TalkBack program: how it works. Talkback: what is this Android app

TalkBack is an extremely useful program that comes with the Android platform. TalkBack refers to applications that make using your smartphone easier. The feature is especially useful for users with disabilities. The advantage of the program lies in its functionality, ease of use and low weight.

TalkBack: what is this program

Most users are annoyed by the question on Android, as it is often installed on a smartphone without the knowledge of the user. TalkBack is a service that allows you to speak out all the actions you perform on your smartphone. By default, the function is built into the Android operating system, so it is present in every smartphone with this OS. Updates come automatically and do not require user intervention.

The service allows people with low vision to use all the functions of the smartphone, as the system guides the user and describes the actions that take place.

Even a healthy person, distracted by various environmental factors, the service can be useful, for example, to car drivers.

Features of TalkBack

For many Android owners, the most relevant question is how to turn off the TalkBack feature without even knowing what the application is doing. In fact, the service is very useful for a number of users, and perhaps the reader will change his mind.

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Application features:

• Allows you to play text;
• Recognizes the user's speech and converts it to text;
• When typing a message, the program announces all pressed keys;
• When there is an incoming call, the smartphone announces the basic data about the call, in particular the name or number of the contact;
• The ability to voice applications highlighted by tap;
• Supports gesture control;

• Provides the ability to read the text on any page in an editor or browser;
• Supports work with hot keys, for example, you can apply scrolling when using the application with 2 fingers;

• Most smartphones have a built-in distance sensor that the app uses to adjust the sound level;
• Can change tone during playback;
• To read all the content on the device screen, you need to shake your smartphone;
• Built-in auto-scroll in lists;
• Ability to select text with one touch.

The functionality even goes beyond the described, but it is already possible to get an impression of the program. If the user is a completely healthy person and does not need the listed functions, it is logical to think about disabling the function, since some features of the program may interfere.

Disabling TalkBack Android is not difficult, as the developer has provided the ability to deactivate the application. If there is no need for this functionality, it is better to stop the function, since it consumes system resources, albeit a little. The user will need to perform a few simple steps:

• Click on the "Settings" tile on the desktop of the smartphone;
• At the bottom of the entire list of items is the "Accessibility" option, you need to select it;
• You need to find the "Services" column, and then the TalkBack application itself;

• Near the function there is a slider, it should be moved to the “OFF” position;

• At the end, you need to confirm the manipulation.

Today, many smartphones from well-known manufacturers have their own shells that somewhat change the interface of the operating system. Despite minor differences in the interface, the path looks approximately the same.

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Another way to completely remove the program requires root access to the smartphone, in which case editing various system files becomes available. you need to download a suitable application and any functional file manager. The best programs for root access are Kingo Root and GingerBreak. After obtaining the required level of rights, you need to go to the folder with system services and delete the apk file. The same can be done for other unnecessary services.

If you subsequently want to activate the application, you will need to perform the reverse action. So on a Samsung smartphone, you will have to click on "Settings" and go to the "My Device" section. The required function is stored in the "Accessibility" section. After finding the item, you just need to activate the application by tapping on the corresponding item.

Which allows people with low vision to use smartphones and tablets. It was created for voice accompaniment of everything that happens on the display. The utility reads the text. When you click on some icon, it says what exactly you have chosen. In addition, it has a huge set of features. But it's hard to figure out the various parameters without instructions. Learn more about Talkback: what it is, how to enable, configure or disable it.

Talkback makes smartphone use accessible to visually impaired people

Features

The utility was created by Google. With its help, people who see poorly will be able to fully work. If you enable this application, it will accompany speech, sounds or vibration for almost all user actions. Here is a list of the main features of Talkback:

• Reading text from the screen. There is a choice of several voices.
• Sound keys and buttons when pressed.
• Description of everything that happens on the display. The program says what exactly you are viewing now.
• Handling incoming calls. The utility will tell you who is calling.
• Learning by touch. If you click on a folder or application, it will announce what you are about to open.
• Autoscroll lists.
• Control by keyboard shortcut, gestures, shaking. Shake the device to enable or disable text playback from the display.
• Automatic volume control if there is a distance sensor.

Talkback is not a standard app, but a built-in option. It is available on almost all Android devices. This function can be removed as unnecessary, because many users do not even know about its existence, and it takes up space in permanent memory.

If you need this program, but for some reason it is missing or does not work correctly, you can download it from the Play Market. In this case, it will be installed like any other application.

You can download the Talkback app from the Play Market

Setup and use

1. Go to "Accessibility" of the device. Where they are - depends on the version of Android. Either "Settings - My device", or just "Settings".
2. In this menu, click on "Talkback".
3. To turn it on, turn the switch to "ON" mode. It will turn green. In older versions of the OS, this is done differently. It is necessary not only to activate this option, but also to check the box "Accessibility" to allow their use.
4. In the "Talkback" section, check the desired options.

