What is Talkback on Android? Android smartphones have features and applications whose purpose is unclear to many users. For example, Talkback. This is a built-in application created for people with various visual impairments. In addition, the program will be useful for those who spend a lot of time driving and cannot be distracted to manually answer a call or type a message.
The program voices all the actions that the user performs on the device, and also reports on incoming calls, messages and other events. For example, when you press a particular key, Talkback mode allows you to hear what the key is, and when you launch an application, the user will hear its name. The program thus helps the user understand whether he dialed the number correctly and whether he opened the right application.
For visually impaired people, a special Talkback keyboard was also added to the application in April 2021. It is a built-in on-screen touch keyboard with Braille. Now, users with vision problems will be able to enter Braille characters using regular smartphones and tablets, whereas previously this required special devices and separate keyboards.
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Talkback features:
- voiceover of text: SMS, notifications, as well as messages from social networks and instant messengers;
- voicing the buttons that the user presses;
- reading files, such as text in a browser;
- voice information about incoming calls;
- the ability to program specific keys for a particular action;
- hotkey management;
- creating reports on phone activities.
The Talkback app works differently on phones from different manufacturers. For example, Talkback on Honor voices all user actions and also uses vibration feedback when pressing keys. On devices of other brands, actions may not be spoken, but may be accompanied by signals. In the program settings, you can adjust the volume of the audio response, speed and tone of speech. You can also turn off vibration feedback and audio feedback.
What is Talkback?
Talkback is a standard Google service in the Android operating system. Its job is to voice the user's actions. It updates itself automatically and has great functionality. Talkback is an accessibility feature and is needed for use by users who have severe vision problems. The utility makes it easier to use a mobile gadget by voicing some actions.
Talkback is a kind of voice assistant. The program reads button presses or text, notifies you of incoming calls, and helps you read all the information from the display. If the user holds his finger on a certain letter, the voice assistant will announce it, and then the word itself.
Additionally, it is possible to configure gestures, commands and voice control, which will greatly simplify the use of this function.
Function value
In order to further carry out the deactivation procedure more quickly and naturally, it is suggested that you first understand what talkback is. If you are aware of the localization of the option in the phone parameters, you can easily find other controls.
Voice guidance mechanisms are designed for users with poor vision or no vision at all, while the system somewhat simplifies interaction by reproducing all manipulations by voice. In practice, the option is predisposed to people who have previously sat at the computer a lot, since all operations are more reminiscent of clicks with a regular mouse.
Before you turn off voice guidance on Android, you should understand that the function provides voice acting for actions performed with one click. Additionally, there is a notification about incoming calls, and during the shaking process it reads all the information displayed on the interface.
If you hold down any letter for a few seconds, talkback will first announce the symbol, followed by the word it refers to. The function allows the listener to understand certain sounds for correct typing. Among other features, it is necessary to highlight voice prompts, which demonstrate some information regarding various components of the interface. Moreover, gestures and rewriting of voiced speech into text format can be used for control.
Changes in interaction
- Logically, with ordinary clicks of a computer mouse, the first thing you need to do is indicate the desired object on the display by touching it. To apply the selected element, you need to double-click quickly.
- To scroll through a menu list or scroll a web page in a certain direction, you should pull the screen in the selected direction using two fingers, since a single tap on the sensor will have no effect!
- Unlocking the desktop is carried out using a similar principle, since you need to touch the bottom of the display with two fingers and then lift it up. You may also need to enter a password for confirmation. Also, to unlock the lock, you often use the touch key under the screen, which also requires two touches. It is especially important to follow the spoken prompts
How to disable talkback on Huawei?
Quick shutdown
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To exit the mode, you need to hold down 2 volume keys. Hold them until the device vibrates. When you feel vibration, which will serve as an alert for the device to be turned off, tap on the screen with 2 fingers. Hold them until a notification from the voice assistant appears on the display.
The described instructions are suitable if hot keys have not been configured in the service settings. You can check and change this item in the settings in the “Accessibility” tab. Set up hotkeys:
Go to the required settings section
Go to “Sound Control Buttons”
Drag the slider to the "On" position.
