How to turn off voice control on android
How to turn off voice control on android
Did you just pick up the phone and it started talking to you? Like it's reading out what's on the screen to you? Well, you might be wondering at first, but it doesn't have to be. That's the Android TalkBack feature in action. And here we will tell you how to disable TalkBack on Android if you don't need it.
TalkBack is an accessibility service developed to help visually impaired and blind people make full use of Android devices. It acts as a screen reader and controller when activated. With this feature, visually impaired, blind people or anyone who chooses to enable it can control their device without using their eyes. This means you will be able to control your device without looking at the screen.
TalkBack has always been a great feature on Android. Of course, it brings the best of Android to anyone alive. However, if your eyes are still working well and you don't feel sluggish, you may be anxious to wake up to find your phone talking to you. Not only that, using TalkBack for the first time can be tiring, at least if you're used to controlling your device with a single click.
Well, you're probably not here to learn how to turn off TalkBack. Instead, let us help you get rid of it. The following contains different ways to disable TalkBack on your Android. Try any of them to see which one works for you.
How to permanently disable TalkBack on Android
Turning off TalkBack on Android devices is very simple. You can disable this feature using the volume keys, the Google Assistant, or by going to your device's accessibility settings. Here are three ways to disable TalkBack on Android.
Before you begin, the procedure may be slightly different on different Android phones, Android versions, or TalkBack app versions. However, the steps are quite simple to follow.
Method 1: How to turn off TalkBack using the volume shortcut
The fastest way to turn off TalkBack on an Android device is to use the volume key. When you set up TalkBack on your phone, you'll see an option to enable accessibility shortcuts for this app. If this feature is enabled, you can easily mute TalkBack using the volume buttons.
Locate the volume keys on your device.
Press and hold both Volume keys for 3 seconds.
You will hear a TalkBack voice say “TalkBack OFF”. This means that you have disabled accessibility features on your device.
If TalkBack doesn't turn off using the volume key's accessibility shortcut on Android, try the next method below.
Method 2: Turn off TalkBack from your device's accessibility settings
The second standard method to disable TalkBack on Android devices is to use the Settings app. You need to find the Accessibility options and disable the TalkBack feature from there.
Note: Since TalkBack is enabled, you need to double-tap to select anything on the screen. Keep that in mind and follow these steps to turn off TalkBack.
Launch the Settings app on your device.
Click Accessibility.
TapTalkBack
Click the switch next to 'UseTalkBack'
Finally press STOP to permanently disable TalkBack on your Android device
Method 3: How to disable TalkBack using Google Assistant
Besides going into device settings or tapping and hold both volume buttons for 3 seconds, another way to turn off TalkBack on Android is to talk to the assistant. As you probably already know, the Google Assistant is capable of doing almost anything on your Android phone. Same with disabling TalkBack. Here's how:
Launch the wizard anyway
Say "Off or answer"
You should get a response confirming the request.
How to Disable Accessibility Shortcuts on Android
As mentioned earlier, Android Accessibility Shortcuts allows you to disable or enable any accessibility service installed on your device using the volume buttons. Normally, you'll see an option to enable "volume shortcuts" whenever you enable an accessibility service, such as TalkBack.
However, you may want to turn it off, you don't need it anymore or you need the volume buttons for another shortcut. If so, follow these steps to disable accessibility shortcuts on Android:
Android 11:
Launch the Settings app and select Accessibility.
Tap the service/application whose shortcut you want to disable. You can choose TalkBack, for example.
Then press the TalkBack shortcut.
Disable both shortcuts, then tap Save.
Android 10 or earlier:
Launch the Settings app and select Accessibility.
Press the Volume shortcut.
Tap "Use Services" to disable any accessibility shortcut services you have subscribed to.
How to disable TalkBack on the lock screen
In addition to completely disabling the accessibility shortcut on Android, you can also disable TalkBack on the lock screen. That doesn't mean it won't work on the lock screen. Instead, you or anyone else won't be able to activate TalkBack or any other accessibility service from the lock screen with volume button gestures.
Turning off TalkBack on the lock screen can be beneficial for privacy reasons or where your phone won't start talking to you when it's locked. Follow these steps to turn off TalkBack from the lock screen.
Launch the Settings app
Select Accessibility, then scroll down.
In the TEST section, turn off "Lock screen shortcut"
Android 10 or earlier:
That's it. You have successfully exited TalkBack on your device. If you ever need to re-enable it, you can always reverse the process.
No compromise, very useful accessibility services on Android. And when it comes to TalkBack, it's a boon on Android that aims to connect more people, bringing the best of a modern smartphone to people with disabilities.
However, if you have accidentally enabled TalkBack on your device and you don't know how to turn it off, the methods and steps mentioned in this article will definitely help you. And if you change your mind later, or if someone needs to enable TalkBack on their device, please help them out with this article.