During the first half of my quantitative methods/statistics course, the professor used Google Colab to share lecture notes, lab instructions, and homework assignments that covered different topics related to the R programming language. As a student with low vision that had previous experience with using Jupyter Notebook during undergrad, I was excited to explore Google Colab accessibility features since I had struggled with reading screenshots and other fixed layout content embedded in slides or handouts. Here are the Google Colab low vision accessibility settings that I use to access the editor with large print.
Overview of Google Colab
Also known as Google Colaboratory, Google Colab is a free cloud-based platform that allows users to write and execute Python, R, or Julia from the web browser, with the option to share their code with others. Similar to Jupyter Notebooks, Google Colab notebooks can combine code, text, and visualizations into a single file, with the option to add other content such as HTML, LaTeX, or images. Colab also offers numerous computing resources and access to machine learning libraries, along with other paid features available for premium users. No downloads are required to access Colab, and all Colab files are synced to Google Drive.
Most of my experience with using Google Colab has been in the context of education as a student with low vision. I find notebooks helpful because it is easier for me to add or read comments, or read explanations from my professors or collaborators about how the code is supposed to run. It is also easier for me to increase/decrease the font size or edit small snippets of code without breaking everything. As an additional bonus, Colab notebooks can be shared with other users, which streamlines the process of my professor providing me with copies of notes since I can view their notebooks in real time on my own device, as well as with my own preferred font sizes/configurations.
Related links
- Google Colab
- How To Describe Science Experiments For Visually Impaired Students
- Tips For Teaching R Programming To A Low Vision Student
- How I Take Notes During Video Lectures With Low Vision
- How I Access PowerPoints with Microsoft Sway
Using browser zoom and magnification with Google Colab
Google Colab notebooks display text, code snippets, and other content using a responsive layout. If someone uses browser zoom to make text bigger in Google Colab, the content will automatically adjust to fit their screen, which can make it easier to read large print without text spilling to the edge of the page. That said, Colab can become harder to use at higher zoom levels as the buttons/UI elements will increase in size and block out the editor.
Some strategies that have helped me with using browser zoom to enlarge content in Google Colab include:
- Toggle header visibility to off. This can be configured on the toolbar by selecting the arrow button (next to Connect)
- Enable full screen view for the web browser to hide tabs and address bar. For Windows computers, F11 enables full screen views for most web browsers.
- Experiment with different screen sizes and resolutions. Some users may prefer to use a wide monitor over a tablet or laptop screen.
- For users that prefer pinch-to-zoom or positioning screens under bifocals, try viewing Google Colab on a tablet and use pinch-to-zoom or screen magnification.
- Customize Google Colab to show larger font sizes (more on this in a later section)
Another option is to enable external screen magnification software such as Magnifier or ZoomText, which eliminates the UI distortions from browser zoom and enlarges a smaller section of the page. Screen magnification also makes it much easier to enlarge menus and other buttons on the toolbar, which can be useful when teaching students how to use Google Colab during a lecture or when learning to use Colab with low vision.
Related links
- Windows Magnifier and Low Vision
- Customize Microsoft Edge Accessibility For Low Vision
- Accessible Python IDEs For Low Vision
Configure Google Colab to show a single tabbed view
Two-column layouts can be challenging to read with low vision or access in large print, so users may find it easier to read Google Colab notebooks that are arranged in a single-column layout or single tabbed view, which maximizes horizontal space. By default, Colab notebooks have a two-column layout; if the user enables a single tabbed view, this preference will be remembered when accessing or creating notebooks in the future.
To remove the two-column layout from Google Colab, select More tab options (three-dot menu) and then select Change page layout > Single tabbed view from the drop-down menu.
Related links
Mirror cells in new tab
It can be visually overwhelming to read several notebook cells at a time, especially for users with double vision or issues with visual clutter. Besides making Google Colab cells easier to read, I also use the Mirror cell feature to help with taking screenshots so I can focus on a single area of the page. To view a single block on the screen:
- Select a block or cell in the Google Colab notebook.
- Select More cell options (three-dot menu) > Mirror cell in tab.
