Accessibility Features for Fire TV

Learn about accessibility features available for Fire TV devices.

Table of Contents

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video overview of this topic, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

VoiceView

VoiceView is a screen reader that speaks on-screen text out loud as you navigate menu options and settings. Use VoiceView to navigate and set up your device. To switch VoiceView on or off:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select VoiceView.
  4. Select VoiceView again to turn it off.

The first time you turn on VoiceView, a tutorial provides tips on the feature and how to locate buttons on your Fire TV remote. Currently, VoiceView only works with the Fire TV remotes; VoiceView doesn't support the Fire TV Remote App.

To learn more, go to About VoiceView for Fire TV.

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Explore Your Remote

Turn on Explore Your Remote to have the names of your Fire TV remote buttons spoken when you press them.

Note: You need to turn on VoiceView on your Fire TV device to use Explore Your Remote.

To turn on Explore Your Remote:

  1. Turn on VoiceView.
    1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
    2. Select Accessibility.
    3. Select VoiceView.
  2. Press and hold the Play/Pause button first, and while holding it, press the Select or OK button . On your remote, Play/Pause is the middle button located on the bottom row of three small buttons. Select or OK button is the large round button near the top, inside the directional keypad ring.
  3. Wait until you hear, "Explore Remote."
  4. Press any button on your remote to have the button name spoken.

To turn off Explore Your Remote, press and hold the Play/Pause button first, and while holding it, press the Select or OK button again.

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Closed Captions

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video of this feature, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

Turn on closed captions during video playback to display on-screen text for the dialog in movies and TV shows.

Prime Video titles with closed captions typically feature a "CC" symbol in the video details.

Most videos with closed captions include English text, but you can often find other languages available. To access the available languages, open the video details for a movie or TV show and find the Subtitles section.

There are two ways to turn on closed captions: while watching a Prime Video movie or show, or using the device accessibility setting.

While watching a Prime Video movie or show:

  1. Start video playback.
  2. Press the Menu button on your Fire TV remote to open more playback options.
  3. Select Subtitles.
  4. Select the Off button under Subtitles. Then select an available language from the options on-screen to turn on Subtitles.
    Note: Set your preferred text size and display. A sample displays as you change your preferences.
  5. Once you've made your selections, press the Menu button again to return to playback, and start watching the video with Subtitles.

To turn off Subtitles:

  1. Press the Menu button during playback.
  2. Open Subtitles.
  3. Set Subtitles back to Off.

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Alexa Captions

You can turn on Alexa Captions on your Fire TV device to display Alexa's responses when available.

To turn on Alexa Captions:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility.
  3. Select Alexa Caption.
  4. Select ON/OFF for the Alexa Caption option.

Tip: Use the available options to customize the text style to your preference.

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Audio Descriptions

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video of this feature, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

Audio Descriptions are available for select Prime Video titles and provide narration for compatible movies and TV shows. They describe actions, characters, scene changes, on-screen text, and other visual content.

There are two ways to turn on Audio Descriptions: while watching a movie or show, or using the device accessibility setting.

While watching Prime Video movies and TV shows:

  1. Start video playback of a title compatible with Audio Descriptions.
  2. Press the Menu button on your Fire TV remote to open more playback options.
    Note: With VoiceView activated, press the Menu button twice.
  3. Select Audio.
  4. Under the Audio options, select the audio track with the [Audio Descriptions] tag.
  5. Once you've made your selection, the video reloads and resume playback with Audio Descriptions.

To turn Audio Descriptions while watching a movie or show:

  1. Press the Menu button during playback.
  2. Open Audio.
  3. Select the audio track with the [Audio Descriptions] tag.

To turn on Audio Descriptions:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select Audio Descriptions.
  4. Set Prime Video to ON.

To turn off Audio Descriptions:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select Audio Descriptions.
  4. Select OFF for Prime Video option.

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Screen Magnifier

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video of this feature, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

To turn on Screen Magnifier:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select ON or OFF for the Screen Magnifier option.

