The development of teachers’ and learners’ digital literacies is a goal in many educational curricula, including in language teaching and learning. However, access to hardware, data and reliable internet connections remains challenging for a significant proportion of language learners and practitioners, who are often excluded from computer-assisted language learning (CALL) studies. Zero literacy recognises users whose lack of access to digital technologies has excluded them from opportunities to develop the preliminary skills necessary for digital engagement, and this exclusion is frequently symptomatic of wider systemic inequalities. Reflected in UNESCO’s Digital Literacy Global Framework as a level ‘0. Devices and software operations’, zero literacy involves basic operational and technological abilities required for digital communication, such as turning on a computer, typing or using a mouse. These skills are fundamental yet cannot be presumed universally. Zero literacy precedes more advanced digital literacy levels, focusing on the initial, essential steps needed to interact with digital devices.