How to use VoiceOver in apps on iPad

You can use VoiceOver in all the built-in apps that come with your iPad—such as Safari, Maps, and more. And VoiceOver Recognition can describe images and screen elements on webpages and in apps, even ones that don’t provide accessibility information.

You can browse the web in Safari, read PDFs, take photos and videos, and trim voice memo recordings. VoiceOver can also let you hear visual Weather data as sound and read math equations.

Browse the web in Safari

1. With VoiceOver on, go to the Safari app on your iPad.
2. Do any of the following:
   • Search the web: Select the address field, double-tap to show the keyboard. Then enter a search term, phrase, or URL. Double-tap Go, or select a search suggestion, then double-tap.
   • Skip to the next element on a webpage: Set the rotor to the element type—such as headings, links, and form controls—then swipe up or down.
   • Set the rotor settings for web browsing: Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap VoiceOver, and then tap Rotor. Select or deselect items, or drag the Reorder button up or down to reposition an item.
   • Skip images while navigating: Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap VoiceOver, and then tap Navigate Images. You can choose to skip all images or only those without descriptions.
   • Reduce page clutter for easier reading and navigation: In the Safari address field, select the Format Options button, double-tap, select Show Reader View (not available for all webpages), and then double-tap.

Quick tip: When you use an Apple external keyboard with iPad, it’s possible to use single-key Quick Nav for web browsing.

Navigate in Maps

1. With VoiceOver on, go to the Maps app on your iPad.
2. Do any of the following:
   • Control how the map tracks your current location: Select the Tracking button and then double-tap until you hear the tracking option you want.
     • Tracking on: The map automatically centers on your current location.
     • Tracking on with heading: The map automatically centers on your current location and rotates so that the heading you’re facing is at the top of the screen. In this mode, iPad speaks street names and points of interest as you approach them.
     • Tracking off: The map doesn’t automatically center on your current location.
   • Explore the map: Drag your finger around the screen, or swipe left or right to move to another item.
   • Zoom in or out: Select the map, set the rotor to Zoom. Swipe up or down with one finger.
   • Pan the map: Select the map, then swipe with three fingers.
   • Browse locations and pins on the map: Select the map, set the rotor to Points of Interest and then swipe up or down with one finger.
   • Follow a road: Hold your finger down on the road, wait until you hear “pause to follow” and then move your finger along the road.
   • Get information about a location: Select the location (for example, a business, landmark, or pin). Then double-tap to open the information card. Swipe left or right to hear information such as directions, street address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews.
   • Get guidance to the starting point: When you start walking directions in Maps, iPad guides you in the direction of the starting point using sound.
   • Get a description of the map: Tap the screen with three fingers to get information about nearby places, including directions and distances.

Read PDFs

VoiceOver reads PDFs in the Books and Files apps, even describing detailed information such as forms, tables, and lists.

Take photos and videos

1. With VoiceOver on, go to the Camera app on your iPad. VoiceOver describes objects in the viewfinder.
2. Select Camera Mode and swipe up or down with one finger to switch between modes, like Photo or Video.
3. To take a photo or start or stop recording a video, double-tap the screen with two fingers.

Trim voice memo recordings

In the Voice Memos app, you can use VoiceOver to edit recordings.

1. With VoiceOver on, open the Voice Memos app on your iPad.
2. Select the recording you want to trim, then double-tap.
3. Select Edit at the top right and then double-tap.
4. Select the Edit button, then double-tap.
5. Select the Trim button, then double-tap.
6. In the Waveform Overview, select Trim Beginning or Trim End, double-tap and hold. Then swipe up or down to adjust the start or end time.
7. Select Trim, then double-tap.
8. Select Save and then double-tap.
9. Select Done, then double-tap.

Hear visual Weather data as sound

In the Weather app, some maps are encoded so you can hear the data as a changing tone or pitch. As the intensity of a weather condition changes in a visual animation on screen, for example, variations in sound can describe those changes.

1. With VoiceOver on, open the Weather app on your iPad.
2. Open a location page with a precipitation, wind, or air quality map.
3. Double-tap and hold the map until you hear a tone or the words “Weather Map Snapshot.” If you hear spoken instructions, follow them.

   As you run your finger or pointer over a sonified map, the pitch shifts to represent the changing values.

Read math equations

Math equations are readable by VoiceOver in supported Apple apps such as Keynote and Numbers, and on the web when they’re encoded using MathML.

• Hear an equation: Have VoiceOver read the text as usual. VoiceOver says “math” before it starts reading an equation.
• Explore the equation: Double-tap the selected equation to display it in full screen and move through it one element at a time. Swipe left or right to read elements of the equation. Use the rotor to select Symbols, Small Expressions, Medium Expressions, or Large Expressions, then swipe up or down to hear the next element of that size. To drill down into the selected element, double-tap it, then swipe left or right to read one part of the element at a time.

VoiceOver can also output the equations it speaks to a braille device, using Nemeth Code or the codes for Unified English Braille, British English, French, and Greek. Read our guide, Use a braille display with VoiceOver.

Use VoiceOver Recognition

Images and screen elements on webpages and in apps get descriptions from VoiceOver Recognition, even if they don’t provide accessibility information.

Important: VoiceOver Recognition should not be relied upon in circumstances where you could be harmed or injured, in high-risk situations, for navigation, or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap VoiceOver, and then tap VoiceOver Recognition.
2. Turn on any of the following:
   • Image Descriptions: Get descriptions of images in apps and on the web.
   • Screen Recognition: Get descriptions of screen elements in apps.
   • Text Recognition: Get descriptions of text found in images.
3. Tap Feedback Style. Choose Speak, Play Sound, or Do Nothing.

See also

• Turn on and practice VoiceOver on iPad
• Customize visual accessibility settings for specific apps on iPad
• Accessibility features for vision on iPad