2. Gestures for using screen readers

2.1. VoiceOver (iOS) Gestures

VoiceOver gestures are unique to Apple devices, designed to enable users to navigate the interface without sight. These gestures typically include multi-finger taps, swipes, and flicks for functions like reading text, moving between screens, or interacting with specific elements.

2.1.1. Basic navigation gestures with VoiceOver

Basic navigation gestures with VoiceOver enable BVI users to interact with their smartphones using touch-based gestures. These gestures provide users with essential mechanisms to navigate through apps, websites, access content, and perform tasks.

2.1.1.1. Explore and speak items
  • Tap or Touch the Item: Select and speak an item.
  • Two-Finger Tap: Pause or continue speaking.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Left/Right: Move out/in of a group of items.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Up: Speak the entire screen from the top.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Down: Speak the entire screen from the selected item. Swipe Left/Right with One Finger: Select the previous/ next item.
  • Four-Finger Tap near the Top/Bottom of the Screen: Select the first/last item on the screen.
2.1.1.2. Scroll up, down, left and right
  • Three-Finger Swipe Left or Right: Scroll right/ left one page
  • Three-Finger Swipe Up/Down: Scrolls down/ up one page
2.1.1.3. Take action on an item
  • Single Tap: Select the item.
  • Single-Finger Double Tap: Activates the selected item. For example, if you perform a single touch and have identified the icon for the Mail app, double tapping will start the Mail app. Note that you do not have to perform the double tap on the exact screen location of the identified icon. Double tapping will activate the option last identified by VoiceOver.
  • Triple Tap: Double-tap the selected item.
  • Two-Finger Double Tap: Performs context-specific actions like playing/pausing media or answering/ending calls.
2.1.1.4. Use gestures to control VoiceOver
  • Two-finger Triple tap: Open the Item Chooser.
  • Three-Finger Double Tap: Mute or unmute VoiceOver.
  • Three-Finger Triple Tap: Turn the screen curtain on or off.
  • Four-finger Triple tap: Start or stop Live Recognition.
  • Touch with two fingers: Silences VoiceOver instantly.
2.1.2. The VoiceOver rotor

The VoiceOver Rotor can best be described as a context-dependent wheel of commands, with only one command in force at any one time. Swiping one finger left or right on your iOS screen will advance one element to the left or right. You can also swipe up or down with one finger, but what happens when you do this will depend on how the VoiceOver rotor is set. One of these commands is “Characters,” a second one is “Words”. If “Characters” is the active VoiceOver Rotor command, every one-finger swipe up or down will move the focus and speak the very next character in the text. If “Words” is selected, swiping up or down will move focus one word forward or backward. Many VoiceOver Rotor commands control navigational elements, such as words, lines, tables, and headings.

2.1.2.1. How to access VoiceOver rotor
  • Swipe Up/Down with One Finger: Move to the previous item or increase/ the next time or decrease (depending on the rotor setting).
  • With VoiceOver turned on, place two fingers on the screen, separated by an inch or so.
  • Pretend that you are lightly gripping a radio dial and turn that dial a few degrees by moving your fingers either clockwise or counterclockwise.
  • With each bit of rotation, a new option will appear and be voiced, until you have spun the rotor completely and you are back at the option where you began.
2.1.2.2. Popular VoiceOver rotor commands

A full list of rotor elements can be found in the VoiceOver Settings menu. Below are some of the most frequently used rotor commands, along with a brief explanation of how each works:

  • Language: This command allows you to switch the voice engine VoiceOver uses to speak. By default, devices in the US come with one voice (called Samantha), but you can download additional voices, dialects, and languages to add to this rotor option.
  • Speed: This command lets you quickly change the speaking rate of the text-to-speech voice at any time.
  • Zoom: VoiceOver can be used with Zoom at the same time. The Zoom rotor control makes it easier to magnify or reduce the screen size as needed.
  • Punctuation: You can adjust how much punctuation VoiceOver reads aloud. Sometimes you may want to hear every punctuation mark, while other times you may prefer to hear just the text.
  • Screen keyboard: This command allows you to toggle between Standard mode (where you double-tap to select a character) and Touch mode (where lifting your finger enters the character). iOS keyboards also feature a “Dictation” key, found next to the Spacebar, which allows you to speak text and punctuation. Sighted users tap this key once to start dictation and again to stop.

2.2 TalkBack (Android)

TalkBack is the built-in screen reader app that comes pre-installed on all new Android devices. Since TalkBack is separate from the Android operating system, it can be improved and updated with more regularity than the Android operating system itself. If you obtain a new Android phone or tablet, you can start TalkBack right out of the box.

