1. Tips to use screen readers

1.1.  VoiceOver

VoiceOver is the Apple screen reader that describes exactly what is happening on the device. On iPhone and iPad, the users will receive audible descriptions or braille output of onscreen content when using compatible braille devices.

1.1.1. Hear image descriptions with VoiceOver (5 Steps)

Step 1. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘VoiceOver Recognition’.
Step 2. Turn on ‘Image descriptions’.
Step 3. Go to an app such as Photos or Safari, then select an image.
Step 4. Swipe up to hear more options, then double-tap when you hear ‘Explore image’.
Step 5. Move your finger around the image to find out the position of each object.

1.1.2. Set a delay between touching the screen and selecting an item (2 steps)

Users can control the amount of time between when touch the screen and when VoiceOver selects the item they have touched.

Step 1. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’.
Step 2. Tap ‘Delay’ before ‘Selection’, then Tap ‘+’ or ‘-’ to adjust the delay.

1.1.3. Adjust the volume of VoiceOver Speech and Sounds

Adjust the volume of VoiceOver Speech solely (2 steps)
To increase or decrease iPhone’s volume of VoiceOver speech, without affecting the volume or other iPhone audio, follow the steps.

Step 1. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘Audio’.
Step 2. Tap ‘Audio Ducking,’ then drag the VoiceOver Speech Volume Slider.

Temporarily reduce the volume of media playback and calls when VoiceOver speaks (2 steps)

Step 1. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘Audio’.
Step 2. Tap ‘Audio Ducking,’ then select ‘When Speaking.’
Set other audio options.

To set other audio options for VoiceOver, follow these steps.
Step 1. Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘Audio’, then set options.

      • Sounds & Haptics: Adjust and preview sound effects and haptics.
      • Auto-select Speaker in Call: Automatically switch to the speaker during a call when you’re not holding iPhone to your ear.
      • Send to HDMI: Route audio to externally connected devices, such as an instrument amplifier or a DJ mixer.
1.1.4. Set how much VoiceOver tells you

Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘Verbosity’.

      • Change how VoiceOver speaks punctuation

Step 1. Tap ‘Punctuation’, then choose a group.

      • Change how VoiceOver reads notifications

Step 1. Tap ‘System Notifications’.

1.1.5. Use flat or grouped navigation

Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘VoiceOver’ > ‘Navigation Style’

      • Flat: VoiceOver moves sequentially through each item on the screen when you use the move next and previous commands.
      • Grouped: VoiceOver moves through items and groups of items on the screen. To move into a group, use a two-finger swipe right. To move out of a group, use a two-finger swipe left.

1.2.  TalkBack

TalkBack is the Google screen reader included on Android devices.

1.2.1. Turn on image descriptions from the Talkback menu (3 steps)

Step 1. Move TalkBack focus to an image on the screen on the Android device.
Step 2. Open the TalkBack menu.
Step 3. Tap ‘Describe image.’

  • Users get a pop-up to turn on this feature at the first time.
1.2.2. Turn image descriptions on/off in Settings (4 steps)

Step 1. Open the Settings app.
Step 2. Tap ‘Accessibility’ > ‘TalkBack’ > ‘Settings.’
Step 3. Under ‘Controls,’ tap ‘Image & icon descriptions.’
Step 4. Turn ‘Detailed image descriptions on or off.’

1.2.3. Turn image description with on-device generative AI (starting from Pixel 9) (4 steps)

Step 1. Open the Settings app.
Step 2. Tap ‘Accessibility’ > ‘TalkBack’ > ‘Settings.’
Step 3. Under ‘Controls,’ tap ‘Image & icon descriptions > ‘Automatic descriptions.’

      • To turn on: Tap ‘All images’ or ‘Unlabeled images only.’
      • To turn off: Tap ‘Don’t describe images.’

Step 4. Tap ‘OK.’

1.2.4. Visit Tutorial (3 Steps)

Step 1. Open the TalkBack Menu

      • On devices with multi-finger gestures (e.g., Samsung Galaxy): Three-finger tap or single-finger swipe down then right.
      • On devices with single-finger gestures: Swipe down then right.

Step 2. Select ‘TalkBack settings’> ‘Tutorial and Help’.
Step 3. Select ‘Tutorial’.

1.2.5. Customize reading control options
      • Reading control options
      • Characters: Move focus from on character to the next.
      • Words: Move focus from one word to the next.
      • Lines: Move focus from one line to the next.
      • Paragraphs: Move focus from one paragraph to the next.
      • Headings: Move focus from one heading to the next.
      • Controls: Move focus from one control to the next.
      • Links: Move focus from one link to the next.
      • Speech rate: Change the speed that TalkBack speaks.
    • Language: If a user has multiple languages on the Android device, users can switch spoken languages in real-time.
    • Add or remove items from reading controls (3 steps)

Step 1. Open “TalkBack settings” on the device.
Step 2. Select “Customize menus.”
Step 3. Select or deselect the item the user wishes to add or remove from the list of reading controls.

1.2.6. Customize Android setting for TalkBack

To open the TalkBack menu, swipe down and right in one stroke for a user with devices with single-finger gestures. A user with devices with multi-finger gestures: To open the TalkBack Menu, tap once on the screen with three fingers.

    • Change verbosity (3 steps)
      A user gets more information with high verbosity, and with low verbosity, the user gets less.

 Step 1. Select ‘Verbosity’
Step 2. Choose a preset: High, low, or custom
Step 3. Customize the amount of punctuation spoken regardless of   the chosen present

    • Change sound feedback volume (2 steps)
      When TalkBack is turned on, the volume keys control the media volume. To change TalkBack volume, put one finger on the screen and press ‘volume up’ or ‘volume down’ keys.

 Step 1. Go to ‘TalkBack settings’
Step 2. Select ‘Sound and vibration’, then select ‘Sound feedback volume.

    • Audio ducking (3 steps)
      This setting lowers the volume level of media and other audio, so TalkBack’s spoken feedback is easy to understand.

Step 1. Select ‘Sound and vibration’.
Step 2. Select ‘Audio ducking’.
Step 3. Turn ‘Audio ducking’ on or off.

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