Magnifier

In the Magnifier app, you can use your iPad like a magnifying glass to zoom in on text or objects around you. With Apple Intelligence, you can also use Ask Magnifier to get information about your surroundings.

You can freeze the frame temporarily, switch between your default controls and custom activities, and get information about your surroundings.

Here’s how to magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier on iPad.

Note: Apple Intelligence on iPadOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*

Magnify nearby text or objects

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Point the iPad camera at the text or object you want to magnify. Then drag the slider to zoom in or out.
3. You can also use any of the following default controls:
   • Tap the Activities button to switch between your default controls and custom sets of controls you’ve defined for recurring tasks or situations (called activities). See Set your preferred controls for an activity.
   • Tap the Ask button to get information about your surroundings.
   • Tap the Freeze frame button to temporarily freeze the frame.
   • Tap the Settings button to add more controls, including Get live descriptions of your surroundings, or edit activities you’ve created.

Quick tip: You can set up a shortcut that quickly opens Magnifier from Control Center or by clicking an iPad button. See our guide, Quickly turn accessibility features on or off.

Ask questions and get information about your surroundings

Apple Intelligence can describe your surroundings and answer questions about what your camera sees, such as the total on a bill or the color of a shirt. And you can set a default question that is answered automatically.

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Point the iPad camera at the text or object you want to see, tap the Ask button. Do one of the following:
   • Select a default question: Select What is this? or a default question you created in your Ask Magnifier settings.
   • Type or speak a question: Select Type or Speak and then ask a question about your surroundings.

Temporarily freeze the frame

You can capture what’s in the frame temporarily, without saving it to Photos.

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Capture button and then do one of the following:
   • Take one or more photos: Press and hold the Capture button and then select Single Photo or Multi-Photo to take a photo or multiple photos.

     If you select Multi-Photo, you’ll see a group of photos in the bottom right corner of the screen.

   • Capture text and reframe it: Press and hold the Capture button and then select Document. Follow the written and spoken instructions to get the text in frame or drag the corners of the box that appear around the text and then tap Confirm.

     After you tap Confirm, tap the Reader button to view the text with Accessibility Reader. See view your captured text in a format for easier reading or to listen to your captured text.

   • Customize and listen to text: If you’re magnifying text, tap the Reader button to view your captured text in a format for easier reading or to listen to your captured text.
   • Share captured images: Tap the Share button for more options, such as sharing the captured frame or saving it to your photos.
   • Stop viewing captured images: Tap the Close button to unfreeze the frame and return to the live Magnifier lens.

To reset Magnifier, press and hold the Capture button anytime and select Document, Multi-Photo, or Single-Photo.

View your captured text in a format for easier reading

When a frame you magnify contains text, you can switch to a format adapted for easier reading and even adjust its fonts, layouts, and background colors.

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Capture button to capture the frame and then tap the Reader button.

   Magnifier alerts you if no text is detected in the frame you captured.

3. Tap the More button, then tap Customize Reader.
4. Select a theme, then tap Edit.
5. Do any of the following:
   • Text Color: Choose a color or tap Custom Color.
   • Background Color: Choose a color or tap Custom Color.
   • Text Size: Drag the slider left or right to make the text smaller or larger.
   • Font: Choose a font.
   • High Legibility Characters: Turn on High Legibility Characters.

     Note: This option is only available when using System Font.

   • Bold Text: Turn on Bold Text.
   • Line Spacing: Choose the Default button, the Loose button, or the Open button to customize the space between lines.
   • Word Spacing: Choose the Default button, the Loose button, or the Open button to customize the space between words.
   • Character Spacing: Choose the Default button, the Loose button, or the Open button to customize the space between characters.
   • Readable Content Width: Choose the Default button, the Loose button, or the Open button to customize the text width.
   • Hyperlinks: Turn Show Links on or off. When turned on, you can customize the color.
   • Playback: Turn Highlighting on or off. When turned on, you can customize the style or highlight color.
   • Rename: Enter a name for the settings you choose.
   • Reset to Default: Reset all themes to their default settings.

     Tip: Rename a theme with your custom settings so you can easily find it and reuse it later.

To customize the text in apps, there’s also Accessibility Reader. Check out our article, Read or listen to text in apps with Accessibility Reader on iPad.

Listen to your captured text

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Capture button to capture the frame and then tap the Reader button.

   Magnifier alerts you if no text is detected in the frame you captured.

3. Do any of the following:
   • Listen to the text: Tap the Play button.
   • Pause the text: Tap the Pause button.
   • Skip backward or forward: Tap the Rewind button or the Forward button.
   • Increase or decrease the speed: Tap the Speaking Rate One Times button. Then select a speed.
   • Go to a specific time: Drag the slider left or right.

