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accessibility

How to get started with accessibility features on iPhone

by Kevin Hollington

Customize iPhone in ways that work best for you with features for vision, hearing, mobility, speech, and cognitive accessibility—whether you need them temporarily or on an ongoing basis. You can hear what’s on the screen with the built-in screen reader, make text bigger, or control iPhone using just your eyes or spoken commands. You can also get real-time captioning of spoken audio, create a custom voice that sounds like you, and set up a simplified interface for someone with a cognitive disability.

Note: Not all features are available in all countries, regions, or languages.

An iPhone with the Mail app open. An email is displayed with large, bold text.

Vision

To hear what’s on the screen and navigate iPhone with gestures, use the built-in screen reader. You can also adjust display colors, zoom in on the screen, make text bigger, and more. And by holding up your iPhone, you can even use it as a magnifying glass and get descriptions of your surroundings.

An iPhone showing a number next to each item in the Reminders app.

Mobility

Using just your eyes or spoken commands, you can navigate and perform actions on iPhone. You can also connect an assistive device or an external keyboard to control iPhone, set options so iPhone responds best to your touch, and make it easier to use gestures.

An iPhone showing an example of subtitles with a custom style.

Hearing

Get real-time captioning of spoken audio from an app or live conversation, turn on flash notifications, have iPhone recognize sounds, and more. You can also pair hearing devices with your iPhone, and adjust headphone audio so it’s right for you. Or experience songs as taps, refined vibrations, and other haptics that are synced to the rhythm of the music.

An iPhone with information about how to create a Personal Voice.

Speech

To have what you type spoken out loud, use a custom voice that sounds like you, or one of dozens of system voices. Siri can also recognize a wider range of speech patterns, and iPhone can learn to perform an action when you speak a word or sound you choose.

An iPhone showing the Assistive Access Home Screen with a large grid of apps.

Cognitive

With help from iOS accessibility features, you or someone you care for can use iPhone with greater independence. For someone with a cognitive disability, you can set up an iPhone with a simplified interface, and when you let a child use iPhone, you can temporarily lock it to one app.

Quick tip: Your go-to accessibility features and settings are easy to control with Siri, the click of a button, or from Control Center.

Tag: accessibility
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How to make onscreen elements easier to see on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

You can make onscreen elements—like controls, buttons, and the Control Center—easier to see by adding a border around them. You just turn on Show Borders. You can also customize visual accessibility settings for specific apps, and customize onscreen motion on iPad.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Display & Text Size.
  3. Turn on Show Borders.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to keep the screen off when you use VoiceOver on iPad

by Kevin Hollington

If you use VoiceOver on iPad and don’t need to see what’s on the screen, you can turn on the screen curtain to improve battery life and maintain privacy. Your iPad stays active even though the display is off.

You can turn the screen curtain on or off with a three-finger gesture, which changes slightly if Zoom is also on. You can also use VoiceOver gestures, zoom in on the iPad screen, and learn how to operate iPad when VoiceOver is on.

See also

Tags: accessibility, VoiceOver
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How to change Apple Pencil double tap and squeeze settings for accessibility

by Dave Johnson

If you have difficulty using double tap or squeeze on Apple Pencil, you can adjust Apple Pencil settings for accessibility. You can change how firmly you need to press for the squeeze action, choose a slower duration for double tap, or turn double tap off.

Note: Double tap is available on supported iPad models with Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil Pro. Squeeze is available on supported iPad models with Apple Pencil Pro.

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap Apple Pencil.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Drag the slider to adjust how firmly you need to press for the squeeze action. Turn on Extended Range for additional firmness options.
    • Turn double tap on or off.
    • Choose a slower duration for double tap.

Quick tip: Apple Pencil settings have more options for customizing Apple Pencil; just go to Settings > Apple Pencil.

See also

Tags: accessibility, Apple Pencil
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How to use an adjustable onscreen trackpad on iPad

by Dave Johnson

With Virtual Trackpad on iPad, you can turn a small region of the screen into a resizable trackpad, and use it to move and click an onscreen pointer.

Before you can use Virtual Trackpad, you add it to AssistiveTouch, either in the AssistiveTouch menu or as a custom action. You can also adjust how quickly the pointer moves and the scrolling speed, and change how the trackpad looks, even making it fill the entire screen.

