Disabling specific accessibility features (e.g., "Select to Speak") remotely: manual or Remote Viewer intervention required

Android

When an accessibility feature such as "Select to Speak" is enabled on a managed device, there is no direct action in the Esper Console to toggle it off remotely. The setting must be changed through an interactive session or physical access.

Why this happens

Android exposes individual accessibility sub-settings only through the device's own Settings UI. Esper's management layer can restrict access to the Accessibility menu at a policy level, but it cannot read or write the state of individual toggles within that menu. Disabling a specific feature therefore requires either Remote Viewer control or hands-on device access.

Option 1: Disable the feature using Remote Viewer (recommended)

1. Open the Esper Console and navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Remote Viewer.
2. Click Start Session and wait for the live screen to appear. The session must be interactive, not view-only. If the controls are greyed out, see the troubleshooting section below before continuing.
3. On the remote screen, navigate to Settings → Accessibility → Select to Speak (or the feature you want to disable).
4. Toggle the feature to Off.
5. End the Remote Viewer session.

Verify: The accessibility overlay icon (the play button that floats over the home screen) should no longer be visible on the device. Confirm in the Remote Viewer live view before ending the session.

Option 2: Disable the feature directly on the device

Use this option when Remote Viewer is unavailable or the device is offline.

1. Physically access the device or coordinate with on-site staff.
2. Navigate to Settings → Accessibility.
3. Locate the feature to disable (for example, Select to Speak).
4. Toggle the feature to Off.

Verify: The accessibility overlay or shortcut icon no longer appears on the home screen.

Prevent users from re-enabling accessibility features

To stop users from turning accessibility features back on, restrict access to the Accessibility settings menu at the Blueprint level. Apply a kiosk or managed configuration that blocks the Settings app or the Accessibility sub-menu. This does not disable features already active on the device, but it prevents new ones from being enabled.

1. In the Esper Console, navigate to Blueprints and open the blueprint applied to the target device or group.
2. Under Apps & Configuration, locate the system settings restrictions and block access to the Accessibility menu.
3. Save and push the updated blueprint to the device or group.

Verify: On the device, confirm that opening Settings → Accessibility is either blocked or the menu is not reachable from the Settings app.

Troubleshooting

Remote Viewer launches in view-only mode

View-only mode means Remote Control is not enabled in the device's active blueprint. To fix this:

1. In the Esper Console, navigate to Blueprints and open the blueprint currently applied to the device.
2. Locate the Remote Viewer settings and enable Allow Remote Control.
3. Save and apply the blueprint to the device, then retry the Remote Viewer session.

Remote Viewer fails to connect or shows the device as offline

Remote Viewer requires the device to be online. If the device is offline, on-device intervention is the only available option until connectivity is restored. Check the device's last-seen timestamp under Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Activity Feed to determine when it was last reachable.

Important notes

• Remote Viewer sessions are visible to anyone using the device. Screen interactions performed during the session will appear in real time on the device screen.
• Remote Control availability may vary by device manufacturer and Android version. If Remote Control is not available for a specific device model, on-device intervention is required.

If this doesn't resolve it

If Remote Viewer is not functioning as expected, Remote Control cannot be enabled on a specific device model, or you need to manage accessibility settings at scale across a large device group, contact Esper Support. When reaching out, include the device name, Android version, device manufacturer, and a description of the Remote Viewer behavior observed (for example, whether it launches in view-only mode or fails to connect).

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.