     Note: You can hide or show audio controls: Tap the More button, then tap the Hide Audio Controls button.

Get live descriptions of your surroundings

Detection Mode in the Magnifier app on iPad can help if you’re blind or have low vision: it scans your surroundings and gives you live descriptions, as text or speech, of the scenes detected in the camera view.

Important: Detection Mode should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations, in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, or for navigation.

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Detection Mode button to start Detection Mode.

   If you don’t see the Detection Mode button, you can add it. See Customize controls.

3. Touch and hold the Detection Mode button and select Scenes. Then do any of the following:
   • On supported iPad models, detect doors, people, and furniture near you.
   • On all iPad models, detect text in the camera frame and have it read out loud or point your finger at text to have it spoken.
4. To temporarily pause detection, double-tap the screen with two fingers. Double-tap again with two fingers to resume detection. To stop Detection Mode, tap the Detection Mode button.

With VoiceOver, you can turn on Live Recognition from any screen on iPad, then get descriptions of your surroundings without opening the Magnifier app. See our guide, Get live descriptions of your surroundings with VoiceOver.

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.

See also

• Accessibility features for vision on iPad

Magnifier’s Detection Mode uses sound and speech feedback to describe what’s around you if you’re blind or have low vision, but you won’t hear it with Silent mode on. The Magnifier app on iPad can give you helpful information about:

• Doors, including their attributes and how to open them
• People, and how close they are to help you maintain physical or social distance
• Furniture, when chairs or sofas are detected, and whether they’re occupied

Important: Detection Mode should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations, in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, or for navigation. Detection of doors, people, and furniture is only available on supported iPad models.

Detect doors, people, and furniture near you

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Detection Mode button to start Detection Mode.

   If you don’t see the Detection Mode button, you can add it. See Customize controls.

3. Touch and hold the Detection Mode button, then select any of the following:
   • People
   • Furniture
   • Doors
4. Position iPad so the rear camera can detect your surroundings. When doors, people, or furniture are detected nearby, you’re notified with sounds or speech feedback. The feedback becomes more frequent as you get closer.

   If you don’t hear sound or speech feedback, make sure Silent mode isn’t on. See Adjust the volume.

5. To temporarily pause detection, double-tap the screen with two fingers. Double-tap again with two fingers to resume detection. To stop Detection Mode, tap the Detection Mode button.

Customize the settings for detecting doors

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and then tap Detect.
3. Tap Doors and then customize any of the following:
   • Units: Choose Meters or Feet.
   • Sound pitch distance: Tap the Decrement button or the Increment button to adjust the distance for sound feedback. When a door is detected within this distance, the pitch of the sound feedback increases.
   • Feedback: Turn on any combination of Labels, Sounds, and Speech. If you turn on Speech, iPad speaks the distance between you and the door.
   • Color: Select a color to outline detected doors.
   • Door Attributes: Turn on any combination of door attributes, such as the size of the detected door, how to open the door, and if the door is currently open.
   • Door Decorations: Turn on Door Decorations to get information about text and signs on or near the detected door, such as a sign for an accessible entrance or a restroom.
4. When you’re finished, tap the Back button, tap it again, and tap the Done button.

Customize the settings for detecting people

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and then tap Detect.
3. Tap People and then customize any of the following:
   • Units: Choose Meters or Feet.
   • Sound pitch distance: Tap the Decrement button or the Increment button to adjust the distance for sound feedback. When people are detected within this distance, the pitch of the sound feedback increases.
   • Feedback: Turn on any combination of Labels, Sounds, and Speech. If you turn on Speech, iPad speaks the distance between you and another person.
   • People Detection Actions: Turn on People Detection Actions to get information about people holding doors near you.
4. When you’re finished, tap the Back button, tap it again, and tap the Done button.

Customize the settings for detecting furniture

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and then tap Detect.
3. Tap Furniture, then customize any of the following:
   • Units: Choose Meters or Feet.
   • Sound pitch distance: Tap the Decrement button or the Increment button to adjust the distance for sound feedback. When furniture is detected within this distance, the pitch of the sound feedback increases.
   • Feedback: Turn on any combination of Labels, Sounds, and Speech. If you turn on Speech, iPad speaks the distance between you and the furniture.
   • Announce Seat Occupancy: Turn on Announce Seat Occupancy to get information about the number of people occupying chairs and sofas.
4. When you’re finished, tap the Back button, tap it again, and tap the Done button.

See also

• Get live descriptions of your surroundings
• Detect text around you and have it read out loud using Magnifier on iPad
• Magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier on iPad
• Accessibility features for vision on iPad

If you’re blind or have low vision, you can use the Magnifier app to aim your iPad camera at nearby text and have it spoken out loud. You can even point your finger at the specific text you want spoken.

