TalkBack · Android

This guide covers Android phones and tablets for native apps, Chrome, and WebView testing. Other Android device classes and custom hardware experiences are outside this site's current scope.

Touch

Task	Command	What happens
Previous or next item	`Swipe left / swipe right`	Moves sequentially through accessible items.
Explore by position	`Drag one finger`	Speaks the item beneath the finger.
Select item	`Single tap`	Moves TalkBack focus to the touched item.
Activate selected item	`Double-tap`	Performs the default action for the focused item.
Scroll	`Two-finger swipe`	Scrolls the current scrollable area when available.
Open TalkBack menu	`Three-finger tap or swipe down then right`	Availability depends on device support for multi-finger gestures.

External keyboard

Task	Command	What happens
Next or previous item	`TalkBack key + Right Arrow / Left Arrow`	Moves TalkBack focus in the default keymap.
Activate item	`TalkBack key + Enter`	Performs click in the default keymap.
Show actions	`TalkBack key + Control + Space`	Shows available actions in the default keymap.
Go back	`TalkBack key + Delete`	Performs Back in the default keymap.
Read from focused item	`TalkBack key + Control + Shift + Enter`	Begins reading from the current item in the default keymap.
Stop speech	`Control`	Applies to TalkBack 16.2 and later according to current Google guidance.

Practical notes for this platform

Record device model, Android version, TalkBack version, app or browser, and navigation mode.
State whether the test used touch gestures, an external keyboard, or both.
Do not confuse touch exploration order with swipe order; inspect both when spatial layout matters.
Document the active reading control, keyboard keymap, and any manufacturer-specific behaviour that affects the task.

Platform-neutral testing pointers

Before testing

Record device, operating system, browser or app, screen reader, and versions.
Use a combination relevant to the product's supported environments.
Learn the basic commands before judging the interface.

Test a representative task

Identify where you are and the purpose of the current view.
Discover content and controls through the screen reader.
Check names, roles, states, values, order, and relationships.
Operate controls and trigger a meaningful change.
Cause or locate an error, then recover.
Complete the task and find a route back.

Document

Exact starting point and actions used
Expected announcement or behaviour
Actual announcement or behaviour
Impact on the user's task
Whether the result was reproduced

A beginner completing this check does not prove efficiency for regular users, compatibility across every combination, or that user research is unnecessary.

Primary sources

Editorial model reviewed 4 August 2026. Command sheets must be rechecked when Google changes TalkBack gestures, keyboard keymaps, or Android accessibility guidance.