Switch Access

Control your Android device using switches or your front-facing camera. This accessibility feature allows for selection, scrolling, text entry, and more, offering an alternative to touchscreen interaction. It's ideal for users who find direct touchscreen control difficult.

Getting Started:

1. Access your device's Settings app.
2. Navigate to Accessibility > Switch Access.

Setting Up a Switch:

Switch Access sequentially highlights screen items until a selection is made. Choose from various switch types:

• Physical Switches: USB or Bluetooth switches (buttons, keyboards), or built-in switches like volume buttons.
• Camera Switches: Utilize facial expressions (opening your mouth, smiling, raising eyebrows) or head movements (looking left, right, or up).

Scanning Methods:

After switch setup, choose a scanning method:

• Linear Scanning: Sequential item selection.
• Row-Column Scanning: Row-by-row scanning followed by item selection within the chosen row.
• Point Scanning: Use intersecting lines to pinpoint a selection.
• Group Selection: Assign switches to color-coded groups of items, progressively narrowing down the selection.

Using Menus:

Once an item is selected, a menu appears offering actions like select, scroll, copy, paste, and more. A top-level menu provides additional device controls (notifications, home screen, volume adjustments, etc.).

Camera Switch Navigation:

Camera Switches enable facial gesture navigation, controlling app browsing and selection via the front-facing camera. Sensitivity and gesture duration are customizable.

Recording Shortcuts:

Record and assign touch gestures (pinch, zoom, scroll, swipe, double-tap, etc.) to switches or menu options, streamlining complex actions. For instance, record a gesture to quickly turn ebook pages.

Permissions Note:

This accessibility service observes actions, retrieves window content, and monitors typed text.