You can also use the Fire TV remote to manage Screen Magnifier:

  1. To turn on or off, hold Back and Fast Forward .
  2. To turn on or off zoom, press Menu and Play/Pause .
  3. To zoom in, press Menu and Fast Forward .
  4. To Zoom out, press Menu and Rewind .
  5. To pan in a different direction, press Menu and Up, Down, Left, or Right .

Note: Most video content isn't compatible with the zoom feature.

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Text Banner

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video of this feature, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

Text Banner displays a white box on the screen with the title of the currently focused item and related text. This feature is especially important for customers with visual impairments and limited vision range. This feature allows you to customize colors, box, and text size.

To access the Text Banner feature:

  1. Select Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select Text Banner.
  4. To customize the experience, select Font Size & Color or Banner size, Timing, & more.
  5. For more details, select Tutorial.

To turn Text Banner on or off with your Fire TV remote, press and hold Rewind and Fast Forward for two seconds.

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High Contrast Text (Experimental Feature)

Note: For an accessibility-friendly video of this feature, visit our Amazon Fire TV Accessibility Help Videos page.

Fire TV devices feature a high contrast text experimental feature, designed to help make text easier to read. It changes most of the text on-screen to black or white and adds a border of the opposite color. To turn High Contrast Text on or off:

  1. Select Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select High Contrast Text.
Note: High contrast text is currently an experimental feature, and performance varies. If you're having trouble navigating your device or selecting items, try to turn off this feature.

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Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids and Devices

Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids and Devices (ASHA) lets you pair your compatible Bluetooth hearing aids directly to your Fire TV device for private listening.

On Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series TVs, you can stream audio to paired hearing aids while others listen through the TV's built-in speakers. Visit the following help page to learn more: Use Dual Audio on Your Fire TV Smart TV.

Note: Compatible Starkey hearing aids, Widex hearing aids, and Cochlear hearing devices are supported on:
  • Fire TV Cube (2nd Generation)
  • Fire TV Cube (3rd Generation)
  • Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series
  • Fire TV Omni QLED Series
  • Fire TV 4-Series
  • Fire TV 2-Series

To pair your hearing aids and devices with Fire TV:

Note: "Hearing aids" refers to ASHA-compatible Bluetooth hearing devices like:
  • Hearing aids
  • Cochlear implants
  • Bone-conduction hearing devices

Before starting the pairing process with your Fire TV device, follow the manufacturer's instructions to put your hearing aids in pairing mode. Once your hearing aids are in pairing mode:

  1. Select Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select Hearing Aids.
  4. Select Add Hearing Aids.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If you’re using a right and left hearing aid, you need to pair them both separately.

If you’re having issues with pairing your hearing aids, visit the following help page: Troubleshoot Hearing Aid and Device Connectivity with Fire TV.

To control the volume:

Once you pair your hearing aids, you can control the volume using the volume control buttons available on your remote control. If your remote doesn’t have volume control options:

  1. Hold the Home button to access the Quick Settings.
  2. Use your remote to increase or decrease the volume bar.

You can also adjust the volume from the settings:

  1. Go to Settings on your Fire TV.
  2. Select Accessibility .
  3. Select Hearing Aids and choose your hearing aids.
  4. Select Volume. Control the volume using the fast forward and rewind buttons on your remote.
Note: While in Dual Audio mode, hearing aid volume is controlled through Quick Settings. TV speaker volume is controlled by the Fire TV remote.

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Preferred Speaking Rate

Note: Preferred Speaking Rate is only available in English.

You can adjust Alexa's speaking speed to make it more comfortable for you to understand. Simply use voice commands to adjust how fast or slow Alexa talks.

  1. To decrease speed, say "Alexa, speak slower."
  2. To increase speed, say "Alexa, speak faster."
  3. To return to normal speed, say, "Alexa, speak at your default rate".

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Adaptive Listening Mode

Note: Adaptive Listening Mode is only available in English.

Adaptive Listening gives you more time to finish speaking before Alexa responds to you.

To turn on Adaptive Listening for your Fire TV device:

  1. Open the Alexa app .
  2. Select More .
  3. Select Settings .
  4. Select Accessibility.
  5. Select Adaptive Listening Mode.
  6. Select the device or devices where you want to use Adaptive Listening.

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For more help, try our Amazon Fire TV forum.