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
- In continuous reading mode, this shortcut fast-forwards the text.
Navigate to previous item
- In continuous reading mode, this shortcut rewinds the text.
Navigate to 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.
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.
- Next: Alt + d
- Previous: Alt + shift + d
- Next: Alt + b
- Previous: Alt + shift + b
- Next: Alt + x
- Previous: Alt + shift + x
- Next: Alt + z
- Previous: Alt + shift + z
- Next: Alt + c
- Previous: Alt + shift + c
- Next: Alt + e
- Previous: Alt + shift + e
- Next: Alt + f
- Previous: Alt + shift + f
- Next: Alt + g
- Previous: Alt + shift + g
- Next: Alt + h
- Previous: Alt + shift + h
- Next: Alt + [1-6]
- Previous: Alt + shift + [1-6]
- Next: Alt + l
- Previous: Alt + shift + l
- Next: Alt + o
- Previous: Alt + shift + o
- Next: Alt + i
- Previous: Alt + shift + i
- Next: Alt + t
- Previous: Alt + shift + t
Tip:You can choose a key other than Altfor 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.
Get more help
For more Accessibility help, contact the Disability Support team .