  • Turn your device on by finding and pressing the Power button, often located on the upper right-side edge of the device.
  • Lay two fingers on the display, spread at least an inch apart.
  • Continue to hold them there until you hear the audible prompt asking if you would like to enable TalkBack.
  • Continue holding your fingers against the screen until the device reports that TalkBack has been successfully initialized.
2.2.1. Basic navigation gestures with Talkback

Basic navigation gestures with TalkBack enable BVI users to interact with their smartphones using touch-based gestures. These gestures provide users with essential mechanisms to navigate through apps, websites, access content, and perform tasks.

2.2.1.1. Locating and activating screen elements
  • When you first start up an Android phone, you are placed on one of the home screens. By touching a finger to the screen, TalkBack will announce the item under your fingertip, whether it’s an app icon, button, text block, or other screen element. As you move your finger around, TalkBack will continue to describe what’s beneath it.
  • You can also swipe with one finger—a quick slide left or right—to navigate between screen elements. This will shift the focus to the next item in that direction, and TalkBack will announce the icon, button, or text now in focus.
  • To interact with the highlighted item, perform a one-finger double tap anywhere on the screen. TalkBack will open the app or activate the control currently in focus. However, if the last element was a block of text, it will not take any action.
2.2.1.2. Gestures with one finger
  • Swipe up with one finger: Set the navigation focus back or set the reading control up.
  • Swipe Down: Set the navigation focus forward or set the reading control down.
  • Swipe left: Previous item.
  • Swipe right: Next item.
2.2.1.3. Forward and backward gestures with one finger
  • Up then down: Move to the previous reading control.
  • Down and up: Move to the next reading control.
  • Left then right: Scroll backward.
  • Right then left: Scroll forward.
2.2.1.4. Angle gestures with one finger
  • Up then left: Go to home screen.
  • Up then right: Open TalkBack menu.
  • Down then left: Go back.
  • Down then right: Open TalkBack menu.
  • Left then up: Overview or recent apps.
  • Left then down: Search on the screen.
  • Right then up: Smart Voice Command.
  • Right then down: Notifications.
2.2.1.5. Gestures with two fingers
  • Two-Finger Tap once: Pause or resume speech.
  • Two-Finger Tap twice: Play or pause the media.
  • Two-Finger Tap and hold: Start or end the selection mode.
  • Two-Finger Tap three times: Start reading from the next item.
  • Two-Finger Tap three times and hold: Enable or disable speech.
  • Two-Finger Swipe up: Scroll up, can’t be customized (by default, this gesture allows to scroll the screen on the lists).
  • Two-Finger Swipe down: Scroll down, can’t be customized (by default, this gesture allows to scroll the screen on the lists).
  • Two-Finger Swipe left: Scroll left, can’t be customized (by default, this gesture allows to change pages on multi-page views).
  • Two-Finger Swipe right: Scroll right, can’t be customized (by default, this gesture allows to change pages on multi-page views).
2.2.1.6. Gestures with three fingers
  • Three-Finger Tap once: Open TalkBack menu.
  • Three-Finger Tap once and hold: Search on the screen.
  • Three-Finger Tap twice: Copy.
  • Three-Finger Tap twice and hold: Cut.
  • Three-Finger Tap three times: Paste.
  • Three-Finger Tap three times and hold: Not assigned.
  • Three-Finger Swipe up: Previous reading control.
  • Three-Finger Swipe down: Next reading control.
  • Three-Finger Swipe left: Previous reading control.
  • Three-Finger Swipe right: Next reading control.
2.2.1.7. Gestures with four fingers
  • Four-finger Tap once: Practice TalkBack gestures.
  • Four-finger Tap twice: Open TalkBack tutorial.
  • Four-finger Tap once and hold: Pass through next TalkBack gesture to apply a system gesture.
  • Four-finger Tap three times: Not assigned.
  • Four-finger Swipe up: Previous window.
  • Four-finger Swipe down: Next window.
  • Four-finger Swipe left: Not assigned.
  • Four-finger Swipe right: Not assigned.

Users can personalize the TalkBack gestures listed above according to your preference in Talkback settings and define new functions for unassigned gestures.

