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4 months ago
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Google TalkBack is the default built-in screen reader for Android. However, starting with One UI 3.0 based on Android 11, Samsung phones and tablets come with Samsung’s own version of TalkBack set as the default screen reader.
Choosing between the two screen readers on a Samsung device is not a straightforward process. It involves some advanced steps, such as using ADB to enable Google’s version of TalkBack and uninstall Samsung’s version.
This article aims to highlight what’s available and what’s not in Samsung’s version of TalkBack, for beginners who are currently using a Samsung phone or tablet, planning to do so, or simply looking to clear up the confusion surrounding this topic, which is often discussed among blind Android users.
It’s important to note that this article is purely informative. It is based on factual details and user observations, and is not intended to express opinions about the separation of TalkBack versions. That topic has already been addressed in a previous opinion piece.
What is Samsung TalkBack
Samsung TalkBack is the TalkBack screen reader found on Samsung phones and tablets running Android, starting with One UI 3.0 or Android 11. The screen reader itself is not developed by Samsung; rather, it is Google’s version with some changes. The core of the screen reader remains the same as the TalkBack found on other Android devices.
According to Samsung, this version is optimized to work more efficiently and be more compatible with Samsung devices.
Samsung TalkBack is the default screen reader on Samsung phones and tablets, and it can be installed from the Galaxy Store. In contrast, Google TalkBack—the default screen reader on other OEM devices—is available on the Play Store as part of the Android Accessibility Suite app.
Installing and Updating Samsung TalkBack
There is no need to take any steps to install Samsung TalkBack, as it is already built in and can be enabled during phone setup: either by pressing Power + Volume Up or by holding both volume keys. The traditional method of tapping and holding two fingers on the screen may also work. If Samsung TalkBack wasn’t enabled during setup, it can be activated later from the Accessibility settings, where a shortcut can also be assigned to toggle it quickly.
Although TalkBack is available in the Galaxy Store, major version upgrades are delivered through One UI updates. This means that to receive new versions of Samsung TalkBack, the device must first get the corresponding One UI update. As a result, the TalkBack version on a phone running One UI 5 differs from the version found on One UI 6 or 7.
This update mechanism differs from how Google TalkBack is updated. In that case, updates are delivered directly through the Play Store to all supported Android versions, though some features may depend on the Android version. For example, HID Braille support over Bluetooth is only available on Android 15 and later.
Core Functions, Gestures, and Settings
As mentioned earlier, Samsung TalkBack is based on Google’s version, which means that operating the device using the screen reader is the same. It uses the same default gestures and offers a similar set of features. However, Samsung TalkBack omits certain options and functions. Additionally, because different One UI versions include different TalkBack builds, some features may not be available on older versions of One UI.
No Gemini Online Detailed Image Descriptions
The most notable omission in Samsung TalkBack is the absence of Gemini-based detailed online image descriptions. This feature, introduced in Google TalkBack 15.0, allows Gemini to describe the currently focused element. It was further expanded in TalkBack 16.0 to include entire screen descriptions and the ability to ask follow-up questions.
This feature is currently not available in Samsung TalkBack, even for users running the One UI 8 beta 2. The only form of image descriptions appears on the Galaxy S25 series, where offline descriptions are powered by the on-device Gemini Nano. However, this implementation does not support follow-up questions or full screen descriptions.
It’s important to note that the item labeled “Describe image” in Samsung TalkBack only extracts text from images and icon labels using offline text and icon recognition. When neither is detected, a message is displayed to inform the user that the image cannot be described. This is the case on devices other than the S25 series, as on S25 phones, this item performs actual image descriptions using the offline on-device model.
As a result of not having image description support, Samsung TalkBack also lacks any related settings, including the older basic offline description features that were available before the introduction of Gemini descriptions.
While Samsung may add Gemini image descriptions in the future, it is likely that the feature will only become available starting from a specific One UI version. Older versions are unlikely to receive it retroactively.
