The Accessibility page in your Google Account is not a master switch for every accessibility feature in Gmail, Chrome, or your phone. Start with the account preference it actually provides, then use the affected product’s own controls for reading, navigation, and assistive technology.
Review the account-level preference
Open myaccount.google.com/accessibility and check the signed-in account. Google’s documented account control lets you turn High-contrast colors on or off for a limited set of web products, including Google Voice and Google developer documentation sites.
Do not expect this switch to recolor the whole browser, every Google page, or your device’s operating system. After changing it, open a supported product and check whether text is easier to distinguish. A page outside that supported scope remaining unchanged does not necessarily mean the preference failed.
Set up the feature in the product you use
For keyboard navigation in Gmail on a computer, open Gmail’s settings, choose See all settings, find Keyboard shortcuts, turn them on, and save the change. Press ? while Gmail is open to view the shortcut reference. Some shortcuts already work without enabling the full set; keyboard and language support can vary.
For a screen reader, browser zoom, or a device contrast mode, use that product or operating system’s accessibility instructions. The account’s high-contrast preference does not install or enable a screen reader. On a managed device, ask the administrator about an unavailable device setting rather than changing unrelated account security controls.
Check one change at a time
Try a familiar task after adjusting a setting, such as reading a message or moving focus between controls. Make one change at a time so you can identify which preference helped. If a shortcut conflicts with your screen reader, consult both the product’s shortcut list and the assistive technology’s command settings.
Avoid installing an unknown extension merely because its name includes accessibility. Prefer built-in options and documented tools, and review permissions before adding software. If reporting a problem, describe the product, browser, assistive technology, and action that failed; you do not need to expose a private message or password to explain a navigation issue.
Browse Gmail & Google Account help
References
Reviewed against the linked official and developer guidance on October 27, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.