- Once the tab is open, select More tab options (three-dot menu) and then select Change page layout > Single tabbed view to view the output in a single window.
- When finished, tab back to the main notebook or close the tab by selecting the X icon.
When mirroring a cell in the notebook, users can make changes to the code in this window, and these changes will update in real time within the notebook. I find this feature helpful for working on short homework problems or editing code snippets for a lab.
Related links
Using Google Colab with large print
Whenever I am writing code, I find it helpful to configure a larger font size and turn on text wrapping to avoid having text get cut off at the edge. My personal preference for Google Colab’s editor is 28px font, though I would adjust the font size depending on visual fatigue or if I was reading from a smaller screen.
To increase or decrease the font size in Google Colab:
- Open Settings by selecting the Settings icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select Editor
- Choose the desired Font size from the drop-down menu. The smallest font option is 9px, the largest font option is 36px. Note that the only font size options above 20px are 28px and 36px.
- To enable text wrapping, scroll to the end of the Editor menu and select Enable code wrapping in editor to prevent text from spilling to the edge of the page.
- Select Save when finished
Users can also change the font family used when rendering code if monospace is challenging to read. While this is not something I have configured for myself, users can type in the desired font or font family they would like to use. Options I have tested include serif, sans-serif, and arial, all of which displayed text entered within the editor with the font or font style specified.
Related links
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- How I Document Accessibility Preferences With Low Vision
- My Favorite Free Fonts For Print Disabilities
Changing Google Colab colors
In addition to having dark mode enabled, I set up a high contrast dark color scheme for the Google Colab editor to make it easier to read text as well as minimize glare. There are several different editor colorizations available, including high contrast dark.
To change the editor color scheme in Google Colab:
- Open Settings by selecting the Settings icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Select Site to set Google Colab to light mode or dark mode
- Select Editor
- Choose the desired Editor colorization from the drop-down menu. Colorization options will vary between light mode and dark mode
- Select Save to apply the selected colorization/color scheme.
Before deciding on high contrast dark, I manually enabled each of the colorization options to preview them and choose which one I wanted to use. By default, the editor had classic dark mode enabled.
Related links
- Choosing Between Light Mode and Dark Mode For Low Vision
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
Google Colab keyboard shortcuts
To help minimize visual fatigue from having to search for icons or read drop-down menus, Google Colab offers a robust list of keyboard preferences and the option to set custom hotkeys for different functions, as well as the option to customize key bindings for default, vim, and classic. This can be configured in Tools > Keyboard shortcuts or by pressing Ctrl + M, H (pressing Ctrl and M simultaneously, then pressing H). To add or change a shortcut, users will need to select the key combination and then type the new keys followed by enter. For multi-key-event shortcuts, Ctrl + M can be used as a prefix. These preferences will be saved to Google Colab and can be used across devices.
While there are some preset hotkeys and keybinds that cannot be changed, the vast majority of Google Colab keyboard shortcuts will need to be set by the user, and there are no default keyboard shortcuts for things like mirroring a cell to a new tab or opening Settings. To view a list of existing keyboard shortcuts and commands, open the Command palette by selecting Tools > Command palette or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P to view a searchable list.
Related links
More tips for using Google Colab low vision accessibility features
- This post covers the process of writing code, not learning how to code. While Google does offer resources for learning to code as well as AI coding support, I mostly use resources like the ones included in Free Accessible Coding Resources With Large Print Options
- Another component of this quantitative methods/statistics course is learning about different formulas. Learn more about making formulas easier to see in How To Create An Accessible Formula Sheet
- I’ve used Colab with Python, Julia, and Matlab (via Python scripting), but this course exclusively used R. I love R and have used it for several other classes as well as for my own projects, and share accessible coding resources in Tips For Teaching R Programming To A Low Vision Student
- Students who use screen readers or already have their own preferred IDE should be allowed to use tools they are already familiar with whenever possible. I share more thoughts on traditional, non-browser based IDEs in Accessible Python IDEs For Low Vision
Published December 8, 2025. Updated December 2025