Google offers several accessibility features on Android to help users easily perform day-to-day tasks. Those with visual or auditory impairments can use the tools in the Android Accessibility Suite to navigate the UI and perform various actions without outside assistance. Among these is a handy switch-based input system called Switch Access, which lets you use your Android device with one or more switches instead of the touchscreen.
Google first launched Switch Access in 2017, and it has since picked up new functionality to help you do even more. In addition to new capabilities, Google has also split Switch Access away from the Android Accessibility Suite, and it’s now available as a standalone app on the Play Store. If you face issues controlling your Android phone with its touchscreen and have yet to try out Google Switch Access, here’s everything you need to get started.
How to use Google Switch Access
Switch Access is the perfect solution for those who find it difficult to directly interact with an Android device’s touchscreen. You can use it to set up different hardware switches that connect to your device via USB or Bluetooth. These can then help you scan and select items on the screen, scroll through pages, type, and almost everything that would otherwise require you to interact with the touchscreen. You can even rely on the front-facing camera to recognize pre-configured facial expressions as switches.
Since the app is no longer part of the Android Accessibility Suite, you first need to install the app. You can do it via the link below. After that, follow the steps to get set up.
- Tap the app icon in the app drawer or select Open in the Play Store to open the app.
- Enable Switch Access by selecting the Settings option on the following pop-up and then tapping on the Switch Access in the Accessibility menu.
- Tap the toggle on the following page to enable Switch Access and then Allow on the pop-up to grant the required permissions.
- On the following page, choose the switch type you want to set up. You can select USB switch if you wish to physically connect a switch via USB, Bluetooth switch to pair a switch wirelessly over Bluetooth, or Camera Switch if you want to use facial gestures as switches.
- Give Switch Access permission to take pictures and record video with the front-facing camera by tapping either While using the app or Only this time on the following pop-up.
- You’ll also have to download additional data to enable camera switches, which you can do by tapping Download on the following pop-up.
- After downloading the additional data, select the number of switches you wish to set up. You can use One Switch if you want to control everything with a single gesture or Two switches if you want to use one or more gestures.
- Select the scanning method on the following screen. This will allow Switch Access to highlight UI elements on your screen linearly, by row and column, or as a group.
- To Assign gestures for Next, choose from a variety of options, including Open Mouth, Smile, Raise Eyebrow, Look Left, Look Right, and others.
- To Assign gesture for Select, select the highlighted item.
- You can also choose a gesture on the Assign gesture for Pause, but it’s optional.
- Test your switches on the following page by playing a game of Tic-Tac-Toe using just your facial gestures. Once you’re satisfied with the results, tap Next and complete the setup by tapping Finish.
- You can make further changes to the switches by tapping the Adjust Camera Switches option on this page.
- After completing the setup, you can assign Switch Access shortcut. You get two options: a floating Accessibility button or pressing both volume buttons.
You should now be able to control your phone with facial expressions without ever needing to interact with the touch screen. If you want to make any further changes, you can jump into the Settings> Accessibility> Switch Access. The app lets you further choose menu customizations, enable or disable auto-scan, enable speech, sound, and vibration, and more.
Control your phone with external or camera switches
Google’s Switch Access app is a handy tool to help users control their Android devices without interacting with the touchscreen. It’s useful for those with disabilities, but it can also come in handy if your phone’s touchscreen breaks. Try it out by following the steps above.