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.
Navigation
Navigate to the next item
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Alt + right arrow |
Navigate to the previous item
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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
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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 |
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Button |
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Checkbox |
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Combo box |
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ctrl |
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Editable field |
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Focusable item |
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Graphic |
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Heading |
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Heading level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 |
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Link |
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List |
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List item |
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Table |
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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 Keyboard shortcuts
Choose modifier key.
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:
- 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.
- Select TalkBack settings
Advanced settings
Keyboard shortcuts.
- Under “Keymap,” select Choose a keymap.
- 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.