Chrome OS on Chromebooks provides robust accessibility options designed for users with disabilities, yet they're invaluable for anyone. This week marks the 25th anniversary of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in the United States. As a long-time Chromebook user and tech accessibility advocate, I've found these features enhance productivity for presentations, low-light reading, and more.
Key Features Covered: Enabling Accessibility Options, Large Mouse Cursor, ChromeVox Screen Reader, High Contrast, Screen Magnifier, On-Screen Keyboard, Automatic Clicks, and Top Google Extensions.
The quickest way to access these settings: Type chrome://settings/ in the Chrome browser address bar. Or, click the hamburger menu (three lines) in the upper-right corner and select Settings, then scroll to Show advanced settings.
Accessibility on other devices: Check our guides for Windows Ease of Access Center, iOS, macOS, and Android.
In Advanced Settings, find Accessibility. Start by enabling Show accessibility options in system menu—this adds quick toggles via your profile picture in the lower-right corner.
This enlarges just the cursor without altering the rest of the screen—perfect for presentations or demos where tracking clicks is essential. I've relied on it countless times to keep audiences engaged.
Google's answer to JAWS, ChromeVox reads screen content aloud at high speed. Toggle with Ctrl + Alt + Z. It's a game-changer for skimming long articles (tl;dr moments).
Boosts readability for visual impairments and reduces eye strain at night. I've used it extensively in dim lighting to stay comfortable during late-night work.
Further dimming at night: While F.lux isn't available for Chromebooks, G.lux offers a solid alternative.
Zooms the entire screen for easier reading. Toggle with Ctrl + Alt plus brightness keys. Essential without glasses or to highlight details in presentations.
Enter text virtually—great for sticky keys. Bonus: Click the microphone for voice dictation, which performs reliably for hands-free input.
Dwells the cursor to auto-click links, ideal for trackpad challenges in tight spaces.
Built-in tools work in guest mode too, but these Chrome Web Store extensions offer finer control for all users.
Unlike the all-or-nothing built-in mode, this lets you customize per page: invert colors, grayscale, and more.
Replaces images with alt text for screen readers—and speeds up slow connections by skipping visuals. A pro tip from my workflow.
Enable these accessibility features today. They're powerful tools for better Chromebook control, benefiting pros and casual users alike.