Here is a list of some settings and features:

• "Learning by touch". If you click once on any application, its name will be spoken. To start, you need to touch it again.
• "Shake to read." Shake your device to read the text on the screen.
• "Voicing phonetic symbols." If you hold down a character on the virtual keyboard, the program will say a word starting with that letter ("A, stork", "B, beaver" and so on).
• Control by a combination of buttons, gestures.

The application has detailed instructions, which can be found in the settings. Using it is quite simple. You just have to get used to the fact that it takes two clicks to launch something.

Talkback allows you to use the touch device literally by touch

How to disable?

If you have been researching, trying different settings and accidentally launching this application, getting rid of it will not be so easy. Or the device at the first start suggested that you enable this feature, and you, not knowing what it is, agreed to activate Talkback. How to remove it after that?

For blind people, this utility is almost the only way to use a smartphone or tablet. But if you can perfectly see what is displayed on the screen, the voice guidance will interfere. When the program is active, you have to double-click on the icons to open something. Because of it, the interface can noticeably slow down. Constant voicing drains the battery faster. Therefore, this option is best used only when it is really needed.

Here's how to turn off Talkback on Android:

1. Go to "Settings". You have to click on the icon twice. The first time to hear the voice prompt, the second time to open. To flick, "swipe" across the screen with two fingers instead of one.
2. Find "Accessibility" (in Android2 and earlier models, this section is in the "My Device" tab).
3. Open Talkback.
4. Move the switch to the "OFF" position. To do this, double-click again.
5. Confirm the action to disable the utility.

It will not work to remove it completely in this way, since it is part of the system. If you are going to flash the device yourself, find the talkback APK file in the firmware archive and delete it.

In this article, I will tell you why you need the TalkBack program on your Android phone or tablet, and we will also learn how to use it.

This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

What is Talk Back?

TalkBack is a program that voices all your actions on your Android gadget. The app is a Google service and is built into the Android operating system by default. TalkBack and getting better every time.

This service will be a great way for visually impaired users to work with all the functions of the gadget in full. TalkBack is also suitable for motorists so as not to be distracted from the road.

Key Features of Talkback

• The app speaks each key as you type.
• Convert speech to text and vice versa.
• Sounding of launched or taped applications.
• During each incoming call, information about the caller is announced. There is also an auto-scroll of contact lists.
• The user can select the appropriate combination of buttons for a specific action.
• Gesture control.
• The program is able to read any text that is in the browser or in a text file.
• With the distance sensor, you can adjust the volume and tone of the sound.

In fact, the functionality of the utility is much more than described. It will not be difficult for the user to determine how this program functions. Scrolling when the application is activated is done with two fingers.

TalkBack is a rather specific application, so a healthy person may not need it. Due to the constant voicing of actions, the utility quickly gets bored, users immediately try to turn it off on gadgets.

How to use TalkBack?

The application settings have clear and detailed instructions that are easy to use. Often, users learn quickly and successfully work with the utility.

Here the most difficult thing is to get used to, to activate any action, the user needs to double-click on a key or button, and work with the touch screen must be done with two fingers.

Consider the most popular and useful features of the program:

• The Explore by Touch option lets you speak the name of a program when you tap it once on the shortcut screen. To start the selected program, you just need to touch it.
• "Voicing phonetic symbols." The function is useful, it allows you to recognize characters on the virtual keyboard. By touching a letter on the keyboard, the user will hear the word it begins with.
• "Shake to read." By shaking the device, the user will be able to activate the reading of text from the gadget screen into voice.

How to turn on TalkBack?

When the software is activated, including using the quick turn on function, Talkback will be able to give vibration, voice and sound notifications about events, read text from the gadget screen. During the first start, you need to connect headphones to the device, then you do not need to do this by changing the settings.

To launch the application, you need to touch and hold two fingers on the settings screen. A tablet or smartphone recognizes this command and activates it. To activate the program on a device with the Android 4.0 system, you need to draw a closed triangle on the settings screen.

Program unlock

If the Talkback application is activated on the device, there are two methods to unlock it. To do this, swipe up and down on the display with two fingers and, if necessary, enter the unlock code.

The second way is to use audio prompts. You need to find the unlock button located in the middle of the bottom of the display, and then double-click on it.

How to stop Talkback?

In the utility settings, you can pause its operation. This is done according to the instructions:

• Open the context menu of the program.
• Select "Suspend Reviews". This item is located in the upper left corner of the circular menu.
• Then this action should be confirmed.

If necessary, you can uncheck the “Always display this warning” checkbox, which will allow the program to be suspended immediately in the future.

Disable Talkback on Android

Disabling the program is quite simple. Consider ways for an Android gadget without tweaks and for a Samsung Galaxy device based on TouchWiz.

Instructions for Android without tweaks:

• We go to the settings.
• Then we find the item "Special features". We open it.
• Select "Talkback".
• Turn off the program by moving the lever.
• We confirm the action.

Instruction for Samsung Galaxy:

• Let's go to the settings.
• As in the previous situation, we find the "Accessibility" menu.
• Find Talkback.