2.2.1.8. Reading text
  • Select the “Lines” reading control > Swipe Up: Say prior line.
  • Select the “Characters” reading control > Swipe Down: Say next character.
  • Navigate by Words > Open TalkBack Menu > Select “Spell last spoken phrase”: Spell word.
2.2.1.9. Tables
  • Swipe Right: Cell to right.
  • Explore by Touch: Cell below/ above.
2.2.1.10. Forms
  • Double Tap: Open combo box/ Select and deselect checkboxes.
  • Swipe Right or Left to the desired option, then Double Tap to Select: Toggle selection.
  • Swipe Right then Left. Or Swipe Up: Adjust slider up or right.
  • Swipe Left then Right. Or Swipe Down: Adjust slider down or left.
2.2.1.11. Other commands
  • Swipe Left then Down: Search for a word or phrase.
  • Two-Finger Double Tap: Answer or end a call/ Start or stop media.
2.3. Context menus

Talkback includes two context menus (Global Context Menu and Local Context Menu) that help you access settings and controls. Accessing the global context menu requires a two-part gesture. In one smooth movement, slide one finger down the left side of the screen, then, without lifting your finger, slide to the right.

2.3.1. The global context menu

This includes TalkBack options that you may wish to access, no matter what app is currently running.

  • Reading from top: This will read the entire screen.
  • Reading from next item: This will begin reading from your point of focus, a link, control or block of text.
  • Spelling last utterance: This is useful if you could not quite understand the TalkBack voice.
  • Quick Navigation Menu: Arranges screen elements in a circle, allowing you to find what you are looking for more quickly.
  • TalkBack Settings: Opens the TalkBack settings, which we will discuss in depth in the next section.
2.3.2. The local context menu

This offers choices to control what TalkBack does when you perform a one finger up or down gesture, much like the iPhone Rotor. Android refers to these as “granularity” options, and they may include:

  • Default Granularity: Moves you by the app’s default unit.
  • Page Granularity: These and the next several options advance you one stated unit at a time.
  • Sentence Granularity: Moves by sentence.
  • Paragraph Granularity.
  • Letter Granularity.

In other apps, such as a web browser, you may wish to navigate by elements, which can increase your speed and productivity. A few of the possible Navigation options include:

  • Heading Navigation
  • Control Navigation
  • List Navigation
  • Section Navigation
  • Special Content Navigation

The granularity controls are usually on the right side of the context menu circle of options. The navigation commands are usually on the left side. To access the Local Context Menu, perform an upside-down “L” gesture. Slide one finger upward along the left side of the screen, then, without lifting the finger, slide it to the right.

2.4. TalkBack braille keyboard gestures

With the TalkBack braille keyboard, you can use 6 fingers on your screen to enter 6-dot braille. To use the TalkBack braille keyboard, turn on TalkBack and turn off magnification.

2.4.1. Basic controls
  • One-Finger Swipe Right/ Left: Add space/ Backspace.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Right/ Left: New line/ Delete word.
  • Two-Finger Swipe down: Hide Keyboard.
  • Two-Finger Swipe up: Submit text.
  • Three-Finger Swipe up: Help and other options.
2.4.2. Cursor movement
  • Hold dot 3, then swipe up with another finger > Hold dot 6, then swipe up with another finger: Previous character.
  • Hold dot 2, then swipe down with another finger > Hold dot 5, then swipe down with another finger: Next word.
  • Hold dot 1, then swipe down with another finger > Hold dot 4, then swipe down with another finger: Next line.
  • Hold dots 1 and 2, then swipe up with another finger > Hold dots 4 and 5, then swipe up with another finger: Move to beginning of text.
  • Three-Finger Swipe Left/ Right: Previous granularity/ Next granularity.
2.4.3. Text selection
  • Hold dot 3, then swipe up with two fingers > Hold dot 6, then swipe up with two fingers: Select previous character.
  • Hold dot 2, then swipe up with two fingers > Hold dot 5, then swipe up with two fingers: Select previous word.
  • Hold dot 1, then swipe left with three fingers > Hold dot 4, then swipe left with three fingers: Select all.
  • Hold dot 1, then swipe down with three fingers > Hold dot 4, then swipe down with three fingers: Copy.
  • Hold dot 1, then swipe up with three fingers > Hold dot 4, then swipe up with three fingers: Cut.
  • Hold dot 1, then swipe right with three fingers > Hold dot 4, then swipe right with three fingers: Paste.
2.4.4. Proofread text
  • One-Finger Swipe Down: Move to the next proofreading suggestion.
  • One-Finger Swipe Up: Move to the previous proofreading suggestion.
  • One-Finger Swipe Right: Move to the next suggested correction.
  • One-Finger Swipe Left: Move to the previous suggested correction.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Right: Insert suggestion.
  • Two-Finger Swipe Left: Undo suggestion.

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