow, anytime.

    * Go to 'Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Customize gestures' to find out more and change the actions of each gesture

  • • How to use Gesture Pad

    Forgot a gesture? You can test and check various gestures on the Gesture Pad. To execute the Gesture Pad, tap on the screen once with 4 fingers.

  • • How to use Reading menu

    Voice Assistant‘s Quick Menu is also available in the new TalkBack. Slide three fingers in any direction - up, down, left, right - to access the available reading menu. Continuous 3-finger swipes will allow you to choose the desirable reading menu, such as granularities, speaking speed, and spoken language.

    * Set up your own reading menu in 'Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Customize menu'

  • • Activate TalkBack in the setup wizard

    You can now activate and use TalkBack from the very first screen that appears when unboxing your phone. This method is available throughout the entire setup wizard process.

    - Press and hold with 2 fingers
    - Quickly press the Side and Volume up keys
    - Press and hold the Volume up and down keys

Other useful features of TalkBack

Other useful features of TalkBack, such as text editing and keyboard shortcuts, help you control your device faster and easier. Learn more in
TalkBack settings and tutorial.

  • • Edit text

    Editing features, such as select, select all, copy, cut and paste can be performed using gestures.

    Find out more about gestures in 'Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Customise gestures'

  • • Keyboard shortcut

    You can control TalkBack with keyboard shortcut keys when a Bluetooth or USB keyboard is connected.

    Find out more about key map in 'Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Settings > Advanced settings > keyboard shortcuts'

Use TalkBack gestures

Click here to see the single-finger and multi-finger gesture supported by TalkBack.

Learn more

Voice Assistant and Voice Assistant Tutorial

Voice Assistant can act as your eyes when you're using your phone. Its features give you maximum control of your phone even if you can't see it. When Voice Assistant is on, your phone provides spoken feedback to help blind and low-vision users. For example, it describes what you touch, select, and activate. You can also edit text or change various settings such as volume or speech rates through familiar swipe and tap gestures.

Navigating your phone

When you interact with an item on the screen, a rectangular focus surrounds it. You can use tap and swipe gestures with your fingers to control the focus. When you move it around the screen, Voice Assistant will tell you what it is.

  • • To hear what's directly under your finger

    Tap and drag your finger around the screen.

  • • To activate an item

    Double tap with 1 finger.

  • • To move the focus box to another item on the screen

    Swipe left or right with 1 finger.

  • • To move to the next or previous page

    Swipe left or right with 2 fingers.

  • • To scroll up or down the list

    Swipe up or down with 2 fingers.

  • • To scroll up or down through screen content

    Swipe side to side with 1 finger (left then right to scroll up, right then left to scroll down).

  • • To move the focus box to the first or last item on the screen

    With 1 finger, swipe up then down to go to the first item, or down then up to go to the last item.

Doing things quickly

Voice Assistant provides shortcuts for frequently used functions. You can change your settings or stop the voice feedback with simple gestures.

  • • To change Voice Assistant settings

    Swipe left or right with three fingers to select the setting you wish to change (listed below), then swipe up or down with 1 finger to adjust
    - Speech rate: Increase or decrease speech rate
    - Punctuation: Include or omit punctuation in voice feedback
    - Dark screen: Turn screen display on or off
    - Thick borders: Turn on or off a thick border around the focus
    - Focus indicator color: Select the color of the border around the focus
    - Notification: Open or close the notification panel
    - Sound feedback: Turn sound feedback on or off
    - Vibration feedback: Turn vibration feedback on or off
    - Quick typing: Use the Samsung keyboard and the keypad by tapping keys once
    - Focus on speech audio: Reduce the volume of other audio while Voice Assistant reads aloud

  • • To adjust the granularity of what Voice Assistant reads

    Swipe up or down with 3 fingers to choose from the different granularities listed below, then swipe up or down with 1 finger to implement the selected granularity
    - Character granularity: Read each character
    - Word granularity: Read each word
    - Line granularity: Read 1 line at a time
    - Paragraph granularity: Read 1 paragraph at a time

Editing text easily

With Voice Assistant, you can just swipe your fingers to copy and paste.

  • • To enable or disable selection mode

    Double tap and hold with 2 fingers.

  • • To select characters

    Swipe upwards or downwards with 1 finger while selection mode is enabled.

  • • To cut selected characters

    Swipe left with 2 fingers.

  • • To paste characters

    Swipe right with 2 fingers.

