Assistive technology guide, TalkBack on Android testing steps

We’ll take you step by step through how to test a component or feature with TalkBack screen reader on Android. Test with the latest version available.

How to turn TalkBack on / off

TalkBack screen reader for Android comes already installed on some devices. It's recommended to use a shortcut to turn TalkBack on or off.

1. To check if you have TalkBack already installed, go to 'Settings', within the 'Accessibility' menu you should see TalkBack.
2. If you can't see TalkBack, go to the Google Play store and download the 'Android Accessibility Suite', this includes TalkBack.
3. It's recommended to use the volume key shortcut to turn TalkBack on or off. Go to ‘Settings’, then within the ‘Accessibility’ menu look for TalkBack, make sure the volume key shortcut is enabled here for TalkBack. If you can't see the shortcut within the 'Talkback' menu, you might find this directly within the ‘Accessibility’ menu or within 'Advanced settings' in the ‘Accessibility’ menu. Note, some devices may not offer this shortcut, in this case choose from one of the other options for turning TalkBack on or off.
4. Once enabled, the volume key shortcut will give you the ability to toggle TalkBack on or off, from any screen or web page, at any time. Press and hold both volume keys for three seconds to toggle TalkBack on or off at any time.
5. If at any time you would like to stop TalkBack while announcing something, do a two-finger tap anywhere on the screen.
6. To activate an item, once it has focus, do a single-finger double tap anywhere on the screen.
7. There are many TalkBack gestures that you can use, though only a few are needed to perform the testing steps, all of which are explained below.

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It's speaking too fast

If you are new to TalkBack, you may find the rate in which announcements are made too quick to understand. To find a speech rate that you are comfortable with:

1. Select ‘Speech rate’ in the Reading controls menu by swiping up then back down until you hear ‘Speech rate’ announced. Gesture doesn't work?
2. The speech rate can now be adjusted by swiping up or down
3. Swipe down to decrease the speech rate
4. Swipe up to increase the speech rate

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Testing in a foreign language

When testing with assistive technology it's important to test with content in a language that you can understand and with a language that is supported by the assistive technology. For further information see the assistive technology testing in a foreign language guide.

TalkBack language support varies by device, check what languages are supported on your device.

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Testing steps

We’ll take you step by step through how to test a component or feature. Following the same steps every time, ensures that everyone is testing using the same methods and using the most common techniques. The steps also enable anyone, in any role, to use TalkBack for the first time.

To become more familiar and proficient using assistive technology, resist the temptation to cheat, always try to navigate like a user would.

As you go, make notes of any bugs you find.

Step 1 - Open Chrome

Open Chrome, this is the most used browser by TalkBack users.

Note: While TalkBack will work with other browsers you may encounter bugs which aren’t present in Chrome; the most used TalkBack browser.

Step 2 - Go to the testing url

Navigate to or type in the testing url.

Step 3 - Turn TalkBack on

Press and hold both volume keys for three seconds to turn TalkBack on via the volume key shortcut.

Step 4 - Get in position to start testing

Get in position to start testing by navigating as follows, depending on the context on which you are testing your component, either within a page, at the top of a page or in isolation. This will ensure that when you start testing you don’t miss out any elements within the component that you can’t see, such as:

• Semantics for any landmark or sectioning elements
• Visually hidden off screen elements

Testing a component within a page

Navigate as follows, to the last element in the component before the component you're going to test.

• Swipe right until you reach the last element in the component before the component you're going to test.
• If the component you're going to test starts with a heading, you may find it quicker to navigate to that heading via the Reading controls menu, then swipe left until you reach the last element in the component before the component you're going to test.

Testing a component at the top of a page or in isolation

Ensure you are right at the top of the page.

If doing this for the first time, you may need to add the 'Read from top' option to the TalkBack menu. Turn TalkBack off and go to ‘Settings’, then within the ‘Accessibility’ menu look for 'TalkBack'. From here go to 'Settings', then 'Customise menus', then 'Customise TalkBack menu', under the ‘Reading’ heading check ‘Read from top’.

