Skip to content
University of Colorado Denver CU Denver
  • Webmail
  • UCD Access
  • Canvas
  • Quick Links
 

Tools

  • Webmail
  • UCD Access
  • Canvas
  • Campus Directory
  • A-Z Index
  • Campus Map

Resources

  • Events Calendar
  • Newsroom
  • Human Resources
  • Student Services
  • Auraria Library
  • CU Denver Police
  • University Policies
  • Public Health Resources

Schools & Colleges

  • College of Architecture and Planning
  • College of Arts & Media
  • Business School
  • School of Education & Human Development
  • College of Engineering, Design and Computing
  • College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • School of Public Affairs

Campus Affiliates

  • CU Anschutz Medical Campus
  • CU Boulder
  • CU Colorado Springs
  • CU Denver
  • CU Online
  • CU System

Announcement: CU Denver is Celebrating 50 Years

Whether you’re an alumnus, current student, member of the faculty and staff, donor, or neighbor, you’re a valuable part of the CU Denver community. Help us celebrate the last 50 years and a future that works for all.

Learn More

Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering

College of Engineering Design and Computing

  • Home
    • Clinical Services
  • Research
    • Publications
    • Academics
    • Previous Studies
    • Participant Registry
  • Industry Services
    • Usability Services
    • Accessibility Services
  • Community Programs
    • Colorado Assistive Technology Act Program
    • Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities
    • Preschool Development Grant: Inclusion & Universal Design Project
    • SWAAAC - Supporting Assistive Technology in Colorado Public Schools
    • Tech for Tykes - Assistive Technology for Early Childhood
    • Project SOARR
    • Project Include: Early Childhood Access Through Adaptive Technology
  • About Us
    • COVID 19 Resources
    • CIDE Stories
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Facilities
    • Advisory Councils
    • Center Members
    • CommunicATor eNewsletter
    • Directions & Parking
    • Contribute
    • News
  • Contact
University Quick Links
  • Home
  • Community Programs
  • Colorado Assistive Technology Act Program
  • Technology and Transition to Employment
  • Android Accessibility

Android Accessibility Settings

Select another operating system:

Windows
Linux
macos
windows
iOS

To Open Accessibility Settings

  1. Settings App > Accessibility

Or,

  1. Swipe down from the top of the screen
  2. Tap the Settings Icon

Pro-Tip:

Android, like ice cream, comes in several flavors which means there is no single look or set of accessibility features. Despite the variety, getting to and finding accessibility features on Android isn't any harder than on other platforms. The same two methods above work for almost any Android device.

Images below were taken from a Google Pixel Android phone. Accessibility features are from version 10+ unless otherwise noted.

android accessibility menu

Vision

Hearing

Motor

Cognitive

 

Make Text, Icons and the Pointer Bigger

Make Text Bigger

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Select Font Size
  3. Use the slider to select the preferred text size

Video version of the instructions

large text setting

Tips & Notes


Text size adjustments can also be made in Settings > Display > Font Size.  

  • See also: Google support page for Larger Text

Make Everything Bigger

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Select Display Size
  3. Use the slider to select the preferred display size

Video version of the instructions

Display SizeAdjustment

Tips & Notes


Display sizing makes everything on the screen look bigger but can make less information available on the screen requiring more scrolling.

  • See also: Google support page for Display Size

Make the Pointer Bigger

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Adjust the Large Mouse Pointer toggle

Video version of the instructions

enable large mouse pointer

Tips & Notes


The large mouse pointer settings applies when a Bluetooth mouse is connected to the Android device. Android does not offer options for pointer color or speed adjustments.

  • See also: Google support page for the large mouse pointer

Adjust Colors and Contrast

Activate High Contrast Text

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Adjust the Increase Contrast toggle
high contrast  text settings

Tips & Notes


High contrast text slightly increases the contrast of text to make them easier to see and read. Other user interface elements such as toggles, and icons and buttons are not affected. 

  • See also: Google support for High Contrast Text

Apply Color Filters

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Select Color Correction
  3. Adjust the Color Filters toggle and choose a filter type
Color Correction Adjustment

Tips & Notes


Choose from grayscale, color tint, deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia.

  • See also: Google support for color filters

 

Enable Dark Theme

  1. Settings > Display
  2. Adjust the Dark theme toggle
enable dark theme

Tips & Notes


Dark mode replaces the standard light background & dark text system theme with a dark background light text theme which can make text easier to read for some individuals and may reduce eyestrain.  