An iPad with a virtual trackpad displayed in the corner of the screen. Also on the screen are the AssistiveTouch menu (which is used to open the trackpad) and the pointer (which is controlled by the trackpad).

Set up Virtual Trackpad

To use Virtual Trackpad, you first need to add it to AssistiveTouch.

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, and then tap AssistiveTouch.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Add Virtual Trackpad to the AssistiveTouch menu: Tap Customize Top Level Menu, tap the Increment button, tap the Add button that appears, and then choose Virtual Trackpad.
    • Set a custom action to open Virtual Trackpad: Tap an action (such as double-tap or long press) below Custom Actions. Choose Virtual Trackpad.

Use Virtual Trackpad

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, and then tap AssistiveTouch.
  2. Turn on AssistiveTouch.
  3. Depending on how you set up Virtual Trackpad, do one of the following to open it:
    • Use the AssistiveTouch menu: Tap the AssistiveTouch menu button and tap Virtual Trackpad.
    • Use the custom action you set: Tap, double-tap, or long press the AssistiveTouch menu button.
  4. Do any of the following:
    • Drag your finger on the trackpad to move the pointer.
    • Tap the trackpad to click at the location of the pointer.
    • Drag the arrows in the top-left corner of the trackpad to resize it.
    • Drag a border of the trackpad to move it.
  5. To close Virtual Trackpad, repeat the action you use to open it.

Change Virtual Trackpad settings

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, and then tap AssistiveTouch.
  2. Tap Virtual Trackpad.
  3. Change any of the following:
    • Tracking: Adjust how quickly the pointer moves.
    • Scrolling: Adjust the scrolling speed. Or turn Natural Scrolling—content moves in the same direction as your fingers—on or off.
    • Appearance: Change how the trackpad looks, make it fill the entire screen, or adjust how long it takes for the trackpad to fade after you stop using it.

You can also change the appearance of the pointer.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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How to operate iPad when VoiceOver is on

by Stacey Butler

When VoiceOver is on, you need to use special gestures to unlock iPad, go to the Home Screen, open Control Center, switch apps, and more.

How you unlock depends on your model, whether it has a Home button, Touch ID in the top button, or Face ID. You can also enter your passcode silently using handwriting mode, use the Dock, switch to another app, or use the App Switcher.

Here’s how to operate iPad when VoiceOver is on.

Unlock iPad

  • On an iPad with a Home button: Press the Home button using the finger you registered with Touch ID.
  • On an iPad with Touch ID: Rest your finger on the top button using the finger you registered with Touch ID.
  • On an iPad with Face ID: Wake iPad and glance at it, then drag up from the bottom edge of the screen until you hear two rising tones (if Face ID is enabled).

If prompted, enter your passcode. To avoid having your passcode spoken as you enter it, enter your passcode silently using handwriting mode or type onscreen braille.

Go to the Home Screen

  • Drag one finger up from the bottom edge of the screen until you hear two rising tones, then lift your finger.
  • On an iPad with a Home button, press the Home button.

Use the Dock

Slide one finger up from the bottom edge until you hear two rising tones, then swipe down.

Switch to another app

Swipe right or left with four fingers to cycle through the open apps.

Alternatively, you can use the App Switcher.

  1. To open the App Switcher, do one of the following:
    • Drag one finger up from the bottom edge of the screen until you hear three tones, then lift your finger.
    • Double-click the Home button (on an iPad with a Home button).
  2. To browse the open apps, swipe left or right until the app you want is selected.
  3. Double-tap to open the app.

Open Control Center

  • Drag one finger down from the top edge of the screen until you hear two rising tones.
  • Tap any item in the status bar, then swipe up with three fingers.

To dismiss Control Center, do a two-finger scrub (move two fingers back and forth three times quickly, making a “z”).

View notifications

  • Drag one finger down from the top edge of the screen until you hear three rising tones.
  • Tap any item in the status bar, then swipe down with three fingers.

To dismiss the notifications screen, do a two-finger scrub (move two fingers back and forth three times quickly, making a “z”).

Speak status bar information

  1. Tap the status bar at the top of the screen.
  2. Swipe left or right to hear the time, battery state, Wi-Fi signal strength, and more.