Google TalkBack is an assistive application for visually impaired people. It is preinstalled by default in any smartphones running the Android operating system and, unlike alternative options, interacts with all elements of the device shell.

Disable TalkBack on Android

If you accidentally activated the application using the function buttons or in the gadget's accessibility menu, then it is quite easy to disable it. Well, those who are not going to use the program at all can completely deactivate it.

Note! Navigating within the system with the voice assistant enabled requires double-tapping the selected button. Scrolling through the menu is done with just two fingers.

In addition, depending on the device model and Android version, the steps may differ slightly from those discussed in the article. However, in general, the principle of finding, configuring and disabling TalkBack should always be the same.

Method 1: Quick disconnect

After activating the TalkBack function, you can quickly turn it on and off using the physical buttons. This option is convenient for instant switching between smartphone operating modes. Regardless of the model of your device, this happens as follows:

1. Unlock the device and simultaneously hold down both volume buttons for about 5 seconds until you feel a slight vibration.

In older devices (Android 4), hereinafter they can be replaced by the power button, so if the first option did not work, try holding down the " On off» on the case. After the vibration and until the shutdown window appears, put two fingers on the screen and wait for the second vibration.

This option will only work if the buttons were previously assigned to activate TalkBack as a quick start of the service. You can check and configure this, provided that you plan to use the service again from time to time, as follows:

1. Go to " Settings» > «».

2. Select "".

3. If the knob is set to "", activate it.

You can also use the "" item so that you do not need to unlock the screen to enable / disable the assistant.

4. Go to the item "".

5. Assign TalkBack to it.

6. A list of all tasks for which this service will be responsible will appear. Press on " OK”, exit the settings and you can check if the set activation parameter works.

Method 2: Disable through settings

Having difficulty in deactivating using the first option (faulty volume button, unconfigured quick shutdown), you need to visit the settings and disable the application directly. Depending on the device model and shell, the menu items may vary, but the principle will be similar. Go by the names or use the search box at the top of Settings if you have one.

1. Open " Settings” and find the item “”.

2. In the section " Screen readers" (it may not be there or it is called differently) click on "".

3. Click the toggle button to change the status from " Included" on the "".

Disabling the TalkBack service

You can also stop the application as a service, in which case it will remain on the device, but will not start and lose some of the settings assigned by the user.

1. Open " Settings", then " Applications and notifications" (or simply "").

2. In Android 7 and above, expand the list with the " Show all apps". On previous versions of this OS, switch to the "" tab.

3. Find "" and press the "" button.

4. A warning will appear, which you must agree to by clicking on "".

5. Another window will open where you will see a message about restoring the version to the original. Available updates on top of what was installed when the smartphone was released will be removed. Tap on " OK».

Now, if you go to "", you will not see the application there as a connected service. It will also disappear from the settings "", if they were assigned to TalkBack (more on this is written in Method 1).

To turn on, follow steps 1-2 from the instructions above and click on the " Turn on". To return additional features to the application, all you need to do is visit the Google Play Store and install the latest TalkBack updates.

Method 3: Complete removal (root)

This option is only suitable for users who have root rights on the smartphone. By default, TalkBack can only be disabled, but superuser rights remove this restriction. If you are strongly displeased with this application and want to get rid of it completely, use the software to remove system programs on Android.

More:

Despite the huge benefit for people with visual impairments, accidentally turning on TalkBack can cause significant discomfort. As you can see, it is very easy to disable it with a quick method or through the settings.

Some users are experiencing an issue with the TalkBack feature. This is due to the fact that not everyone knows how to disable Talkback on Android. Let's consider this setting in more detail.

What is talkback

The Android OS has a feature that simplifies the interaction with the system for people with disabilities (poor vision or coordination of movements).

Note! If your device does not have this feature, you can download it from the Play Store.

If you install TalkBack from the store, the option will automatically appear in the system settings.

The principle of operation is to sound all the clicks performed by users. But the way of interaction is also changing, which occurs on the principle of a computer mouse (double click). This is what makes it difficult to turn off.

List of possibilities:

• voicing clicks;
• pronunciation of the name of the caller;
• test reading;
• use of gestures.
• etc.

How to disable

We proceed directly to disabling the function. This can be done in two ways.

One click

Perhaps you are lucky and your device has an instant enable/disable function enabled. In this case, the setting is performed through one of the methods.

1. Hold down both volume keys at the same time until a characteristic sound. Ready.
2. Hold the power key until a sound alert → tap simultaneously with two fingers on the screen and do not release until a characteristic signal. Ready.

Through settings

Disabling TalkBack is not difficult, you just need to understand the principle of controlling the function.

• opening applications occurs by double tap (as on a PC);
• scrolling is done with two fingers at the same time.

Note! Opening points, etc. done by double clicking. This will not be mentioned in the instructions below.

1. Open "Settings".
2. Scroll through the menu by double scrolling to the item “Accessibility” → open it.
3. "Services" → "TalkBack".
   
4. Double-click the toggle switch to the inactive position.
   
5. Confirm the action in the dialog box.