  • See also: Google support for dark theme

Use Night Light

  1. Settings > Display
  2. Select Night Light
  3. Adjust the Use Night Light toggle
Night Light Settings

Tips & Notes


Night Light reduces the blue light emitted from the computer screen. Reducing blue light may reduce eye strain when used in dimly lit or dark settings. 

  • See also: Google support for night light

Turn on Extra Dim

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Select Extra Dim
  3. Adjust the Make screen extra dim toggle
enable extra dim

Tips & Notes


Night Light reduces the blue light emitted from the computer screen. Reducing blue light may reduce eye strain when used in dimly lit or dark settings. 

  • See also: Google support for Night Light

Try Color Inversion

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Text and Display
  2. Select Color Inversion
  3. Adjust the Use color inversion toggle
color invert settings

Tips & Notes


Color Inversion reverses the colors of the display. It can make light displays dark and dark displays light. Changes also apply to images, media and everything else that appears on the screen.   

  • See also: Google support for color inversion
  • Per app setting: iOS 15+.

 

Magnify Apps and Text or Use a Screen Reader

Use Magnification

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select Magnification
  3. Adjust the Magnification shortcut toggle
Turn on magnification

Tips & Notes


Zoom can enlarge the entire screen, or parts of it as needed. Options can be adjusted using the Zoom style selector in the Zoom settings area.

  • See also: Apple support page for Zoom

Use the Built-In Screen Reader

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select VoiceOver
  3. Adjust the VoiceOver toggle
enable talkback

Tips & Notes


TalkBack is a screen reader designed to support individuals who are blind or who have limited vision. 

  • See also: Google support for TalkBack
 

Audio Adjustment and Captioning

Use Sound Amplifier with Headphones

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select Sound Amplifier
  3. Select Open Sound Amplifier
  4. Select a frequency range and adjust the level of boost
sound amplification settings

Tips & Notes


Sound amplifier uses the Android device's microphone to amplify certain sound frequencies when wearing wired or Bluetooth headphones. The feature can amplify either environmental sounds, or sounds played on the device. 

  • See also: Google support for sound amplifier

Be Alerted to Background Sounds

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select Sound Notifications
  3. Select Settings
  4. Adjust the Sound Notifications toggle
sound notification settings

Tips & Notes


Android devices can listen for certain sounds in the background such as alarms or babies crying then provide a visual alert. .

  • See also: Google support for sound notification

Activate Mono Audio

  1. Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual 
  2. Select Audio adjustment
  3. Adjust the Mono audio toggle
mono audio setting

Tips & Notes


Mono audio may improve the listening experience for individuals who have significantly better hearing in one ear by combining the left and right audio channels into one channel.

  • See also: Google support for mono audio

Use Live Caption

  1. Settings > Accessibility 
  2. Select Live Caption
  3. Adjust the Use live caption toggle
enable live captions

Tips & Notes


Live captions provides automatic captions for any speech in media or in calls on an Android device.

  • See also: Google support for live caption

Turn on Live Transcribe

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select Live Transcribe
  3. Select Open Live Transcribe
live transcribe settings

Tips & Notes


Live Transcribe shoe speech as text on the screen during conversations. You can also type text on the screen to reply during a conversation. 

  • See also: Google support for live transcribe

Adjust How Captions are Presented

  1. Settings > Accessibility
  2. Select Caption preferences
  3. Adjust appearance of the caption's background
caption settings

Tips & Notes


The closed captions settings provide several options for displaying captions for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions can also be useful for people in noisy environments or who otherwise have difficulty listening. Options include adjusting the color, size, style and presentation of the caption text and its background.

Enable Real-time Text calls

  1. Phone App >  Ellipses 
  2. Select Settings
  3. Select Accessibility
  4. Adjust the Real-time text (RTT) call toggle
rt settings

Tips & Notes


RTT settings may vary from device to device and are only available on phones or devices with mobile calling capability. Consult your device's owners manual for more specific instructions.  

  • See also: Google support for RTT
 

Hands-free Dictation and Voice Control

Enable Voice Typing

Enabled by default on most Android devices.