Additionally, you can activate the following item, as indicated in the screenshot. This will allow you to disable or, conversely, enable the function even on a locked display
Next, go to the quick activation section
Check the box next to TalkBack
At the end, click "OK"
Disabling the voice assistant
Today, there are a huge number of voice assistants available for use on Android, each of which has its own settings and deactivation methods. We will pay attention to only some options from the most famous developers, while most other analogues are unlikely to cause difficulties.
Method 1: Google Assistant
Since the Android operating system is developed and released by Google, most of the pre-installed software consists of services and applications from this developer. This particularly applies to the Assistant, which provides a voice search feature, better known as “Hey Google.” To deactivate, just visit the internal “Settings” of Google Assistant and turn off the previously mentioned option.
Method 2: Yandex Alice
Another fairly well-known voice assistant, Alice, was created by Yandex and is now integrated by default into the latest versions of the company’s browser. Initially, the option is in a deactivated state and therefore, in most cases, no additional actions are required. In this case, enabling, as well as disabling, can be done through the internal browser settings.
- Open Yandex Browser, swipe down to the screen with live tiles and expand the menu in the lower right corner of the page. Here you need to touch the “Settings” line.
At the next stage, find the “Search” block and in the “Voice capabilities” subsection, tap “Voice assistant Alice”. As a result, a page with the main parameters of the assistant will open.
The shutdown process, as you can see, is not very different from the opposite task and is unlikely to raise any questions. In addition, you can not only completely deactivate Alice, but also leave some functions by selecting “Voice search”.
Method 3: Marusya from Mail.ru
Of all the voice assistants presented in this article, Marusya from Mail.ru is the newest and therefore less popular application. Here, as in other analogues, there are settings for controlling functions, through which you can also deactivate.
- Through the application menu, open Marusya and in the lower left corner tap on the “Settings” icon. After this, you need to find the “Basic” block and change the status of the “Voice Activation” function.
- As a result, the assistant will stop responding to the keyword and will only be available within the corresponding application. If you are not satisfied with this solution, you can additionally disable linked accounts using the “Log out of account” button, which will automatically limit the use of the software.
Despite the short period of time since its release, already at the end of 2021 Marusya provides an impressive number of tools. Try combining different settings to use only the features you need.
Method 4: Microsoft Cortana
Originally introduced by Microsoft specifically for Windows 10, Cortana is currently available on several other platforms, including Android. Like any other similar software, this application can be used partially by disabling unnecessary functions through internal settings.
- Expand the application and open the main menu in the upper right corner of the home page. From the list presented, you must select the “Settings” item.
- When the settings page appears, tap on the “Phone Settings” block and after going to it, find the “Entry point” block. Here, first you should expand the “Cortana on home screen” subsection.
- On the “Cortana on home screen” screen, you need to move the slider with the same name to the left to deactivate the function. Other items will be disabled automatically.
- Return to the page with the main parameters “Settings” and in the same block select the “Hey Cortana” section. To turn it off, move the “From the Cortana app” slider to the left, and you’re done.
When returning to the main application settings page, both options discussed should be in the “Off” state. Please note that, as in the case of Marusya, you can disable Cortana completely by logging out of your Microsoft account.
Unfortunately, the Android application does not support the Russian language even in text form, however, most of the settings are intuitive. As a last resort, you can always resort to deletion, mentioned below.
Method 5: Google TalkBack
Unlike previous options, Google TalkBack is a standard service of the Android operating system and acts as an assistant for people with disabilities. Due to the fact that when using the option, all actions will be automatically announced, it is not always convenient to use it. We have described in as much detail as possible about deactivating the function in a separate instruction.
Removing through settings
You can disable the option through the parameters as follows:
Find the Accessibility tab
Next select TalkBack
Switch the slider to the "Off" position.
You can also remove the option in another way (via the dispatcher):
Go to settings
Find the applications section. It could be "Program Manager"
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Open the list with all applications
Find the service you need
Disable it by clicking the button
Confirm the operation
When you disable a service, it will disappear from the Accessibility tab. In the future, if you need a voice assistant, you will have to go to the application manager again, enable the function and configure the program.
Why is it activated without the user's knowledge?
