Accessibility regression: app not usable with TalkBack / screen readers

[DevEmperor]

Summary

A blind user reports (via a Play Store review, translated from German) that the app is no longer accessible with screen readers:

I would like to ask you to do something, as the app is no longer accessible for blind people with the G.E.S.U.O. screen reader and TalkBack.

"No longer" strongly implies an accessibility regression introduced by a recent update — something that used to work with a screen reader now doesn't.

What the reviewer likely wants

Full screen-reader usability restored: every interactive element should be focusable, labeled, and announced so it can be operated via explore-by-touch / linear navigation with TalkBack (and third-party readers). No unlabeled buttons, focus traps, or elements that can't be reached.

Open questions (need clarification from the reviewer)

• Where exactly is it broken — the settings app, the keyboard (IME) itself, or the floating dictation button? (Most critical for a dictation keyboard: can a blind user still find/activate the mic and read back the result?)
• Which app version still worked, and since which one is it broken? (helps bisect the regression)
• What is "G.E.S.U.O."? The name came through garbled — likely a third-party Android screen reader (e.g. Jieshuo / Commentary Screen Reader), or a transcription artifact. Worth confirming, since third-party readers sometimes behave differently from TalkBack.

Areas to investigate

• Icon-only controls without contentDescription — TalkBack reads these as "unlabeled button". Recent UI work replaced some text actions with icons; audit all Icon/IconButton for content descriptions (settings model list, Smartbar actions, prompt chips, etc.).
• Keyboard / Smartbar accessibility — after the Smartbar/UI rework, verify the mic button, prompt row, and language chip are reachable and announced when TalkBack is active.
• Compose semantics in the settings screens — custom Row/clickable elements need Modifier.semantics/contentDescription/roles so TalkBack treats them as buttons.
• Possible conflict with Dictate's own AccessibilityService (the floating button, DictateAccessibilityService). Two accessibility services running at once can interfere; check whether enabling the floating button degrades TalkBack, and vice-versa.
• Focus order / traps — dialogs, the recording overlay, and the floating bubble should not trap or lose TalkBack focus.

Repro

Enable TalkBack, then walk through: the settings app, adding an input language, opening the keyboard, starting a dictation, and (if enabled) the floating button. Note every element that is unlabeled, unreachable, or not announced.

Filed from a Play Store accessibility review; details to be confirmed with the reviewer.

[grapefruit89]

Hey @DevEmperor! I took a look at this accessibility issue and wanted to help you narrow down the exact locations of the regression.

Note

Workflow Transparency: I used the Google Antigravity desktop version to scan the codebase for contentDescription usage and map it against your suspicions. I’ve manually reviewed the results to ensure they directly answer your open questions! 🚀

Your intuition in the "Areas to investigate" section was 100% correct: the recent UI changes introduced several icon-only buttons where the contentDescription was either omitted or explicitly set to null. This causes TalkBack to simply read them as "unlabeled button", making navigation impossible for blind users.

Here are the specific areas that are currently broken and how to easily fix them:

1. The Floating Dictation Button (DictateBubbleController.kt)

To answer your question: Yes, the floating button is completely invisible to screen readers!
Because it is drawn via the Android WindowManager (not Compose) using ImageViews, it currently has no semantics attached.

The Fix: You just need to assign a contentDescription when building the ImageViews (around line 322, 378, etc.):

        val icon = ImageView(context).apply {
            setImageResource(R.drawable.ic_mic)
+           contentDescription = context.getString(R.string.dictate__action_dictate)
        }

2. The Keyboard Smartbar (LegacyActionRowSetting.kt)

The Smartbar actions are also affected. In LegacyActionRowSetting.kt (e.g., around line 130 and 202), the icons are explicitly instantiated with null:

- Icon(action.icon, contentDescription = null, modifier = Modifier.size(22.dp))
+ Icon(action.icon, contentDescription = stringRes(action.labelResId), modifier = Modifier.size(22.dp))

(You might need to map action to an appropriate string resource if labelResId isn't directly available).

3. Settings Menus & Prompts (DictatePromptsScreen.kt & DictatePromptLibraryScreen.kt)

There are dozens of missing descriptions in the new settings screens. For example, the Upload, Download, and Delete buttons in the Prompt Library currently look like this:

- leadingIcon = { Icon(Icons.Default.FileDownload, contentDescription = null) },
+ leadingIcon = { Icon(Icons.Default.FileDownload, contentDescription = stringRes(R.string.action_download)) },

Summary for the fix:
A quick project-wide search for contentDescription = null will reveal all the Compose elements that need a string resource. Fixing these should immediately restore full TalkBack functionality and resolve the Play Store review!

I hope this helps you patch the accessibility regression quickly! Let me know if I should open a PR to fill in these missing descriptions for you! ✨