Pixelbook has a built-in screen reader called ChromeVox, which allows visually impaired people to use the Chrome operating system.
Note: If you're using the Chromevox screen reader, your Pixelbook will automatically switch to the Android screen reader when using the Google Assistant and other compatible Android apps. It will switch back to Chromevox automatically too, so you don't need to do anything
Turn screen reader on or off
In laptop mode: You can turn ChromeVox on or off from any page by pressing Ctrl + Alt + z.
In tablet mode: Press and hold the Volume down + Volume up buttons for 5 seconds. While holding the buttons, you'll hear a sound to indicate that it's working. Keep holding the buttons, then ChromeVox will start speaking.
Read a page
Tip: To hear a description of your cursor's current position on a page, press Search + k.
Move through a page with keyboard shortcuts
| Next button | Search + b |
| Next character | Search + Shift + right arrow |
| Next tick box | Search + x |
| Next combo box | Search + c |
| Next editable text area | Search + e |
| Next focusable item | Tab |
| Next form field | Search + f |
| Next graphic | Search + g |
| Next group | Search + Ctrl + down arrow |
| Next heading | Search + h |
| Next Level 1 Heading | Search + 1 |
| Next Level 2 Heading | Search + 2 |
| Next Level 3 Heading | Search + 3 |
| Next Level 4 Heading | Search + 4 |
| Next Level 5 Heading | Search + 5 |
| Next Level 6 Heading | Search + 6 |
| Next landmark | Search + ; (semicolon) |
| Next line | Search + down arrow |
| Next link | Search + L |
| Next object | Search + right arrow |
| Next table | Search + t |
| Next visited link | Search + v |
| Next word | Search + Ctrl + Shift + right arrow |
| Previous button | Search + Shift + b |
| Previous character | Search + Shift + left arrow |
| Previous tick box | Search + Shift + x |
| Previous combo box | Search + Shift + c |
| Previous editable text area | Search + Shift + e |
| Previous focusable item | Shift + Tab |
| Previous form field | Search + Shift + f |
| Previous graphic | Search + Shift + g |
| Previous group | Search + Ctrl + up arrow |
| Previous heading | Search + Shift + h |
| Previous Level 1 Heading | Search + Shift + 1 |
| Previous Level 2 Heading | Search + Shift + 2 |
| Previous Level 3 Heading | Search + Shift + 3 |
| Previous Level 4 Heading | Search + Shift + 4 |
| Previous Level 5 Heading | Search + Shift + 5 |
| Previous Level 6 Heading | Search + Shift + 6 |
| Previous landmark | Search + Shift + ; (semicolon) |
| Previous line | Search + up arrow |
| Previous link | Search + Shift + L |
| Previous object | Search + left arrow |
| Previous table | Search + Shift + t |
| Previous visited link | Search + Shift + v |
| Previous word | Search + Ctrl + Shift + left arrow |
| Increase the level of detail | Search + plus sign |
| Go to bottom of page | Search + Ctrl + right arrow |
| Go to top of page | Search + Ctrl + left arrow |
Move through a page with your touchscreen
| Previous word | Two-finger swipe left |
| Next word | Two-finger swipe right |
| Go to top of page | Two-finger swipe up |
| Start reading from current location | Two-finger swipe down |
| Click focused item | Tap twice |
| Stop speech | Two-finger tap |
| Previous line | Swipe up |
| Next line | Swipe down |
| Previous character | Swipe left |
| Next character | Swipe right |
| Previous word | Two-finger swipe left |
| Next word | Two-finger swipe right |
| Open most recently visited menu | Four-finger tap |
| Previous menu item | Swipe up within menus |
| Next menu item |
Swipe down within menus |
| Next menu heading | Swipe right within menus |
Move to different cells in a table
You can move around tables using keyboard shortcuts. To start, make sure that your cursor is in the table.
To move your cursor from its current location in a table, press Search + Ctrl + Alt and the arrow keys to move one cell up, down, left or right.
To go to different cells:
- First cell in the table: Search + Alt + Shift + left arrow
- First cell in current row: Search + Alt + Shift + Ctrl + left arrow
- First cell in current column: Search + Alt + Shift + Ctrl + up arrow
- Last cell in the table: Search + Alt + Shift + right arrow
- Last cell in current row: Search + Alt + Shift + Ctrl + right arrow
- Last cell in current column: Search + Alt + Shift + Ctrl + down arrow
- Move through selectable items, such as links and tabs: Tab
- Move backwards through selectable items: Shift + Tab
- Click: Enter or press Search + Space
- Select text: Search + s. At the end of your selection, press Search + s again
- Hear title of current page: Search + a, then w
- Hear URL of current page: Search + a, then u
- Hear current date & time: Search + a, then d
Change the voice or language
When you first turn on ChromeVox, it automatically chooses a voice based on the language that you’ve chosen for your device. To find out how to change your language and voice settings, see Related articles.
- Press and hold Search, then press the letter o twice.
- In the Voices section, select Chrome OS. Your default language shows on the button label.
- Choose another language from the list. You’ll hear the new language that you’ve selected.
- When you’re finished, press Ctrl + w.
- Slow down: Search + Shift + [ (left square bracket)
- Speed it up: Search + [ (left square bracket)
- Pause speaking: Ctrl
On a keyboard:
- Higher frequency: Search + ] (right square bracket)
- Lower frequency: Search + Shift + ] (right square bracket)
On a touchscreen:
- Tap the clock in the bottom corner of your screen to open the status area.
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down and tap Advanced.
- Scroll down to the 'Accessibility' section and tap Manage accessibility features.
- Tap Text-to-speech voice settings.
- Next to 'Pitch', move the slider to adjust to a higher or lower frequency.
Use ChromeVox keyboard shortcuts
If you're using a tablet, you can access shortcut commands by using the ChromeVox menus and accessing the commands listed in the Jump menu.
To avoid pressing Search for each shortcut, quickly press Search twice. You'll know that it's on when you hear 'Sticky Mode enabled'. It will stay on until you press it twice again.
To stop holding down Search, press Search again twice. ChromeVox will say 'Sticky Mode disabled'.
See or hide shortcuts
| See all possible ChromeVox shortcuts | Search + . (full stop) |
| Hide shortcuts | Esc |
| Show forms shortcuts | Search + Ctrl + f |
| Show headings shortcuts | Search + Ctrl + h |
| Show landmarks shortcuts | Search + Ctrl + ; (semicolon) |
| Show links shortcuts | Search + Ctrl + L |
| Show table shortcuts | Search + Ctrl + t |
Change spoken feedback settings
| Open Search options | Search + o, then o |
| Turn Braille captions on/off | Search + a, then b |
| Find in page | Search + / (forward slash) |
| Start reading from current location | Search + r |
| Turn earcons on or off | Search + a, then e |
| Hear punctuation marks as you type them | Search + a, then p |
| Hear letters as you type them | Search + a, then t |
| Ignore the next key press | Search + Shift + Esc |
Find out more about ChromeVox and your device
| Open context menu | Search + m |
| Open Search tutorial | Search + o, then t |
| Hear the names of the keys on your keyboard ('Learn Mode') | Search + o, then k. Your keyboard will say the name of any key or key combination that you press, and explain what the keyboard shortcut does. |
| Turn off Learn Mode | Ctrl + w |
| Open update notes | Search + o, then n |
Send feedback or get help using ChromeVox
- Chat with other people: Join the ChromeVox-Discuss group
- Send us feedback about ChromeVox
In laptop mode: Turn on ChromeVox, press and hold Search, then press a + i.
In tablet mode: Tap 4 fingers on the screen to open the ChromeVox menus. Then select Report an issue.