Why RetroArch menu narration is silent on Android
Libretro's current accessibility guide states that RetroArch accessibility features are not implemented on Android and game consoles. A working Android text-to-speech voice therefore does not make the Android frontend speak. Record the exact package and version, check its official release notes for a newer explicit capability, and do not configure the AI Service or upload gameplay images as a substitute for menu narration.
Do this in order
- 01
Record the RetroArch package and version, Android version, install channel, and the exact menu-narration expectation.
- 02
Read the current official accessibility guide and note its Android not-implemented boundary before changing audio or speech settings.
- 03
Check official release notes for the installed package; require an explicit Android accessibility statement rather than a desktop tutorial.
- 04
Optionally test Android's own TTS preview only to confirm the operating system works; do not treat that as RetroArch support evidence.
- 05
Keep the AI Service disabled: it captures gameplay images for external processing and is a different feature from menu accessibility.
- 06
If a future build explicitly claims Android narration, test three known menu entries without content and report the package, version, and result.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Result | Likely layer | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Official guide says not implemented | Platform capability | Stop configuration churn |
| Android TTS preview works | OS only | Do not infer frontend support |
| Desktop tutorial speaks | Different platform | Use Android-specific evidence |
| AI translation is suggested | Separate external service | Review privacy, credentials, and cost |
Narrator and AI Service are different
The documented menu accessibility feature and the screenshot-based AI Service have different platform and privacy boundaries. Configuring the latter does not add an unimplemented Android menu narrator.
A platform boundary is a diagnosis
When first-party documentation says a feature is not implemented, repeating desktop key sequences, changing voices, or clearing app data cannot establish support. Wait for explicit Android release evidence.
Keep private content local
Do not transmit game screens, paths, account data, or copyrighted imagery merely to test accessibility. External processing needs a separate informed decision.
Use only games, firmware, artwork, audio, fonts, and other media you created, dumped lawfully, or received with permission covering your use. A frontend setting never grants redistribution rights, and ArcadeShelf does not link to ROM or BIOS packs.