These 6 Android Accessibility tools are actually useful for everyone

An Android phone comes with several useful features most people never bother exploring, and the accessibility menu is a perfect example of this. It might sound like a menu meant only for those with specific needs, but inside sits a set of tools that almost everyone can benefit from.

You can explore this menu to add live captions, dim the display beyond the usual limit, or make your old phone feel snappier. There are even shortcuts that simplify navigation and features that turn your phone into an extra pair of ears. Spend a few minutes exploring, and you might just discover upgrades you didn’t even know you wanted.

Live Caption

Real-time subtitles for anything on your screen

Live Caption can listen to any audio your phone plays and instantly turn it into on-screen text. It sounds simple, but what makes it useful is how many everyday annoyances it solves.

For instance, if you’re trying to watch a video in a noisy café without headphones, Live Caption can help you follow along without missing a thing. It works just as well if you’ve received a voice message and want to check it without playing it out loud.

Since this feature works on any screen, you can even use it during phone calls. You’ll see what the other person is saying with clear, real-time captions. You also get an option to type your responses, and your phone will read them out loud to the caller. To enable Live Caption, head to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing enhancements > Live Caption and switch it on.

Late-night scrolling without the glare

If you’ve tried using your phone for late-night scrolling, you know the struggle. Even at the lowest brightness, the screen can feel like a flashlight pointed straight at your face. Extra Dim lets you drop your screen brightness far below the usual minimum.

You’ll find the Extra dim toggle under Settings > Accessibility > Vision enhancements. Once enabled, use the slider to adjust the intensity to your liking. You can even add its shortcut to the Quick Settings panel for easy access.

Get iPhone-like floating button

The assistant menu gives your phone a floating toolkit that’s always within reach. Once enabled, you’ll see a small button that you can move anywhere. Tapping on it opens a compact menu of shortcuts like screenshots, brightness, volume control, magnifier, power menu, and more. These shortcuts can be handy if you’re trying to use your phone with one hand or if one of the physical buttons is broken.

You can pick the shortcuts that appear and arrange them in a way that fits how you actually use your phone. It works a lot like the AssistiveTouch button on iPhones. To enable and customize it, head to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Assistant menu.

Sound Notifications

Your phone listens so you don’t have to

If you are ever worried about missing an important sound like a doorbell, running water, a smoke alarm, or even a baby crying, just because you’re too deep into work or jamming to your favorite tunes, Sound Notifications can turn your phone into an extra set of ears.

It can help your phone recognize all kinds of important sounds like barking dogs, crying babies, appliance beeps, and much more. When it picks up something, it shows a clear alert with a description of the sound so you know what’s happening, even if you did not catch it yourself.

In the Accessibility menu, head to Hearing enhancements > Open Sound Notifications to enable the feature. From there, you can choose which sounds you want it to detect and which ones to ignore.

Answer and end calls with ease

Smart way to manage your phone calls

Answering and ending calls on Android is already easy enough, but the accessibility menu gives you a few more options that can make the process even more convenient. For instance, you can set your phone to always put calls on the speaker whenever no Bluetooth device is connected.

You also get the option to have caller names read aloud when you’re wearing headphones. That way, you know who’s calling without pulling your phone out of your pocket. There’s also the option to answer calls with the volume up button and end them with the side button, which can be handy when you’re wearing gloves.

To enable these features, head to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Answering and ending calls.

Dialing this number unlocks a menu you probably didn’t know existed

Your Android phone has a hidden status report.

Reduce animations and transparency

Make your phone feel fast again

If your Android phone is a bit old and doesn’t feel as snappy as it used to, there are a couple of accessibility toggles that can give a small boost. The first one is Reduce animations, which tones down all those flashy transitions that play when you open apps or move through menus. This can make your old Android feel a bit more responsive.

Another one is the Reduce transparency and blur, which turns off unnecessary visual effects on dialogs and menus. This not only saves a bit of performance but also makes it easy to read text. To try it out, head to Visibility enhancements in the accessibility menu.

The accessibility menu is not just about tools that cater to people with specific needs. It’s full of clever features that make your phone easier to live with. If you haven’t explored it yet, now is the perfect time.