Guide to the VoiceView Screen Reader on Your Echo Device

The VoiceView Screen Reader reads aloud items you touch on the screen. When enabled, you can use gestures to navigate your device while VoiceView describes the actions you make on screen.

Use one of the following methods to toggle VoiceView:

Turn On

Press and hold the Mic/Camera button. When you hear an alert, place two fingers (slightly apart) on the screen and hold for 5 seconds.

Turn Off

Press and hold the Mic/Camera button. When you hear an alert, use a single finger to double tap the screen and hold for 5 seconds.

Echo Show

When facing the screen, the Mic/Camera button is the left-most button on top of the device.

Echo Spot

When facing the screen, the Mic/Camera button is in the middle on top of the device.

Say, "Go to Settings," or swipe down from the top of the screen and select Settings. Select Accessibility, then VoiceView Screen Reader, and select VoiceView. Say, "Turn [on/off] VoiceView."

You can customize your VoiceView experience by modifying user settings. To access Settings when VoiceView is on, say, "Go to Settings," or swipe down from the top of the screen with three fingers.

Place focus on Settings and double-tap to activate. Navigate to Accessibility and double-tap VoiceView Screen Reader to access available settings.

Setting Description

Reading Speed
Adjust the speed of VoiceView speech.

Speech Volume
Set the volume level for VoiceView speech, or select Match device volume to use the same volume other media is set to.

Sounds Volume
Set the volume level for VoiceView feedback tones, or select Match device volume to use the same volume other media is set to.

Key Echo
Determine what is echoed back to you while entering text. By default, characters are echoed as they are typed to confirm entry. You can change this to none, characters, words, or both characters and words.

Punctuation Level
Control what punctuation marks are read aloud.

Gestures

After adjusting your preferences, you can use gestures to explore your device.

Action Gesture

Open the status bar

Swipe down from the top of the screen with three fingers.

Go to the next page or previous page

Swipe left and right with three fingers.

Explore the screen

Drag a finger over items on the screen to have them read aloud.

Go to the next item

Swipe right using one finger.

Go to the previous item

Swipe left using one finger.

Open an item

Place focus on the item, and then double-tap anywhere on the screen. If the item doesn't open, try slowing down or speeding up your tapping speed.

Increase granularity

Swipe up then down using a single motion. This allows you to step through items at the selected granularity. For example, character granularity can be used to spell a word.

Decrease granularity

Swipe down then up using a single motion. This allows you to step through items at the selected granularity. For example, character granularity can be used to spell a word.

Go to the next item by granularity

Swipe down using one finger.

Go to the previous item by granularity

Swipe up using one finger.

Type on the keyboard

Move one finger slowly over the keys to hear them read to you. When you hear the letter you want to type, lift your finger from the keyboard to enter the letter. If you hear a sudden tone, your finger has moved off the keyboard.

Scroll up or down

Swipe up or down with three fingers when scrolling is available.

Scroll right or left

Swipe right or left with three fingers when scrolling is available.

Stop speech

Single-tap with two fingers.

Read all from selected item

Swipe down using two fingers.

Read all from first item

Swipe up using two fingers.

Start or stop media

Double-tap using two fingers.

Mute or unmute speech

Double-tap using three fingers.

Adjust a slider control

Slider controls are used to adjust settings such as volume or screen brightness. To adjust a seek control: Place focus to the control you want to adjust. Swipe right then left in a single motion to increase, or left then right in a single motion to decrease. Alternatively, double-tap and hold, and then slide your finger to adjust the control.

Enter or exit Learn Mode for gesture practice

Double-tap using four fingers. (Currently available on Echo Show only.)

Go to the first item on the screen

Tap the upper half of the screen using four fingers. (Currently available on Echo Show only.)

Go to the last item on the screen

Tap the lower half of the screen using four fingers. (Currently available on Echo Show only.)


Created on ... October 01, 2019