Guided Frame helps you take photos through verbal cues and vibrations when the subject is in the frame. Exclusive to Pixel phones, this accessibility feature means you can take a clear selfie with the Pixels' fantastic cameras even if you can’t see the screen clearly.
We explain how Guided Frame works and how to use it on your Pixel phone. Guided Frame is available onthe top Pixel phonesand is one of theaccessibility featuresavailable on all Android 13 and later devices.
How does Guided Frame work on the Pixel?
Guided Frame is part of the Pixel’s TalkBack function. It offers audio and gesture-based instructions to navigate the phone. The option is designed for visually impaired people and is available under the Accessibility menu in Pixel settings.
Guided Frame follows a straightforward concept. It uses your Pixel’s front or rear camera and the system’s TalkBack mode to snap selfies like a pro, even when you can’t see the camera viewfinder menu.
The accessibility function vibrates your Pixel phone at different times to help you position the rear or front camera to frame the main object. It also tells you how to move your head for the best shot. When faces are framed correctly, your Pixel automatically takes a photo, or you can do it manually by pressing the volume button. TalkBack is a noteworthy accessibility feature on Pixel phones but has a learning curve.
The TalkBack feature isn’t limited to the Camera app. When activated, it tells you when your phone is switched off and on, when you open an app, or when you highlight a specific option.
Who is Guided Frame for?
Guided Frame is developed for the visually impaired community, allowing them to complete tasks like taking a photo that would otherwise be difficult. We tried it on our Pixel 8 Pro, and the AI feature works as advertised. If you’ve used Google’s TalkBack feature, you won’t have difficulty navigating through Guided Frame’s directions to snap a photo using the front or rear camera.
Guided Frame is only available on the Pixel 6 and later phones.
How to turn on Guided Frame
If you turned on TalkBack and know how to use it, you can use Guided Frame by going to your camera app. When you open the camera app, your Pixel phone automatically uses Guided Frame. If you haven’t used Guided Frame before, follow these steps to activate it:
Toggling on theUseTalkBackswitch launches a tutorial on TalkBack, which includes an audio guide and a demonstration of how to use the feature. TapFinishin the lower-right corner of your screen to skip the tutorial.
Double-tap thepower buttonon your Pixel phone to open the Camera app.
Which subjects can Guided Frame recognize?
Turning on Guided Frame on Pixel phones helps you identify the following subjects through the Camera app:
Guided Frame works best with a single subject. When several subjects are in a frame, you may notice misguided instructions and have undesired results. When we opened the Camera app with the Guided Frame feature turned on, it detected the documents in a corner and gave us relevant instructions to capture them fully.
How iOS accessibility and assistive features compare to Android
We’ve rounded up the best accessibility features on iOS to see how Android stacks up
How did Google test Guided Frame?
Google engineers came up with the Guided Frame idea when the Pixel’s accessibility group attended an annual hackathon in 2021. The company wanted to deliver real-time feedback to people with blindness or low vision when taking selfies.
Various accessibility, haptics, engineering, and software teams worked together to test, build, and release the Guided Frame function with the Pixel 7 series.
Which devices support Guided Frame?
Google introduced Guided Frame with Pixel 7, and it’s available by default on all the devices launched after it. During the announcement, Google discussed expanding Clear Calling, Spatial Audio, Guided Frame, and an improved Real Tone on older devices like the Pixel 6 via thequarterly Pixel Feature Drops.
We updated our Google Pixel 6 to the latest version and were able to use Guided Frame as intended. Since the original Tensor and Tensor G2 CPUs use the same framework, Google could port Guided Frame to the Pixel 6 series. Here are the devices that support Guided Frame:
Guided Frame is exclusive to Pixel devices using the Tensor CPU. It isn’t available on Pixel devices launched before the Pixel 6.
Other Android accessibility features
Guided Frame isn’t the only noteworthy feature on Android. Google offers other helpful accessibility add-ons that assist a range of people.
Snap flawless pictures with Google’s help
Guided Frame is a powerful accessibility tool that is a huge step forward for blind and low-vision users. Another effective accessibility tool for Android phones is Live Captions, which uses AI to listen to speech and generate captions. Our guide shows you how toactivate Live Captions on Samsung devices, but it is available on many Android smartphones, including Pixels.