Rearrange apps on your Home Screen

To rearrange apps on your Home Screen, do one of the following:

  • Drag and drop: Tap an icon on the Home Screen, then double-tap and hold your finger on the screen until you hear three rising tones. The item’s relative location is described as you drag. Lift your finger when the icon is in its new location. Drag an icon to the edge of the screen to move it to another Home Screen.
  • Move actions: Tap an app, then swipe down to hear available actions. When you hear “Edit Mode,” double-tap to start arranging apps. Find the app you want to move, then swipe down to the Move action and double-tap. Move the VoiceOver cursor to the new destination for the app, then choose from the available actions: Cancel Move, Create New Folder, Add to Folder, Move Before, or Move After.

When you’re finished, tap Done, then double-tap.

Search from the Home Screen

  1. Tap anywhere on the Home Screen outside the status bar.
  2. Swipe down with three fingers.

See also

Tags: accessibility, VoiceOver
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What Switch Control is and how it works on iPad

by Tyler Stephen

Switch Control is an assistive technology for anyone with limited mobility. It enables you to interact with iPad by activating a switch, such as pressing an external adaptive button, performing a head movement, or making a voiced or voiceless sound. You can even use the iPad screen itself as a switch, with no extra hardware.

Using one or more switches, you can move a cursor around the screen and use the Scanner menu to choose an action, like tap, zoom in, or zoom out. A switch can be an external hardware device, or even a feature on your iPad, like Back Tap or simple sounds.

What is a switch?

A switch can be an external hardware device or a feature on your iPad.

Some switches on iPad need no additional hardware at all, including these:

  • Screen: Use a tap or long press anywhere on the iPad screen. You can set up tap and long press as two different switches with separate actions.
  • Camera: While in view of the front-facing iPad camera, move your head to the left or right, or pinch your left or right index finger and thumb. You can set up each gesture as a different switch with a separate action.
  • Back Tap: Double-tap or triple-tap the back of iPad. You can set up double tap and triple tap as two different switches with separate actions.
  • Sound: Make simple voiced sounds (such as “Oo”) or voiceless sounds (such as a pop). You can set up each sound as a different switch with a separate action.
  • AirPods: Nod or shake your head while wearing supported AirPods that are paired with your iPad. You can set up nod and shake as two different switches with separate actions.
  • Gaming: Turn any switch into a virtual game controller to play your favorite games on iPad.

External switches, which connect to iPad through Bluetooth® or the Lightning or USB-C connector, include:

  • Adaptive accessory
  • Joystick
  • Game controller
  • MFi switch or switch interface

How does Switch Control work?

In Switch Control, each switch handles a specific action. Move To Next Item, for example, sends the cursor to the next item on the screen, and a switch’s action happens when you activate it, like by making a sound, moving your head, or pressing the adaptive button.

Use one switch, or several switches for different actions, whichever fits how you like to work. With your Move to Next Item switch, you can move the cursor from one item to the next, then activate your Select Item switch when the cursor highlights the item you want.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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iPhone vision accessibility features: VoiceOver, Magnifier, Zoom, and more

by Chris Smith

With built-in accessibility features for vision on iPhone, you can make it easier to see what’s on the screen, or you can hear what’s on the screen spoken out loud. You can even use your iPhone as a magnifying glass, and hold it up to get descriptions of what’s around you if you can’t see it.

The built-in screen reader, VoiceOver, speaks what’s on the screen and lets you navigate with gestures, a connected keyboard, or a braille display. And even when VoiceOver is off, iPhone can read all the text on the screen, or what you’re typing, out loud.

To explore accessibility features for vision, go to Settings > Accessibility. Vision features are at the top.

Hear what’s on the screen

Use Braille Access with a braille display

Turn iPhone into a braille notetaker that can launch apps, perform calculations, open Braille Ready Format (BRF) files, transcribe conversations, and more. Use Braille Access with a braille display

Read or listen to text in apps

Customize text appearance for any app with Accessibility Reader. You can also listen to spoken text. Read or listen to text in apps with Accessibility Reader

Control iPhone with VoiceOver

Have the built-in screen reader speak what’s on the screen. Navigate your iPhone with gestures, or with a connected keyboard or braille display. Turn on and practice VoiceOver

Speak onscreen text

Even when VoiceOver is off, have iPhone read all text on the screen, what you’re typing, and more. Hear iPhone speak the screen, selected text, and typing feedback

Hear descriptions of video

Get spoken descriptions of visual content in movies, TV shows, and other media, when available. Hear audio descriptions for video content

iPhone can also play a sound effect when it’s turned on and off.

