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 next item
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Alt + right arrow |
Navigate to previous item
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Alt + left arrow |
Navigate to above item | Alt + up arrow |
Navigate to below item | Alt + down arrow |
Navigate to first item | Alt + ctrl + left arrow |
Navigate to last item | Alt + ctrl + right arrow |
Navigate to next window | Alt + ctrl + down arrow |
Navigate to previous window
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Alt + ctrl + up arrow |
Navigate to next word | Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow |
Navigate to previous word | Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow |
Navigate to next character | Alt + shift + right arrow |
Navigate to previous character | Alt + shift + left arrow |
Click the focused element | Alt + enter |
Touch and hold the focused element | Alt + shift + enter |
Global actions
Back | Alt + backspace |
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 |
Adjust reading control up | Alt + shift + up arrow |
Adjust reading control down | Alt + shift + down arrow |
Other actions
Read from top | Alt + ctrl + enter |
Read from next item | Alt + shift + ctrl + enter |
Show TalkBack Menu | Alt + space |
Show actions | Alt + ctrl + space |
Show installed languages | Alt + ctrl + l |
Search the screen for an item | Alt + ctrl + / |
Text navigation
Move to next word | Alt + shift + ctrl + right arrow |
Move to the previous word | Alt + shift + ctrl + left arrow |
Move to next character | Alt + shift + right arrow |
Move to 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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Control |
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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 next item | Alt + shift + right arrow |
Move to previous item | Alt + shift + left arrow |
Move to first item | Alt + shift + up arrow |
Move to last item | Alt + shift + down arrow |
Click focused element | Alt + shift + enter |
Global actions
Back | Alt + backspace |
Home | Alt + ctrl + h |
Recent apps | Alt + ctrl + r |
Notification | Alt + ctrl + n |
Play or pause media | Alt + shift + space |
Select next reading control | Shift + ctrl + arrow down |
Select previous reading control | Shift + ctrl + arrow up |
Adjust reading control up | Ctrl + arrow up |
Adjust reading control down | Ctrl + arrow down |
Navigation settings
Next navigation setting | Alt + shift + = |
Previous navigation setting | Alt + shift + - |
Other actions
Search the screen for an item | Alt + shift + / |
Show TalkBack menu | Alt + shift + g |
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.