No Option to Use the Proximity Sensor to Interrupt Speech
Google TalkBack includes an option to interrupt speech by placing the hand close to the proximity sensor. Samsung TalkBack does not offer this feature, likely because Samsung devices use virtual proximity sensing rather than a dedicated hardware sensor.
Probably Better Integration with Samsung Services
According to Samsung sources, the separation of Google and Samsung TalkBack allows Samsung to further enhance the TalkBack experience on its devices. This could mean better compatibility with Samsung-specific features.
While practical differences are usually minor, there have been cases where Samsung TalkBack performed better on certain devices or with specific features. For example, users who used Google TalkBack on Samsung devices sometimes experienced issues with TalkBack speech interrupting Bixby, whereas this problem did not occur when using Samsung TalkBack.
Another observed difference is in One UI 7, where only Samsung TalkBack can utilize Samsung’s TTS (text-to-speech) engine.
A more responsive experience might also be noticed, especially since Samsung TalkBack is a system app, whereas Google TalkBack, when installed on Samsung devices, is treated as a user app.
An interesting observation involves the cover screen of Samsung Flip phones. Samsung improved its version of TalkBack by enabling the display of overlay screens—such as the TalkBack menu—on the cover screen, a capability that wasn’t present in Google’s version. Eventually, the same improvement was added to Google TalkBack in later versions.
However, the expected flawless integration is not always present. One prominent example is the Proofread TalkBack feature, which shows misspellings and grammar errors and offers suggestions to fix them. This feature doesn’t work if Gboard is not set as the default spell checking service, even on Samsung devices. The expected behavior would be for the feature to be compatible with the default Samsung keyboard’s spell checking service, especially since on some Samsung devices, Gboard is not preinstalled.
Multi-Finger Gestures Support
Both TalkBack versions support multi-finger gestures. However, Samsung TalkBack enables this support starting from Android 11, while Google TalkBack requires Android 12 or higher, except on a few Pixel devices where support is available from Android 11.
Should You Install Google TalkBack on Your Samsung Device?
It’s difficult to give a straightforward answer to this question. Neither Google nor Samsung recommends using Google TalkBack instead of Samsung’s version on Samsung phones or tablets.
Additionally, running Google TalkBack on a Samsung device is not as simple as installing an app from the Play Store and enabling the accessibility service. Google TalkBack does not appear among the accessibility services by default on Samsung devices, nor can it be assigned to an accessibility shortcut.
If you encounter issues while running Google TalkBack on a Samsung device, reporting them to either Google or Samsung can be complicated, since you are using an unsupported configuration.
Using Google TalkBack on Samsung devices requires advanced steps such as ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands. Because conflicts have been observed when both versions coexist on the same device, it is typically recommended to uninstall Samsung TalkBack if you intend to use Google TalkBack. Since TalkBack is a system app, uninstalling Samsung TalkBack also requires ADB, as it cannot be removed through normal means.
Despite the risks, uninstalling Samsung TalkBack and replacing it with Google TalkBack is common among Samsung users. John Dyer’s guide with simple step-by-step instructions is particularly popular. However, it is important to understand and assess the risks involved, as compatibility issues or crashes might occur at any time when using Google TalkBack on a Samsung device.
Conclusion
If you own a Samsung phone or tablet running One UI 3.0 or higher, you should understandthat the TalkBack screen reader on your device is Samsung’s TalkBack. The version and, consequently, the available features depend on the One UI version your device is running, with updates delivered mainly through One UI system updates rather than the Galaxy Store. Version numbers may not match those of Google TalkBack, as the two are not always synchronized.
Samsung TalkBack remains similar to Google TalkBack in many respects, and you might even encounter the same bugs that affect users on other devices.
If you are planning to get a Samsung device, it’s important to understand how TalkBack currently works and not rely on assumptions about future changes. The separation between Samsung TalkBack and Google TalkBack should be considered a reality, despite rumors that it might end. This article will be updated to reflect any major changes if they occur.