Quick tip: Siri and Dictation let you complete common tasks and enter text using just your voice.

Get information about your surroundings

Point at text and hear it spoken

Have iPhone read text on household appliances, ATMs, and more. Read aloud text and labels around you

Hear about your surroundings

Hold up iPhone and get information about what your camera is pointed at, including when people, doors, or text are detected. Get live descriptions of visual information around you

Get a closer look

Use iPhone as a magnifying glass to zoom in on items around you. Magnify and examine objects around you

Make text and other onscreen content larger

Zoom in

Enlarge what you’re viewing—the entire screen or one part of it. Zoom in on the iPhone screen

Make text bigger and bolder

Adjust the reading size for text across iPhone apps and system features. Make text easier to read

Enlarge text as you type

Display a separate window with a larger version of the text that you’re typing. Use Hover Typing

With a mouse or trackpad connected to iPhone, you can also make the pointer easier to see, or show a larger version of text when you hover over it.

View what’s on the screen more comfortably

Reduce onscreen motion

Pause animated images, and slow down the motion of interface elements. Or dim your display when media you’re viewing depicts strobe or flashing lights. Stop or reduce onscreen motion

Use iPhone more comfortably in a car

Get animated dots on the edges of the screen that may help reduce motion sickness. Use iPhone more comfortably while riding as a passenger in a vehicle

Use Dark Mode

If you prefer light text on a dark background, choose a dark color scheme for the iPhone interface. Turn Dark Mode on or off

Adjust the display colors

Differentiate content on the screen more easily by inverting colors, applying a color filter, and more. Change display colors on iPhone to make it easier to see what’s onscreen

Quick tip: Use Control Center or the click of a button to control your go-to accessibility features and settings.

Tag: accessibility
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How to share your Accessibility Settings with another device on iPad

by Dave Johnson

You can share your Accessibility settings with another iPhone or iPad temporarily. Say you’re borrowing a friend’s iPhone or using a public iPad: You can share your settings with that device, then remove them once you’re done. Here are some of the settings you can share with another device:

  • Zoom
  • Hover Text and Hover Typing
  • Display & Text
  • VoiceOver
  • Touch Accommodations
  • Read & Speak
  • Full Keyboard Access
  • Live Speech
  • Music Haptics
  • Audio & Visual
  • Top Button and Home Button

Note: Your Accessibility settings are the only thing shared with the other device during the sharing session.

An iPad showing a notification that Danny’s iPhone is requesting to share accessibility settings.

Share your Accessibility settings with another device

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Share Accessibility Settings. (You may need to scroll down.)
  3. Tap Share Accessibility Settings, then tap Continue.
  4. Make sure both devices have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on and then do one of the following:

    • Select a device: Tap a device in your contacts or a device signed in to your iCloud account.
    • Bring your iPad to another device: Tap Search People Nearby and tap and hold the screen on the other device with three fingers to create a six-digit code. Enter the code on your device and select the name of the device.

      Note: To hear the six-digit code spoken aloud, continue to tap and hold the screen on the other device with three fingers.

  5. Do either of the following on the other device to accept your request to share your accessibility settings:

    • Tap Accept.
    • Tap and hold the screen on the other device with three fingers.
  6. Start using the other device with your Accessibility settings.
  7. When you’re finished using the device, do any of the following:

    • Tap the Share Accessibility Settings button in the Status Bar, then tap Stop Sharing.
    • Lock your device and let it go to sleep.
    • Triple-click the top button or Home button.

      Note: If you move more than 30 feet away from the device you’re sharing your Accessibility settings with, the session automatically ends.

Adding Share Accessibility settings to your Control Center lets you start sharing directly from Control Center; see our guide, Customize controls.

Sync your Share Accessibility Settings to iCloud

Syncing your preferences to iCloud helps if you use different Accessibility settings on different devices, since they’re then available when you share Accessibility settings between devices. For example, after you sync your iPad settings, you could later use your iPhone to share with another iPad, and your iPad accessibility preferences can be used.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
  2. Tap Accessibility, then tap Share Accessibility Settings. (You may need to scroll down.)
  3. Turn Sync to iCloud on or off.

See also

Tags: accessibility, iCloud
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How to control iPad with the movement of your eyes

by Moses Johnson

With Eye Tracking, you can control iPad using just your eyes. An onscreen pointer follows the movement of your eyes, and when you hold your gaze steady on an item—or dwell—you perform an action, such as a tap. All data used to set up and control Eye Tracking is processed on device.