1. Do a three-finger tap to open the TalkBack menu, swipe right to 'Read from top', then double tap to activate this selection. Gesture doesn't work?
2. Swipe right to skip ahead as TalkBack is reading through the items in the address bar to the web page.

Swipe right to move to the next item, swipe left to move to the previous item. You can swipe right or left anywhere on the screen. Ensure it’s a quick swipe, taking no more than a split second, otherwise what you have physically touched on the screen could be navigated to and read out instead.

Step 5 - Navigate through all items

You are now ready to start testing.

1. Swipe right, you should enter the component.
2. Listen to what's announced and check that the semantics and announced content match the screen reader UX. If the documented screen reader UX is missing, ask UX for this before continuing.
3. If you need to hear what was announced again, swipe left to the previous item, then swipe right again.
4. Swipe right through all items in the component, listening to what’s announced, until you reach the first item in the component after the component you're testing, or the bottom of the page if testing in isolation.

Navigating to the component after the one you're testing, will ensure that you don’t miss out any elements that you can’t see at the end, such as a visually hidden off screen element.

Navigating through all items bug examples

• You swipe right and nothing is announced
• What's announced doesn’t match the screen reader UX
• Semantics not announced for any landmark or sectioning elements
• Something is announced twice

Step 6 - Navigate by headings

1. Select ‘Headings’ in the Reading controls menu.
2. Get in position to start testing, swipe up to navigate through headings until you reach the last heading in the component before the one you're testing, or if testing in isolation (or there are no other headings above) ensure you are right at the top of the page by following the testing a component in isolation steps.
3. Swipe down to read the first heading in the component you're testing. Check that the semantics and announced content match the screen reader UX.
4. If you need to hear what was announced again, swipe up to the previous heading, then swipe down again.
5. Swipe down to go through all headings in the component, listening to what’s announced, until you reach the first heading in the component after the component you're testing, or the bottom of the page if testing in isolation (or there are no other headings).

Navigating to the component before the one you're testing, will ensure that you don’t miss out any elements that you can’t see at the beginning of the component, such as a visually hidden off screen element.

Reading controls menu

You can select a method of navigation in the Reading controls menu by swiping up then back down in one gesture. You can then swipe up or down to navigate via your selected method. For example, if you select ‘Headings’ in the Reading controls menu by swiping up then back down (in one gesture) until you hear ‘Headings’ announced, headings will now be selected as the method of navigation when swiping up or swiping down. Gesture doesn't work?

Adding items to the Reading controls menu:

1. If TalkBack is on, press and hold both volume keys for three seconds to toggle TalkBack off
2. Go to the ‘Accessibility’ menu in ‘Settings’
3. Within the 'TalkBack' menu to go 'Settings', then go to 'Customise menus, then 'Customise reading controls'
4. Check the desired item, such as 'Landmarks'
5. Navigate back to your testing url
6. To resume testing, press and hold both volume keys for three seconds to toggle TalkBack on

Gesture doesn't work?

You can only navigate with some gestures including Reading Controls on TalkBack version 9.1 or higher, learn how to check your TalkBack version. If gestures including the Reading Controls gestures don't work on your device, try using the local and global context menus instead.

• Local context menu - This menu contains navigation options relevant to the current context, such as options to navigate via headings, links and landmarks. Swipe up then right to open the local context menu, swipe right to make your selection from the menu, then double tap to activate your selection. Now when you swipe right or swipe left you will navigate as per your selection. For example, if you select ‘Headings’ in the local context menu, headings will now be selected as the method of navigation when swiping right or swiping left.
• Global context menu - This menu contains wider options and settings, such as 'Read from top', 'Text-to-Speech' settings for adjusting the speech rate, and 'Languages' for when testing in a foreign language and the voice isn't automatically switched. Swipe down then right to open the global context menu, swipe right to make your selection from the menu, then double tap to activate your selection.

