Accessibility in Google Docs Editors

Overview

Important: Some features require local provision and won’t be available in all locales.

You can use Google Docs Editors applications, like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, to create and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and videos. You can use these applications on various devices, like computers, smartphones, and tablets.

These applications are designed to be accessible to all users. This includes users with disabilities. There are many built-in accessibility features, like:

Screen reader
Magnifier compatibility
Keyboard navigation
Braille display support
Closed captions and transcripts
High contrast mode support
Voice typing

Tip: For best results, use the latest version of:

Google Docs Editors
Browser
Operating system
Assistive technology

Vision

To interact with your device with touch and spoken feedback, you can turn on “TalkBack” to:

Describe Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides elements and content as you perform actions.
Inform you about alerts and notifications.

Learn how to turn on TalkBack.

To customize the appearance of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides:

Use Dark theme in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Use templates to create documents with structured formats that don't depend on just visual styles to be understood.
Zoom or change your document view to adjust the content size without affecting other users of the same content.

If you want to adjust contrast or colors, use Android features like:

These Android features for low vision assistance may be useful:

Screen magnification
Text scaling
Screen resolution
Select to speak

For more information on the features for low-vision assistance, check the Android Accessibility Help Center.

Hearing

You can use Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides without hearing, but you can also add video content. To make the content accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, add captions. To add caption tracks, you need to upload them on your computer. Learn how to add caption tracks to your video files.

Alternative input

If you connect an external keyboard to your Android device, you can use keyboard shortcuts in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. For the list of shortcuts, check these articles:

These Android features for interaction and dexterity may be useful:

To navigate and interact with the user interface, add a switch device.
To navigate and interact by voice, configure Android’s Voice Access.
Add a touchpad and cursor to the “Assistant” menu.
Configure touch sensitivity and duration settings.
Add a physical keyboard with:
- Sticky keys
- Slow keys
- Bounce keys

Tip: For more information on platform settings for alternative input, refer to the Android Accessibility Help Center.

Cognition

Users with cognitive challenges like processing disorders or distraction issues have different requirements. Some users need extensive hints, more information density, and attention-grabbing UI to stay on task, while others need minimal distractions. To meet these requirements, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides provide settings and features to address these issues. For example:

You can also use these additional features:

Animation toggle
Notification timeout and appearance
Select to speak