It uses the built-in, front-facing camera, and you need to calibrate it every time you turn it on.

Before you begin

Eye Tracking works through the built-in, front-facing camera on iPad. You’ll get the best results when your face is adequately lit and clearly visible to the camera, with iPad on a stable surface roughly a foot and a half from your face.

Eye Tracking is available with supported iPad models.

Turn on Eye Tracking

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Eye Tracking, and then turn on Eye Tracking.
  2. Follow the onscreen instructions to calibrate Eye Tracking. As a dot appears in different locations around the screen, follow its movement with your eyes.

    Note: You need to calibrate Eye Tracking every time you turn it on.

Use Eye Tracking

When Eye Tracking is on and calibrated, an onscreen pointer follows the movement of your eyes. And by default, an outline appears around whatever item on the screen you’re looking at.

If Snap to Item is turned off, when you hold your gaze steady at a location on the screen, the dwell pointer appears where you’re looking and the dwell timer begins (the dwell pointer circle starts to fill). When the dwell timer finishes, an action—tap, by default—is performed.

Use the AssistiveTouch menu for additional onscreen gestures or physical button presses. For details, check out our guide, Use AssistiveTouch.

Recalibrate Eye Tracking

If you move your face or your iPad and recalibration is needed, Eye Tracking calibration starts automatically. You can also start Eye Tracking calibration manually.

  1. Look at the top-left corner of your screen and hold your gaze steady.

    The dwell pointer appears and the dwell timer begins (the dwell pointer circle starts to fill). When the dwell timer finishes, Eye Tracking calibration starts.

  2. Follow the onscreen instructions to calibrate Eye Tracking. As a dot appears in different locations around the screen, follow its movement with your eyes.

You can change which corner of the screen you look at to start recalibration, and you can assign actions to other corners, too. Read our article, Set up Dwell Control.

Set options for Eye Tracking

You can set options for how the Eye Tracking pointer responds to your gaze.

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility and tap Eye Tracking. Adjust any of the following:
    • Smoothing: Increase this value to make the movement of the pointer smoother. Or decrease this value to make the pointer more responsive.
    • Snap to Item: Have the Eye Tracking pointer automatically move to the item on the screen that’s closest to where you’re looking.
    • Zoom on Keyboard Keys: When you dwell on the keyboard, zoom in on the section of the keyboard you’re looking at. Dwell again on a key to tap it.
    • Auto-Hide: Show the Eye Tracking pointer when you hold your gaze steady for the amount of time specified. When your eyes are moving, the pointer automatically fades.
    • Dwell Control: Turn Dwell Control on or off. To adjust settings for Dwell Control, such as the default dwell action and the duration of the dwell timer, see Set up Dwell Control.
    • Show Face Guidance: Turn Show Face Guidance on or off to get help adjusting how you’re positioned.

To change the size or color of the Eye Tracking pointer, go to Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control. See Make the pointer easier to see.

Use an external eye-tracking device with iPad

You can also use a Made for iPad (MFi) eye-tracking device to control iPad.

  1. Follow the eye-tracking device manufacturer’s instructions to connect your device to iPad with a Lightning or USB-C connector (depending on your iPad model).
  2. Set up your eye-tracking device using the device’s companion app.
  3. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, tap Touch, tap AssistiveTouch, and turn on AssistiveTouch.
  4. If you want to be able to interact with an item on the screen when you hold your gaze steady on the item, turn on Dwell Control.

    To adjust settings for Dwell Control, such as the default dwell action and the duration of the dwell timer, see Set up Dwell Control.

  5. To set additional options for your eye-tracking device, tap Devices (below Pointer Devices), tap the name of the device, and adjust any of the following:

    • Customize Additional Buttons: Perform actions using a physical switch (if supported by your eye-tracking device).
    • Snap to Item: Have the pointer automatically move to the item on the screen that’s closest to where you’re looking.
    • Auto-Hide: Show the pointer when you hold your gaze steady for the amount of time specified. When your eyes are moving, the pointer automatically fades.

To change the color and size of the pointer, go to Settings > Accessibility > Pointer Control. See Make the pointer easier to see when using a mouse or trackpad with iPad.

See also

Tag: accessibility
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