Fire TV just got three new accessibility features for people with disabilities

Fire TV users with impairments that limit their hearing or vision might soon find life easier thanks to some new features from Amazon.

Amazon has introduced three new features to make Fire TVs more accessible for people with disabilities.

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First up is an expansion of Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). Amazon Fire devices already support ASHA, which lets you send TV audio directly to your hearing aids. 

But now, Amazon is adding a feature called Dual Audio, which allows users to listen to audio from the set’s built-in speakers and audio sent to a hearing aid simultaneously, meaning everyone can listen together. 

Previously, you had to choose one or the other. The expanded ASHA feature will be available on the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series in an update in the coming weeks. 

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When you have this feature, you can enable it by heading to your set’s settings menu and finding “Accessibility”. Look for a toggle for Dual Audio and the opportunity to pair a compatible device if you haven’t already done so. If you already have hearing aids paired, hold the home button on your remote to access quick settings and scroll to Hearing Aid > Output Mode > Dual Audio.

Additionally, Amazon is expanding ASHA support for more hearing aids. Soon, Amazon says, all Widex Moment behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids will be able to stream audio directly to their hearing aids as long as the Fire TV is ASHA-compatible (find a complete list here). The Amazon devices already support Starkey hearing aids and Cochlear hearing devices.

To pair hearing aids to a Fire TV, head to Settings > Accessibility > Heading Aids > Add Hearing Aids.

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Lastly, Amazon is making setup easier for people who can’t see instructions. New tactile QR codes with raised bumps are being included in the packaging for certain products, meaning customers who are blind or who have low vision can find the code by touch, scan it with their phone, and find a quick start guide to begin using their device. 

This guide includes information about accessibility features. Amazon says these codes will be coming to more devices over time.