Use TalkBack to browse the web with Chrome

Use TalkBack with Chrome

You can get spoken feedback using TalkBack in the Chrome browser. To get the most from this article, first finish the TalkBack tutorial.

Explore web pages with TalkBack navigation settings

To cycle through the TalkBack navigation settings:

  1. Open a web page in Chrome.
  2. Swipe up or down until you reach the setting that you'd like to use.
  3. Swipe right to move forward or left to move back using the chosen setting.

You can also choose navigation settings from the TalkBack local context menu:

  1. Open a web page in Chrome.
  2. To open the menu, swipe up and then right in one smooth motion.
  3. The menu is a circle or a list, depending on your TalkBack settings.
    • Circle menu: To explore the menu, drag your finger. To choose an item, lift your finger.
    • List menu: To explore the menu, swipe right or left. To choose an item, double-tap.
  4. After the local context menu closes, swipe right to move forward or left to move back using the chosen navigation setting.

The navigation settings include the following options for the Chrome browser:

  • Headings. Navigate by headings (level 1-6).
  • Links. Navigate by different kinds of links, such as visited, unvisited, or active. 
  • Controls. Navigate by other elements, such as form fields, buttons, or menus.
  • Characters, words, or lines. Explore one character, word, or line at a time.
  • Landmarks. Navigate by ARIA landmarks, such as "main" or "navigation." (Available only in the local context menu.)
  • Special content. Explore content such as tables. (Available only in the local context menu.)
  • Default. Explore every element on the page in order.

Explore web pages with a keyboard

If you use an external keyboard with your Android device, you can use TalkBack keyboard shortcuts to navigate web pages.

Read articles in simplified view

You can read some web pages in a simplified view that focuses on the content. (Available starting in Chrome 65.)

  1. Open a web page in Chrome.
  2. Swipe left once to go to More options, then double-tap.
  3. Swipe left several times to go to Settings, then double-tap.
  4. On the Settings screen, select Accessibility.
  5. Turn on Simplified view

After you turn on this option, you'll hear a notification when simplified view options are available on a webpage. Navigate to the Show simplified view button, then double-tap to activate.

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