Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Improved announcements for braille comments and highlights available in Google Docs on Web

Quick summary 

We've improved how comments and highlighted text are announced with braille support enabled in Google Docs. This change makes it easier for users of assistive technology, including screen readers and refreshable braille displays, to interact with comments in documents and identify text with background colors. 

When reading the document, you’ll now hear start and end indications for comments and highlights alongside the rest of the text. These announcements will respect the comment and marked text settings that screen readers provide. We hope this additional information serves as useful context and makes it easier to collaborate when working in Google Docs. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled by the user going to Tools > Accessibility settings > Turn on braille support. Visit the Help Center to learn more about how to Use a braille display with Docs editors. 

Additional details 

Users should update to the latest versions of their assistive technologies and browsers to fully benefit from these improvements. 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers

Resources