Talkback/Talk Forward Enhanced Keyboard Layout

By Trenton Matthews, 10 June, 2026

Forum
Android

Considering both screen readers have it, I mention them both within thy subject line.

If you've ever heard/used the Chromevox screen reader before, or possibly getting one of those GoogleBooks when they start coming out this year, said layout may sound slightly familiar.

If you need a brush up on keystrokes, you can find all that via the below link:

https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6110948?hl=en

FYI:

The 'CMD' key on Galaxy devices, is the 'Action' key on all other ones. And you change what key or keys it is by visiting your Physical keyboard's settings.

By default, on most keyboards, it is the Windows key. Though I have it set to both the Windows & Caps lock key, for some reason.

Options

Comments

By TheBlindGuy07 on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 15:43

Cause I am sure anything google come up with will have better desktop accessibility than whatever we have to tolerate on mac. Especially on the web, where chromevox is just next to NVDA with some warnings IMO, way better than jaws that I've never liked on the web.

By Trenton Matthews on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 16:17

, that's what will be on GoogleBooks. The enhanced keyboard layout will most likely be the default layout on those.

For now, at least, the normal default keyboard layout for Talkback (which does not use Browse Mode) is what you get when first running/installing Talkback or the first time.

For Talk Forward, it's the enhanced keyboard itself by default instead of the original default one.

I doubt Jieshuo will ever make a browse mode for their keyboard support, same with prudence.

By Justin Harris on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 19:58

I hope eventually they will introduce caps lock as modifier. Yes we can do that with some modifications and hacking, but would be nice to not need to do that.

By Trenton Matthews on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 20:34

Settings>General Management>Physical Keyboard>Custom Keys.

I remember you mentioning about hacking things with Keymapper in a prior thread. I hear on Pixels that all keyboard shortcuts can be customized and not just a select few.

I of course don't have a pixel with Android 17 beta to test with so...

At least said keyboard shortcuts aren't like the ones from early Chromevox days. Back in the day, Chromevox used an EMacs layout.

Interestingly, I miss the older Chromevox sounds.