Use TalkBack keyboard shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts to have TalkBack read, navigate your screen, or manage your settings.

Step 1: Set up your device & keyboard

To use keyboard shortcuts with TalkBack, connect an external keyboard to your Android device.

Learn how to connect through Bluetooth on your device.

Step 2: Use keyboard shortcuts

TalkBack offers 2 sets of keyboard shortcuts, called keymaps. Most devices use the default keymap, which includes more shortcuts. To switch keymaps, learn how to change keyboard shortcut settings.

Default keymap

Navigation

Navigate to the next item

  • In continuous reading mode, this shortcut fast-forwards the text.
Alt + right arrow

Navigate to the previous item

  • In continuous reading mode, this shortcut rewinds the text.
Alt + left arrow
Navigate to the item above Alt + up arrow
Navigate to the item below Alt + down arrow
Navigate to the first item Alt + ctrl + left arrow
Navigate to the last item Alt + ctrl + right arrow
Navigate to the next window Alt + ctrl + down arrow

Navigate to the previous window

  • In split screen view, this shortcut moves your focus between 2 open apps. Otherwise, it moves focus between the navigation bar, main screen, and status bar.
Alt + ctrl + up arrow
Navigate to the next word Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow
Navigate to the previous word Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow
Navigate to the next character Alt + shift + right arrow
Navigate to the previous character Alt + shift + left arrow
Click the focused element Alt + enter
Touch and hold the focused element Alt + shift + enter
Read from top Alt + ctrl + enter
Read from next item Alt + ctrl + shift + enter

Global actions

Back

Alt + ctrl + backspace

Alt + delete

Home Alt + ctrl + h
Recent apps Alt + ctrl + r
Notifications Alt + ctrl + n
Play or pause media Alt + shift + space
Next reading control Alt + shift + ctrl + down arrow
Previous reading control Alt + shift + ctrl + up arrow
Move navigation focus forward or adjust reading control down Alt + shift + down arrow
Move navigation focus backward or adjust reading control up Alt + shift + up arrow
Search the screen Alt + ctrl + /
Open TalkBack menu Alt + space
Pause or resume TalkBack Alt + ctrl + z
Open list of actions Alt + ctrl + space
Show installed languages Alt + ctrl + l

Text navigation

Move to the next word Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow
Move to the previous word Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow
Move to the next character Alt + shift+ right arrow
Move to the previous character Alt + shift+ left arrow

Chrome web page navigation

Use these shortcuts to move to the next or previous element on a page.

ARIA landmark
  • Next: Alt + d
  • Previous: Alt + shift + d
Button
  • Next: Alt + b
  • Previous: Alt + shift + b
Checkbox
  • Next: Alt + x
  • Previous: Alt + shift + x
Combo box
  • Next: Alt + z
  • Previous: Alt + shift + z
ctrl
  • Next: Alt + c
  • Previous: Alt + shift + c
Editable field
  • Next: Alt + e
  • Previous: Alt + shift + e
Focusable item
  • Next: Alt + f
  • Previous: Alt + shift + f
Graphic
  • Next: Alt + g
  • Previous: Alt + shift + g
Heading
  • Next: Alt + h
  • Previous: Alt + shift + h
Heading level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
  • Next: Alt + [1-6]
  • Previous: Alt + shift + [1-6]
Link
  • Next: Alt + l
  • Previous: Alt + shift + l
List
  • Next: Alt + o
  • Previous: Alt + shift + o
List item
  • Next: Alt + i
  • Previous: Alt + shift + i
Table
  • Next: Alt + t
  • Previous: Alt + shift + t

Tip: You can choose a key other than Alt for your shortcuts. To choose a different modifier key, open TalkBack settings. Then, select Advanced settings and then Keyboard shortcuts and then Choose modifier key.

Classic keymap

Navigation

Move to the next item Alt + shift + right arrow
Move to the previous item Alt + shift + left arrow
Move to the first item Alt + shift + up arrow
Move to the last item Alt + shift + down arrow
Click the focused element Alt + shift + enter

Global actions

Back Alt + shift + backspace
Home Alt + shift + h
Recent apps Alt + shift + r
Notifications Alt + shift + n
Search the screen Alt + shift + /
Next navigation setting Alt + shift + =
Previous navigation setting Alt + shift + -
Open TalkBack menu Alt + shift + g
Stop TalkBack speech Ctrl
Pause or resume TalkBack Alt + shift + z

Change your keyboard shortcut settings

To switch between the default and classic keymaps:

  1. Open the TalkBack menu.
    • On devices with multi-finger gestures: Three-finger tap. Or, in one motion, swipe down then right.
    • On devices without multi-finger gestures (prior to updated Android R with TalkBack 9.1): In one motion, swipe down then right.
  2. Select TalkBack settings and then Advanced settings and then Keyboard shortcuts.
  3. Under “Keymap,” select Choose a keymap.
  4. Choose a keymap:
    • Classic keymap: Includes basic shortcuts.
    • Default keymap: Includes more shortcuts, like shortcuts to navigate pages in Chrome.

Tip: You can reassign keyboard shortcuts. On the settings screen, select the shortcut. Then, follow the on-screen instructions.

For more help with Talkback, contact the Google Disability Support team.

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