VoiceView is one of the most interesting functions of the Amazon Fire TV Stick for all those who have accessibility problems, but sometimes we also recognize that it can also be a real headache if you are not clear on how to make your Fire TV stop. to read everything that appears on the screen. So let’s see in detail what it offers and how to disable it if you don’t need it.
VoiceView and its use in Fire TVs
VoiceView is nothing more or less than a screen reader, one of the accessibility options available on Fire TV Sticks. This particular one is only available for devices with the Alexa Voice Remote . Only in these models, so don’t go crazy looking for it in previous versions. And, also, although we have already seen that there are different options for its remote control, if you want to use this function you must resort to the physical control and other methods such as the smartphone app will not be worth it.
The VoiceView option is intended for users with accessibility problems, with vision limitations to be more exact, and allows them to know which element on the screen is the one selected . In this way, they can be moved through the entire system, menus and other options in a relatively agile and simple way.
When VoiceView is active a green square highlights the selected item and is read on the screen. For example, if it is the back button, the indication is given to the user by voice. So with each and every one of the elements, but it does not stop there alone. This option also includes an improved mode that is called Review Mode, which does is read any text that appears on the screen, making accessibility even easier.
Thanks to the entire system, people who are blind or have certain vision limitations can enjoy not only the Fire TV Stick but also the services it offers and all the content available. But how do you activate this option and deactivate it. That is what we are going to see.
How to configure VoiceView
As you have already read, VoiceView is an interesting accessibility option that allows any user with vision problems or directly blind to be able to use the Fire TV Stick and access all the content that other services and applications compatible with the device offer.
Well, now we are going to see how you can activate or deactivate it if necessary. The latter is very necessary if it is driving you crazy and you do not know what has happened or how you have put it if you did not touch anything in the configuration.
To activate or deactivate VoiceView you can use two different methods, the first:
- Open Settings in Fire TV menu
- Scroll to the Accessibility section
- Select VoiceView and activate or deactivate the function
That’s the first option, but it can also be turned on or off by pressing and holding the Back and Menu buttons at the same time on the Fire TV remote. That is the combination that many mistakenly press and cause them to go crazy without knowing why their Fire TV now reads everything on the screen.
This is how quick and easy it is to start using this accessibility function, but there are still more settings that facilitate its use and adapt it to the needs of each user to a greater or lesser extent. And, when you access VoiceView you will see different options:
- Read Speed: This allows you to adjust the speed at which each item reads on the screen. If you need to do it faster or slower, this is where you can vary the parameter
- Voice Volume: This option allows you to change the volume at which VoiceView will read each selected item on the screen.
- Sound volume: if you modify this menu, what you will do is adjust the volume of the content you are playing when you use VoiceView, so that you are able to clearly hear their indications and do not make a mess between them and the action of the movie, series, music or any other content being played
- Key Echo: For precise control, this function adjusts the sound that each text character emits when selected and serves to confirm that a specific key has been selected. With options for Characters or Words, it’s a matter of trying both to better understand how they work
- Score level: it allows you to control which signs VoiceView will read aloud or not, because it is not necessary to say “question mark” after a question
In short, if you do not have any vision problems and you find that your Fire TV Stick now reads any menu that appears on the screen and you select, calm because it is not bad or it has gone crazy. The only thing is that for some reason this function has been activated, which makes life so easy for those who really need it.
Therefore, not only do you already know something else and how to deactivate VoiceView. You have also known an option whereby if you have to recommend a device for content playback, this is it. And it is that, in the end, technology should serve for things like this, to facilitate the life of any user regardless of their peculiarities.