Navigating by headings bug examples

• A heading is defined in the screen reader UX, you swipe down and nothing is announced
• A heading was announced and none were defined in the screen reader UX
• A heading is announced twice
• What's announced doesn’t match the screen reader UX

Step 7 - Navigate by links

1. Select ‘Links’ in the Reading controls menu.
2. Get in position to start testing, swipe up to navigate through links until you reach the last link in the component before the one you're testing, or if testing in isolation (or there are no other links above) ensure you are right at the top of the page by following the testing a component in isolation steps.
3. Swipe down to read the first link in the component you're testing. Check that the semantics and announced content match the screen reader UX.
4. If you need to hear what was announced again, swipe up to the previous link, then swipe down again.
5. Swipe down to go through all links in the component, listening to what’s announced, until you reach the first link in the component after the component you're testing, or the bottom of the page if testing in isolation (or there are no other links).

To activate a link, once it has focus, double tap anywhere on the screen.

Navigating by links bug examples

• A link or button is defined in the screen reader UX, you swipe down, focus moves but nothing is announced
• A link was announced and none were defined in the screen reader UX
• A link is announced twice
• What's announced doesn’t match the screen reader UX

Step 8 - Navigate by landmarks

1. Select ‘Landmarks’ in the Reading controls menu. If that method of navigation isn't present, add it to the Reading controls menu.
2. Get in position to start testing, swipe up to navigate through landmarks until you reach a landmark in a component before the one you're testing, or if testing in isolation (or there are no other landmarks above) ensure you are right at the top of the page by following the testing a component in isolation steps.
3. Swipe down to read the first landmark in the component you're testing. Check that the semantics and announced content match the screen reader UX.
4. If you need to hear what was announced again, swipe up to the previous landmark, then swipe down again.
5. Swipe down to go through all landmarks in the component, listening to what’s announced, until you reach the first landmark after the component you're testing, or the bottom of the page if testing in isolation (or there are no other landmarks).

Navigating by landmarks bug examples

• A landmark is defined in the screen reader UX, you swipe down and nothing is announced
• A landmark was announced and none were defined in the screen reader UX
• A landmark was announced without a label
• What's announced doesn’t match the screen reader UX

Step 9 - Accessibility acceptance criteria

Accessibility acceptance criteria can be used for additional manual testing steps specific to your component and documented screen reader UX, specific TalkBack gestures maybe needed.

1. Read the accessibility acceptance criteria. If the accessibility acceptance criteria is missing, ask your team's business analyst for the criteria before continuing.
2. Check that any criteria that is specific to using a screen reader is met with TalkBack on Android.

Step 10 - Components with a table

Note, there aren't any specific methods for navigating and reading tables with TalkBack.

1. Get in position to start by following step 4.
2. Swipe right until you reach the first table in the component you're testing. Check that the number of rows and columns announced is correct, and that a table caption was announced if one was defined in the screen reader UX. If you need to hear what was announced again, swipe right to the previous item, then swipe left.
3. Swipe right to navigate through all table cells, for all rows and columns. Check that the semantics and announced content match the screen reader UX.
4. Swipe right to go through all tables in the component, listening to what’s announced, until you reach the first item after the last table you're testing, or the bottom of the page if testing in isolation.

Navigating by tables bug examples

• You swipe right and nothing is announced
• Number of rows and columns announced isn't correct
• A table was announced without a caption
• Table headings aren't announced when moving through table data
• A table was announced and none where defined in the screen reader UX
• What's announced doesn’t match the screen reader UX

Step 11 - Document any bugs

Document any accessibility bugs found, include as much information as you can, including information on how to replicate the issue and the bug priority level.

Note, this guide takes one approach, there are other ways you could do this. Back to top