The fact that Google Assistant activates on its own is not very pleasant. The assistant can be activated at a time when it is not required at all: when unlocking the smartphone. As a result, you have to close it yourself before performing any action on the screen. There are quite a few reasons for spontaneous activation. This usually happens due to accidentally pressing the “Home” button, which is also responsible for launching the smart assistant.
As soon as the application starts, it will begin processing your voice and executing the given commands. Even if your smartphone is in your pocket, Google Assistant can be activated using your voice. If you are talking to a person at a certain moment, the system may think that you are talking to it and then respond to you. So, for example, words about some Egyptian pyramid and its history may begin to come from your pocket, although your conversation was completely wrong.
Sources
- https://androidsfaq.com/telefon-ozvuchivaet-vse-dejstviya/
- https://asus-zenfone.ru/kak-ha-android/kak-otklyuchit-golosovoe-soprovozhdenie-na-androide/
- https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/6007100?hl=en
- https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6007100?hl=en
- https://proantab.ru/kak-otklyuchit-gugl-assistent/
- https://GuruDroid.net/kak-otklyuchit-gugl-assistenta-na-telefone-android.html
- https://hd01.ru/info/kak-vykljuchit-golosovoj-pomoshhnik-na-android/
- https://AndroidInsider.ru/obzory-prilozhenij/okej-gugl-otstan-ot-menya-kak-otklyuchit-golosovogo-assistenta.html
- https://lumpics.ru/how-to-disable-voice-assistant-in-android/
- https://AndroidLime.ru/disable-google-assistent
- https://liptsy.ru/opisaniya/kak-otklyuchit-golos-v-telefone.html
- https://v-androide.com/instruktsii/dopolnitelno/kak-otklyuchit-google-assistent.html
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Video instruction
By the way, if you cannot find the Talkback item in the settings menu, use the search.
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Summing up
The described program has useful features for users. The question of whether it is needed does not arise. Practical application of the utility allows the user to solve problems of various purposes and directions. The Android program can be turned on and used not only by visually impaired people with impaired vision, but also by users whose activities prevent them from using a smartphone fully. This category includes drivers whose hands, eyes and attention are directed to the road and transport.
Talkback allows you to voice literally all actions performed on your smartphone. For example, when pressing a particular key, the user will hear what the key is. So, when you click on an application, the name of the application is announced.
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Talkback main features:
- Convert text to speech or speech to text.
- Sounding of all keys pressed by the user.
- Voice information about an incoming call.
- Read files on the device. For example, Talkback can read and speak text in the browser.
- It is possible to program specific keys for a particular action.
- Possibility of using different languages.
- Generate a report on device activity.
- Possibility of activating additional features for working with the device.
Of course, these are not all the functions of Talkback, but you can easily make sure that the application is very useful.
Please note that depending on the firmware of your device, Talkback may work differently by default. So, on one version of the firmware all actions are accompanied by signals, on the other they are voiced. However, this can be changed using the settings.
How can I disable this application? Let's consider two cases: for an Android-based smartphone without add-ons and for a Samsung Galaxy based on TouchWiz. Let's start in order.
The first thing you need to do is go to settings.
Then find the “Accessibility” section and open it.
Here select Talkback.
Disable the application by moving the lever.
Confirm the action.
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Now instructions for Samsung Galaxy.
Let's go to settings.
Also, as in the previous case, we are looking for the “Special Features” section.
Find Talkback.
Turn the switch to the Off position.
We confirm the action.
Talkback is disabled.
How to enable Talkback?
As soon as the program is activated, including using the Talkback quick-start function, it will notify with sound, vibration and voice about events and read text from the device screen. When starting for the first time, you must connect headphones to the device. Then you can avoid doing this by changing the settings. To launch the program, touch and hold the settings screen with two fingers. The phone or tablet recognizes this command and activates the manual. To activate the utility in version Android 4.0, you should display a closed rectangle on the settings screen.
How to unblock Talkback?
If Talkback is activated on your device, there are two ways to unlock it. To do this, use two fingers to swipe up on the display and enter the unlock code, if required. Or, using audio prompts, find the unlock button, which is located in the middle of the bottom of the display, and press it twice.
How to pause Talkback?
