Use image descriptions in TalkBack

Hear more detailed image descriptions in TalkBack, powered by generative AI.

Turn on image descriptions from the TalkBack menu

1. On your Android device, move TalkBack focus to an image on your screen.
2. Open the TalkBack menu.
3. Tap Describe image.
   • The first time that you do this, you'll get a pop-up to turn on this feature.

Tips:

• To quickly access detailed image descriptions, you can assign a gesture to 'Describe image'.
• To assign a gesture:
  1. Open your Android device's Settings app.
  2. Tap Accessibility TalkBack Settings.
  3. Under 'Controls', tap Customise gestures.

Turn image descriptions on or off in Settings

1. On your Android device, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Accessibility TalkBack Settings.
3. Under 'Controls', tap Image and icon descriptions.
4. Turn Detailed image descriptions on or off.

Use automatic image descriptions on Pixel 9

You can use automatic image descriptions powered by generative AI on Pixel 9 and later phones. When TalkBack detects that your focus is on an image (in supported apps), image descriptions are automatically generated using generative AI.

To turn Automatic image description on or off:

1. On your Android device, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Accessibility TalkBack Settings.
3. Under 'Controls', tap Image and icon descriptions Automatic descriptions.
   • To turn on: Tap All images or Unlabelled images only.
   • To turn off: Tap Don't describe images.
4. Tap OK.

How your data is used by image descriptions

When you use image descriptions, powered by generative AI, Google will process selected images and then delete them.

Generative AI Terms of Service

Generative AI is experimental, so some results may be inaccurate. When you opt in to these features, you agree to Google's Terms of Service.

Related resources

• Turn on TalkBack
• Use TalkBack gestures
• Learn about TalkBack settings
• Use the TalkBack menu and reading controls