  1. Gboard > overflow menu 
  2. Select  Settings
  3. Select Voice typing
  4. Adjust the Use voice typing toggle

Instructions are for devices using Google's default keyboard app - Gboard. 

enable voice typing

Tips & Notes


The Android device must be connected to the internet to use voice typing.

    Turn on Voice Control

    1. Settings > Accessibility
    2. Select Voice Access
    3. Adjust the Use voice access toggle
    voice access settings

    Tips & Notes


    Voice Access is designed for people who need assistance operating the computer by voice and requires some training to use effectively.  Use dictation instead for more limited assistance with typing.

    • See also: Google support for voice access

    Touch, External Keyboard and Mouse Settings

    Use One Hand Mode

    1. Settings > Accessibility
    2. Select System controls
    3. Select One-handed mode
    4. Adjust the Use one-handed mode toggle

     

    one hand settings

    Tips & Notes


    One-handed mode pulls the top of the screen in reach when a swipe down gesture is detected at the bottom edge of the display. 

      Explore Timing Controls

      1. Settings > Accessibility
      2. Select Timing controls
      3. Select Touch & hold delay
      4. Choose a preferred touch and hold delay

       

      timing controls settings

      Tips & Notes


      Timing controls enable adjustment to the duration of the long press gesture. Longer durations can minimize accidental activation of the context menu when trying to tap on the screen.

      • See also: Google support for touch and hold delay

      Enable Switch Access

      1. Settings > Accessibility
      2. Select Switch Access
      3. Adjust the Use switch access toggle
      switch access settings

      Tips & Notes


      Switch access allows an individual with significantly limited movement to operate an Android device using one or more external capability switches.

      • See also: Google support for switch access

      Turn on Autoclick

      1. Settings > Accessibility
      2. Select Timing controls
      3. Select Autoclick (dwell timing)
      4. Select duration to wait for the auto click
      autoclick setings

      Tips & Notes


      Autoclick sets a dwell duration after the mouse pointer stops moving before sending a click to the screen. This feature is frequently used when controlling the an Android device with an external mouse or wheelchair joystick.

      • See also: Google support for auto click (dwell timing)

      Use Camera Switches

      1. Settings > Accessibility
      2. Select Switch access
      3. Select Settings
      4. Select Camera Switch settings
      5. Adjust the Use Camera Switches toggle
      camera switches settings

      Tips & Notes


      The camera switches feature uses the front camera on an Android device to look for certain facial gestures such as a smile or glance left to perform switch operations or gestures.

      • Android 12+

       

       

      Support Focus, Reading and Writing

      Configure Focus Settings

      1. Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls
      2. Select Focus mode
      3. Set a schedule and tap the Turn on now button

       

      focus settings

      Tips & Notes


      Focus mode is part of a suite of tools available on Android devices to limit distractions and interruptions. Focus mode enables pausing of apps and silencing notificaitons.

      • See also:  Google Android's digital welling site

       

      Enable Speak Selection

      1. Settings > Accessibility
      2. Select Select to Speak
      3. Adjust the Select to Speak shortcut toggle
      speak selection settings

      Tips & Notes


      Speak selected text enables tapping on text on the screen to have it read aloud. 

      • See also: Google support for select to speak

      Use App Pinning

      1. Settings > Security
      2. Select App pinning
      3. Adjust the Use app pinning toggle
      app pinning settings

      Tips & Notes


      App pinning restricts an Android device to a single app. 

      • See also: Google support for app pinning

      Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE)

      CU Denver

      The Hub, Bioengineering

      1224 5th Street

      Suite 130

      Denver, CO 80204


      303-315-1280

      Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
      Colorado Department of Education - Sponsored Programs
      • SWAAAC / AT in Colorado Schools
      • Tech for Tykes
      Engage with Our Center
      • Participate in research
      • Donate
      Need Assistance?
      • Find Us
      • Specialty AT Clinic
      • Colorado Tech Act Program
      • Preparing for Emergencies
      • Funding and Finding AT Devices
      Photo Credits
      • Cyrus McCrimmon - CU Foundation
      • Michael Ensminger
      • CIDE Staff Photography
      • Contact Us
      • Website Feedback
      • CU System
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
      • Accessibility
      • Accreditation
      • Employment
      • Give Now
       

      © 2023 The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.

      Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.

      CMS Login

      Webmail

      UCD Access

      Canvas

      Opens in a new window Opens document in a new window