Accessibility features on HBO Max

You can use accessibility features to get around HBO Max and stream shows and films. HBO Max supports the following:

• Subtitles
• Audio description
• Screen readers
• Keyboard navigation
• Alexa voice commands
• Photosensitivity warnings

Subtitles

You can watch some TV shows and films on HBO Max with subtitles. Sometimes closed captions are only available in English. You can turn subtitles on or off during playback using the Audio and Subtitles button in the video player.

For more info, go to Subtitles, captions and audio.

Audio Description (Narration)

Audio description is an alternate audio track that describes what's happening on screen in between dialogue (for example, a detailed narration of the scene or action that's taking place).

Audio description may only be available in English. Shows and films with audio description will have an Audio Description indicator on the details page.

Turn Audio description on or off

You can turn on Audio Description for select shows and films. When you turn on Audio Description, it plays as the default audio track for other shows and films you watch (if available). Here's how:

1. Start playing a show or film, then bring up the player controls.
2. Choose the Audio and Subtitles menu .
3. In the Audio section, choose [Language] - Audio Description (if available), then select the close subtitles and audio pop-up button (X) to close.

To turn off audio description, re-open the Audio and Subtitles menu and choose any other language in the Audio section.

Roku: Play a show or film, then press the Star button (*) on your Roku remote to bring up the Accessibility and Subtitles options.

If you've turned off audio description in HBO Max but it keeps playing, check your device settings. For example:

• On your phone or tablet, go to Settings > Accessibility and turn off Audio Description.

Finding shows and films with Audio Description

In HBO Max, choose the Search icon and then type DVS or Audio Description.

Screen readers

You can use screen readers to help you find and play titles. HBO Max supports the following screen readers:

• Android phone or tablet, Android TV: TalkBack
• Apple iPad, iPhone, Apple TV: VoiceOver
• Fire TV: VoiceView *
• Hisense VIDAA TV: Text-to-Speech
• PlayStation 5: Screen Reader **
• Roku: Screen Reader
• Samsung: Voice Guide ***
• Web: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack
• Xbox: Narrator

*Fire TV's VoiceView does not support Dolby Audio in playback. You may need to disable Dolby Audio on your Fire TV device to control playback with VoiceView.

**PlayStation 5 Screen Reader support is limited to menu navigation only.

***If you use a Samsung Android device and you use the Samsung Voice Assistant, you may need to install TalkBack to get full support for the screen reader.

You can also stream using AirPlay or Chromecast and use the screen reader on your phone or tablet to control playback.

Keyboard navigation

You can use an external (hardware) keyboard to get around HBO Max and control playback on the web, phone or tablet. Here's how:

Get around HBO Max

• Press Tab or the Arrow keys to move between items.
• Press Spacebar to choose the selected item.
• Press Enter to activate links.
• Press Esc to close the menus and overlays.

Are you using a keyboard on a streaming player or games console?

• Use the Arrow keys to navigate and the Enter key to select.
• Keyboard shortcuts aren't available at this time.

Alexa voice commands (in select countries)

You can use Alexa voice commands to find and play HBO Max shows and films, as well as control video playback. For example, you can say commands like "Alexa, find dramas on HBO Max" or "Alexa, play House of the Dragon."

What you need:

• Amazon Fire TV device
• Alexa-enabled device, Alexa voice remote, or a paired Echo device

You can use the following Alexa commands with HBO Max. If you're using an Alexa Voice Remote, press and hold the Voice button and then talk to Alexa.

To open HBO Max, use open or launch. For example, say "Alexa, open HBO Max." Then, choose a profile and start streaming.

To search for a show or film, use find. For example, say "Alexa, find The Last of Us."

Playback controls

To play a film or the next episode in a series, use play or watch. For example, say "Alexa, play The White Lotus."

To play a specific episode in a season, specify the season and episode. For example, say "Alexa, play Game of Thrones Season 1 Episode 2."

To pause playback, use pause. For example, say "Alexa, pause."

To resume playback, use resume, play, watch, or unpause. For example, say "Alexa, resume."

To stop playback, use stop. For example, say "Alexa, stop."

To skip ahead 30 seconds, use fast forward. For example, say "Alexa, fast forward."

To skip back 30 seconds, use rewind. For example, say "Alexa, rewind."

Photosensitivity warnings

Some shows and films with intense flash patterns have a photosensitivity warning on the title details screen and in the video player when you first start watching. The photosensitivity warning in the video player appears in the top corner after the ratings. A portion of our shows and films have gone through our new process of receiving these warnings.

Some devices automatically play previews while you browse HBO Max. The autoplay previews don't include photosensitivity warnings. When you first encounter an autoplay preview on the web, you can stop it by pressing the Spacebar. On TV devices, you can stop an autoplay preview by navigating left to one of the global navigation items. You can turn off Autoplay Previews in the HBO Max app settings on your device. For instructions, go to HBO Max settings.