Text in the field of view of your camera is detected and read out loud, and you can add the Detection Mode button if you don’t see it. Point and Speak isn’t available in all languages, though.

Here’s how to detect text around you using Magnifier on iPad.

Important: Detection Mode should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations, in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, or for navigation. Text Detection and Point and Speak aren’t available in all languages.

Detect text in the camera frame and have it read out loud

Point your iPad camera at text, and the Magnifier app can detect text in the field of view and have it read out loud.

1. Open the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Detection Mode button to start Detection Mode.

   If you don’t see the Detection Mode button, you can add it. See Customize controls.

3. Touch and hold the Detection Mode button and then make sure Text is selected.
4. Position iPad so the rear camera can detect text around you.

   If you don’t hear sound or speech feedback, make sure Silent mode isn’t on. See Adjust the volume.

5. To temporarily pause detection, double-tap the screen with two fingers. Double-tap again with two fingers to resume detection. To stop Detection Mode, tap the Detection Mode button.

Point your finger at text to have it spoken

With the Magnifier app, you can point your finger at text near you, and your iPad speaks it out loud. That’s especially helpful with objects that have text labels, like dials, buttons, or keypads on household appliances or ATMs, or a digital screen at a grocery store self-checkout.

1. Open the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Detection Mode button to start Detection Mode.

   If you don’t see the Detection Mode button, you can add it. See Customize controls.

3. Touch and hold the Detection Mode button. Make sure Point & Speak is selected.
4. Position iPad so the rear camera can detect the text. Then point your finger to identify which text to read.

   If you don’t hear sound or speech feedback, make sure Silent mode isn’t on. See Adjust the volume.

5. To temporarily pause detection, double-tap the screen with two fingers. Double-tap again with two fingers to resume detection. To stop Detection Mode, tap the Detection Mode button.

Customize settings for Text Detection or Point & Speak

1. Open the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button, then tap Detect. To detect text in other languages, turn on Detect Languages.
3. Tap Text or Point & Speak, then customize any of the following:
   • Detection Feedback: Turn on any combination of Labels and Speech. For Point & Speak, you can also turn on Sound feedback.
   • Location: For Point & Speak, tap Under (to read text under your fingertip) or Above (to read text directly above your finger).
   • Automatic Flashlight: When your environment is too dark to detect text, have Magnifier turn the flashlight on for 10 seconds.

     Note: This option is available on iPad models with True Tone Flash.

   • Border and Color: For Point & Speak, outline the text you’re pointing to in a color of your choice.
4. To return to the live Magnifier lens, tap the Back button, tap it again, and then tap the Done button.

Text Detection and Point & Speak both work with VoiceOver. To get started, check out our guide, Turn on and practice VoiceOver.

See also

• Magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier on iPad
• Accessibility features for vision on iPad

You can personalize the Magnifier app to show your most frequently used controls for easy access. You can also create custom activities for recurring tasks and customize settings of live scene descriptions.

Up to two of your controls can be primary controls, which appear on the main screen when Magnifier opens. You can also set your preferred controls for an activity.

Here’s how to customize controls in Magnifier on iPad.

Add or remove controls

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and then do any of the following:
   • Add or remove Activities, Capture, or Detection Mode: Tap Ask Magnifier, Capture, or Detect and then turn Show in Control Panel on or off.
   • Add or remove other controls: Tap the Insert button or the Remove button next to a control.

     You can choose up to two primary controls. Primary controls appear on the main screen when you open Magnifier. If you add more than two controls, you can swipe up on the control panel at the bottom of the screen to access secondary controls.

   • Reorder other controls: Drag the Reorder button next to a control to move it up or down.

Set your preferred controls for an activity

If you save the controls you use for recurring tasks or situations as activities, you can switch between them as needed. You might create one for reading a menu at a restaurant, for example.

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Activities button. Tap Save Current Settings As New Activity to create a new activity using the current controls.
3. Enter a name for the activity and then tap the Done button.

Customize settings for Ask Magnifier

Ask Magnifier is available only on devices with Apple Intelligence.

Note: Apple Intelligence on iPadOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPad mini (A17 Pro) and iPad models with M1 or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and tap Ask Magnifier.
3. Do one of the following:
   • Input: Choose whether to speak or type your questions by default.
   • Default Question: Turn on to ask the same question automatically each time you open Ask Magnifier. You can use the default question (“What is this?”) or enter your own.

Customize settings for live scene descriptions

1. Start the Magnifier app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Settings button and then tap Detect.
3. Tap Scenes and then turn on any combination of Labels or Speech feedback.
4. To return to the live Magnifier lens, tap the Back button, tap it again, and then tap the Done button.

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.

See also

• Magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier on iPad
• Accessibility features for vision on iPad