Configuring TalkBack and the functionality of this utility allows you to pause its operation. You can do this by opening the main context menu of the program and selecting “Pause reviews”. This item is located in the upper left corner of the radial menu. Then you need to confirm this action and, if necessary, you can also do so here, which will allow you to immediately pause the program in the future.
How to turn off Talkback?
For blind and visually impaired people, this program is the only opportunity to use a mobile device. But if a user with normal vision activated the utility without understanding why Talkback is needed, then he will have to experience inconvenience and observe a slowdown in the operation of the gadget. Therefore, the question of how to disable Talkback on Android is far from idle. Many people are surprised - Talkback, what kind of program is it that is so difficult to remove. But you can do this by following the instructions:
- by clicking the “Settings” icon twice, enter the section;
- select "Accessibility";
- open “Talkback” and turn the switch to “OFF”;
- confirm the action.
Having answered the question - Talkback, what kind of program is this, some users, even with perfect vision, find it convenient and use it for their own purposes. For example, this is a convenient utility for drivers or for those whose work cannot distract their attention from anything. If you are one of the people who wants to expand their horizons and get additional opportunities, then you should try working with this utility.
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After purchasing an Android smartphone, all owners want to quickly understand it and find out what each of the icons means. If no questions arise with most labels, then no one is familiar with one of them. This is TalkBack with five fingers in the logo. It is worth noting that none of the owners of the new smartphone knows what this TalkBack application from Google is and how to use it.
When buying an expensive Android device (for example: Samsung), people usually carefully study its characteristics and look closely at the quality of the screen. Many complain about developers whose products have a screen resolution lower than HD, because in this case you can see the pixels on the screen, which can be “very annoying” when working with the phone. But there are also visually impaired people who absolutely do not care about the number of these dots on the screen. In fact, for such people, a special TalkBack Google program was developed, which will allow visually impaired people to control their Android smartphone more effectively. This service, using vibration, words and other signals, will make it clear which element the user is touching, what it is and how it generally works.
Key features of the program from Google
This TalkBack program has a fairly wide set of settings “on board”, as well as instructions for the user, which may be required when starting the service for the first time. The settings on versions of Android 4.0 and higher can be accessed via Settings/Special. capabilities/TalkBack/Settings; on Android versions lower than version 4.0 after installing the Accessibility Preferences/TalkBack Preferences application. Note that in some firmware the location of the service settings may differ (for example, on Samsung with the TouchWiz shell starting from Android 4.3, the settings are located along the path “Settings/My Device/Accessibility/TalkBack/Settings”). I think you understand what TalkBack is and whether you will use it.
Among the main features of the TalkBack program, it is worth highlighting the following (some of them work immediately after activating the utility):
- volume level selection;
- change or not change the tone when voicing;
- sounding the keys pressed;
- distance sensor regulates speech volume;
- shaking the device to read all the content on the screen;
- Caller ID voiceover (the device pronounces information about an incoming call);
- learning by touch;
- auto-scrolling lists;
- TalkBack has one-tap selection;
- gesture control;
- management of keyboard shortcuts;
- speech-to-text conversion;
- and many many others.
TalkBack is not an app that you would find particularly useful if you have normal vision. It will be very annoying when, in order to launch an application, you first need to select it, wait for a signal, and finally find out what you touched. But for those people who have problems with vision or have no vision at all, TalkBack is a real salvation. If you know such people, please help them configure this utility correctly.
If you don't need this TalkBack application, you can turn it off by opening Settings/Special. Features/TalkBack, set the switch to OFF, and then select “OK” in the dialog box. Everything is ready, TalkBack is disabled!
There are many applications on Google Play that help make life easier for both ordinary people and people with disabilities. One such application is TalkBack.
conclusions
As you can see, disabling “Talking Phone” or the TalkBack assistant on an Android phone is easy when you know where to look. Write in the comments whether the article was useful. Your comments help us find relevant material on using and setting up phones and programs. If using or finding functions is difficult, write to us the model and brand of your smartphone, we will help you find information with a video.
Evgeny Zagorsky
IT specialist. Author of information articles on the topic of Android smartphones and IOS smartphones. An expert in solving problems with computers and programs: installation, configuration, reviews, tips on the security of your devices. In his spare time, he designs and develops websites.