How to make ClickableText accessible to screen readers

Question

This code creates a ClickableText element in Jetpack Compose Composable:

ClickableText(
  text = forgotPasswordAnnotatedString,
  onClick = {
  context.startActivity(intent)
},
  modifier = Modifier
    .padding(top = mediumPadding)
)

The annotated string is defined here to make the text look like a link:

val forgotPasswordAnnotatedString = buildAnnotatedString {
    append(stringResource(R.string.forgot_password))
    addStyle(
        style = SpanStyle(
            textDecoration = TextDecoration.Underline,
            color = Color.White,
            fontSize = 16.sp,
            fontWeight = FontWeight.Medium
        ),
        start = 0,
        end = 21,
    )
}

When I encounter this text using the TalkBalk screen reader in Android, the screenreader does not make it clear that this is clickable text that will do something which tapped on. The reader just reads the text.

Is there a way to make it clear to the screen reader that this text is interactive? Otherwise should I just use a button and style it to look like a link?

Answer 1

Adding .semantics.contentDescription to the Modifier changes what is read but the screen reader. I had to word contentDescription to make it clear that this was a link to reset the your password.

The screen reader still doesn't recognize the element a clickable but hopefully the description will be useful to convey to the user that this element is interactive.

ClickableText(
      text = forgotPasswordAnnotatedString,
      onClick = {
          context.startActivity(intent)
      },
      modifier = Modifier
          .padding(top = mediumPadding)
          // new code here:
          .semantics { 
              contentDescription = "Forgot your password? link"
          }
  )

Answer 2

It looks like your intention is for the whole text to be clickable? In which you best option is probably a TextButton as suggested by Gabriele Mariotti.

But if you wan't only part of the link to be clickable, or to have multiple clickable sections, the best I've been able to land on is to draw an invisible box overtop of the Text. It means that I can control the touch target of the clickable area to be at least 48.dp and can use the semantics{} modifier to control how a screen reader interprets it.

Would welcome any suggestions.

// remember variables to hold the start and end position of the clickable text
val startX = remember { mutableStateOf(0f) }
val endX = remember { mutableStateOf(0f) }
// convert to Dp and work out width of button
val buttonPaddingX = with(LocalDensity.current) { startX.value.toDp() }
val buttonWidth = with(LocalDensity.current) { (endX.value - startX.value).toDp() }

Text(
    text = forgotPasswordAnnotatedString,
    onTextLayout = {
        startX.value = it.getBoundingBox(0).left // where 0 is the start index of the range you want to be clickable
        endX.value = it.getBoundingBox(21 - 1).right // where 21 is the end index of the range you want to be clickable
    }
)

Note that buttonPaddingX is relative to the Text position not the Window, so you may have to surround both in a Box{} or use ConstraintLayout.

Then to draw the invisible box

Box(modifier = Modifier
    .sizeIn(minWidth = 48.dp, minHeight = 48.dp) // minimum touch target size
    .padding(start = buttonPaddingX)
    .width(buttonWidth)
    //  .background(Color.Magenta.copy(alpha = 0.5f)) // uncomment this to debug where the box is drawn
    .clickable(onClick = { context.startActivity(intent) })
    .semantics {
        // tell TalkBack whatever you need to here
        role = Role.Button
        contentDescription = "Insert button description here"
    }
)

In my code I'm using pushStringAnnotation(TAG, annotation) rather than reference string indexes directly. That way I can get the start and end index of the clickable area with annotatedString.getStringAnnotations(TAG,0,annotatedString.length).first(). Useful if there a multiple links within the text.

It's disappointing that ClickableText doesn't have accessibility in mind from the get go, hopefully we'll be able to use it again in a future update.