Accessibility Technologies

Assistive technologies are essential for making digital content accessible to individuals with disabilities. This document provides an overview of two key categories of assistive technologies relevant to Flutter development: screen readers for users with visual impairments and mobility support tools for those with motor limitations. By understanding and testing with these technologies, you can ensure your Flutter application provides a more inclusive and user-friendly experience for everyone.

For mobile, screen readers (TalkBack, VoiceOver) enable visually impaired users to get spoken feedback about the contents of the screen and interact with the UI by using gestures on mobile and keyboard shortcuts on desktop. Turn on VoiceOver or TalkBack on your mobile device and navigate around your app.

To turn on the screen reader on your device, complete the following steps:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/semantics.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(const MyApp());
  SemanticsBinding.instance.ensureSemantics();
}

Check out the following video demo to see how to use VoiceOver with the now-archived Flutter Gallery web app.

Flutter's standard widgets generate an accessibility tree automatically. However, if your app needs something different, it can be customized using the Semantics widget.

When there is text in your app that should be voiced with a specific voice, inform the screen reader which voice to use by calling TextSpan.locale. MaterialApp.locale and Localizations.override will affect screen reader voices starting from flutter 3.38 release. Usually, the screen reader uses the system voice except where you explicitly set it with TextSpan.locale.

For users with limited dexterity or hand strength, mobility support features can be helpful. Both Android and iOS offer a range of tools designed to make navigation and control easier. These features allow users to operate their devices through external switches, voice commands, or simplified on-screen menus.

Android provides Switch Access, Voice Access and Accessibility Menu, while iOS offers Switch Control, Voice Control, and AssistiveTouch. Understanding these tools helps in creating apps that are usable by people with diverse physical abilities.