  • • To select all characters

    Swipe downwards with 2 fingers.

  • • To copy selected characters

    Swipe upwards with 2 fingers.

  • • To move the cursor in an input text field

    Press the volume up/down keys.

  • • To move the input cursor to the first or last position

    Swipe upwards then downwards or downwards then upwards with 1 finger.

Tailoring Voice Assistant to suit your requirements

Voice Assistant gives you various ways to access information.

  • • To have Voice Assistant read aloud the information displayed in the status bar

    Triple tap with 2 fingers. You also can select the specific information you want to hear: time, date, battery power, signal strength, Bluetooth status.

  • • To have Voice Assistant read aloud the first item to the last item on the screen

    Tap the screen with 3 fingers.

  • • To hear items on the screen in order after the currently selected item

    Double tap with 3 fingers.

  • • To hear and copy the last thing Voice Assistant said

    Triple tap with 3 fingers.

  • • To go back, cancel, or close a pop-up

    Tap with 4 fingers or swipe up then down with 3 fingers.

  • • To go to the Home screen

    Double tap with 4 fingers or swipe down then up with 3 fingers.

  • • To list recent apps

    Triple tap with 4 fingers.

  • • To mute voice feedback

    Double tap with 2 fingers.

Getting started with Voice Assistant

  • • To get a full step-by-step tutorial

    Go to Settings > Accessibility > Screen Reader> Tutorial.

  • • To practise the gestures you've learnt

    Go to Settings > Accessibility > Screen Reader > Tutorial > 1. Using this tutorial.

Keyboard shortcuts

The following keyboard shortcuts are available.

  • • Go to next item

    Alt + right arrow

  • • Go to previous item

    Alt + left arrow

  • • Go to first item

    Alt + Ctrl + left arrow

  • • Go to last item

    Alt + Ctrl + right arrow

  • • Go to next window

    Alt + Ctrl + down arrow

  • • Go to previous window

    Alt + Ctrl + up arrow

  • • Tap

    Alt + Enter

  • • Touch and hold

    Alt + Shift + Enter

  • • Go back 1 screen

    Alt + Delete

  • • Go to Home screen

    Alt + Ctrl + H

  • • Go to Recent apps

    Alt + Ctrl + R

  • • Open notification panel

    Alt + Ctrl + N

  • • Stop or start voice feedback

    Alt + space bar

  • • Perform special actions

    Alt + Shift + space bar

  • • Scroll through Quick menu

    Shift + Ctrl + left or right arrow

  • • Change Quick menu option setting

    Ctrl + up or down arrow

  • • Select next/previous granularity

    Shift + Ctrl + up or down arrow

  • • Read from top

    Alt + Ctrl + Enter

  • • Read from next item

    Alt + Shift + Ctrl + Enter

  • • Show custom actions

    Alt + Ctrl + space bar

  • • Search screen for items

    Alt + Ctrl + Slash

  • • Read status bar info aloud

    Alt + Shift + S

Keyboard shortcuts

Web navigation.

  • • Go to next button

    Alt + B

  • • Go to previous button

    Alt + Shift + B

  • • Go to next control

    Alt + C

  • • Go to previous control

    Alt + Shift + C

  • • Go to next ARIA landmark

    Alt + D

  • • Go to previous ARIA landmark

    Alt + Shift + D

  • • Go to next edit box

    Alt + E

  • • Go to previous edit box

    Alt + Shift + E

  • • Go to next item

    Alt + F

  • • Go to previous item

    Alt + Shift + F

  • • Go to next image

    Alt + G

  • • Go to previous image

    Alt + Shift + G

  • • Go to next header

    Alt + H

  • • Go to previous header

    Alt + Shift + H

  • • Go to next header by header level

    Alt + [number]

  • • Go to previous header by header level

    Alt + Shift + [number]

  • • Go to next list item

    Alt + I

  • • Go to previous list item

    Alt + Shift + I

  • • Go to next link

    Alt + L

  • • Go to previous link

    Alt + Shift + L

  • • Go to next list

    Alt + O

  • • Go to previous list

    Alt + Shift + O

  • • Go to next table

    Alt + T

  • • Go to previous table

    Alt + Shift + T

  • • Go to next combo box

    Alt + Z

  • • Go to previous combo box

    Alt + Shift + Z

  • • Go to next checkbox

    Alt + X

  • • Go to previous checkbox

    Alt + Shift + X

  • Device images simulated for illustrative purposes.