How to disable blind mode on Honor smartphones: 5 proven methods

Mode for visually impaired users (most often TalkBack or Screen Reader) on smartphones Honor can be activated accidentally - for example, after triple pressing the power button, an unsuccessful system update, or even due to children playing with the phone. This mode radically changes the control of the device: instead of the usual taps, specific gestures are required, voice prompts read every element of the screen, and standard swipes stop working. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic: you can disable blind mode on Honor in several ways - both through settings and using hardware buttons.

It is important to understand that on smartphones Honor (especially on models with Magic UI 7.0+) the accessibility interface may differ from standard Android. For example, in some firmware TalkBack hidden under the name Voice Assistant or Screen Narrator. In addition, after activating this mode, standard gestures (for example, swiping down to bring up the notification panel) stop working, which makes navigation more difficult. In this article we will analyze all the current methods of disabling, including hidden method through safe mode for devices with a damaged screen.

1. Standard method: through accessibility settings

If the screen responds to touches and you can more or less navigate the menu, this method is the most reliable. However, in TalkBack mode, you will have to control the phone differently:

• 🔹 Single tap - selects an element (does not press it!).
• 🔹 Double tap - activates the selected element (analogous to a regular press).
• 🔹 Swipe with two fingers —scrolls the screen up/down.
• 🔹 Swipe left/right with one finger —moves focus between elements.

Now let's move on to disable:

1. Open Settings (gear icon). This may take several attempts - swipe across the screen with two fingers until you hear a voice confirmation.
2. Scroll down to the section Special features (in some versions Magic UI it's called Universal access).
3. Find the submenu TalkBack, Voice Assistant or Screen Narrator and tap twice.
4. At the top of the screen there will be a slider or button Disable —activate it with a double tap.
5. Confirm the action in the window that appears (again, double tap on OK).

If after After these actions, the mode is not disabled, check whether the function is activated in the settings. It must be deactivated separately. data-i="80">Make sure the battery charge is more than 20% Accidental shutdown protection in settings TalkBack. It must be deactivated separately.

2. Disabling via the quick settings panel

On some models Honor (for example, Honor 50, Honor 70, Honor Magic 4) a quick control button has been added to the notification panel TalkBack. This method will work, only. if:

• 📱 You did not change the settings of the notification panel manually.
• 🔄 The function is not blocked by the device administrator (relevant for work phones).
• 🔊 Voice prompts do not interfere with finding the desired icon.

Instructions:

1. Swipe down with two fingers from the top edge of the screen to open the notification panel.
2. Swipe left/right with one finger until you hear TalkBack or Accessibility.
3. Double tap to activate the button - if it is on, it will switch to position Off..

If there is no button, you can add it:

1. Open the notification panel and tap on the pencil icon (edit).
2. Find TalkBack in the list of inactive buttons and drag it to the top (this will require a double tap and hold).

3. Using Google Assistant voice commands

If gestures cause difficulties, you can use the voice assistant. This method works on all smartphones Honor with preinstalled Google Assistant (exception: models for the Chinese market).

Action algorithm:

1. Activate Google Assistant voice command Okay, Google or holding button Home (if it is physical).
2. Say: Turn off TalkBack or Turn off Narrator.
3. Voice confirmation when Assistant asks.

If voice input doesn't work:

• 🔇 Check if the microphone is disabled in the privacy settings.
• 📶 Make sure that the phone is connected to the Internet (a connection is required to process voice commands).
• 🔄 Restart the device - sometimes this helps restore the Assistant's functionality.

4. Hardware shutdown using buttons (for a locked screen)

If the screen does not respond to touches or you cannot unlock the phone due to the activated TalkBack, use a combination of physical buttons. This method will work on most. models Honor, including Honor 8X, Honor 10, Honor 20 Pro and new series with Magic UI.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Press the Power and Volume Up buttons simultaneously for 10–15 seconds until the phone vibrates and reboots.
2. As soon as the logo appears Honor, release the buttons.
3. After reboot TalkBack may turn off automatically (if it was activated accidentally).

If the mode remains enabled:

• 🔄 Repeat the reboot 2-3 times - sometimes it helps.
• 🔧 Try logging into Safe Mode (press Power, then hold Turn off power until the prompt appears). In Safe Mode TalkBack disables automatically.

adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.google.android.marvin.talkback/com.google.android.marvin.talkback.TalkBackService:com.huawei.accessibility/com.huawei.accessibility.talkback.TalkBackService

5. Resetting the settings to factory settings (as a last resort)

If none of the methods worked, the only option left is hard reset - resetting the phone to factory settings settings. This will delete all data from the device, so use the method only as a last resort. Before resetting, try saving important information via Find My Device (if the function was activated earlier).

How to reset:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Hold down. simultaneously Power and Increase volume until the logo appears Honor.
3. Release the buttons when the menu appears Recovery Mode (usually in English).
4. Use the volume buttons to navigate and the button Power to select Wipe data/factory reset.
5. Confirm the action by selecting Yes.
6. After resetting, select Reboot system now.

After rebooting, the phone will be like new and TalkBack will turn off automatically.

⚠️ Attention: On some models Honor for the Chinese market (for example, Honor V40 without Google services), voice muting via Google Assistant is not available. In this case, use hardware buttons or ADB.

Common errors and how to avoid them

When disabled TalkBack users often encounter typical problems:

• 🔒 The phone asks for a PIN code, but the keyboard does not work.
  

  Solution: Use gestures TalkBack —swipe left/right to select a number, double tap to enter. Or connect the keyboard via Bluetooth.

• 🔊 Voice prompts make it difficult to hear commands.
  

  Solution: Connect headphones or reduce the media volume (but not system sounds!).

• 🔄 After a reboot, TalkBack turns on again.
  

  Solution: Check your settings Accessibility → TalkBack Settings → AutoPlay and disable the option.

If you encounter another problem, try:

• 📱 Reflash the phone via HiSuite (official software from Huawei).
• 🔧 Contact the service center if the mode was activated due to a hardware malfunction (for example, a stuck sensor).

⚠️ Attention: On smartphones Honor s Magic UI 7.0+ after disconnecting TalkBack a reboot may be required to restore standard gestures. If after turning off the mode, swipes do not work, just restart the device.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions