Accessibility - Vision

VoiceOver

Hear what’s happening on your screen.

VoiceOver is an industry‑leading screen reader that tells you exactly what’s happening on your device. VoiceOver can now describe people, objects, text, and graphs in greater detail than ever. Auditory descriptions of elements help you easily navigate your screen through a Bluetooth keyboard or simple gestures on a touchscreen or trackpad. And with unique rotor gestures that function like a dial on touchscreens and trackpads, you can make content such as websites a breeze to browse.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, iPod touch

VoiceOver is an industry‑leading screen reader that tells you exactly what’s happening on your device. VoiceOver can now describe people, objects, text, and graphs in greater detail than ever. Auditory descriptions of elements help you easily navigate your screen through a Bluetooth keyboard or simple gestures on a touchscreen or trackpad. And with unique rotor gestures that function like a dial on touchscreens and trackpads, you can make content such as websites a breeze to browse.

Set up VoiceOver on:

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Updates:

VoiceOver Quick Settings. A new Quick Settings menu in iOS and iPadOS makes common actions like switching typing modes even faster.

VoiceOver activities sync. In iOS and iPadOS, VoiceOver activities sync across devices, and its output volume automatically adjusts when you are speaking.

Flashlight notification. A new alert lets you know if Flashlight is enabled on your iPhone or iPad.

Explore Images with VoiceOver. In iOS and iPadOS, VoiceOver lets you explore more details about the people, objects, and text within images. Navigate labels and receipts logically, or discover a person’s position in relation to objects in the picture.¹

VoiceOver Image Descriptions. Using on-device intelligence, VoiceOver Image Descriptions describes images in apps and on websites and supports 10 additional languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.²

VoiceOver Image Descriptions in Markup. Built-in drawing tools in Markup let you annotate photos, screenshots, and PDFs. Now you can add customized image descriptions that can be read by VoiceOver.

VoiceOver Audio Graphs. With iOS and iPadOS, you can hear increases and decreases in values on charts and graphs as raising and lowering tones to quickly spot trends.

VoiceOver Descriptions for PDF Signatures. In macOS, you can add custom descriptions to new and existing PDF signatures so you can quickly identify and add the right signature when using VoiceOver.

VoiceOver and AssistiveTouch for Apple Watch. VoiceOver users can use clench, double-clench, and pinch gestures to navigate and perform actions on their Apple Watch display with one hand, while using a cane or leading a service animal.

VoiceOver + braille

Customize your braille experience.

For many users, a braille display may be easier and more efficient than a standard keyboard — and for deaf-blind users, it is a requirement. VoiceOver can give descriptions of exactly what’s on your screen, in braille. You can use a refreshable braille display connected via Bluetooth to your Apple device or enter braille directly on the touchscreen using Braille Screen Input. Braille is automatically converted to text in a caption panel on Mac so sighted people can follow along with VoiceOver descriptions. Refreshable braille displays can now be used with watchOS.³ And with over 70 refreshable braille displays compatible with iOS and iPadOS, and over 100 with macOS, you can find the right braille experience for you.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPod touch

For many users, a braille display may be easier and more efficient than a standard keyboard — and for deaf-blind users, it is a requirement. VoiceOver can give descriptions of exactly what’s on your screen, in braille. You can use a refreshable braille display connected via Bluetooth to your Apple device or enter braille directly on the touchscreen using Braille Screen Input. Braille is automatically converted to text in a caption panel on Mac so sighted people can follow along with VoiceOver descriptions. Refreshable braille displays can now be used with watchOS.³ And with over 70 refreshable braille displays compatible with iOS and iPadOS, and over 100 with macOS, you can find the right braille experience for you.

Set up VoiceOver + braille on:

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Braille in watchOS. Apple Watch supports many international braille tables and refreshable braille displays. Connect a Bluetooth braille display to read VoiceOver output, including contracted and uncontracted braille. When you edit text, the braille display shows the text in context, and your edits are automatically converted between braille and printed text. You can also use a braille display with input keys to control your Apple Watch when VoiceOver is turned on.

Spoken Content

Go from written word to spoken word.

With Speak Screen, you can hear the content of your entire screen read aloud to you, while Speak Selection lets you select and hear a specific range of text. You can also control the pace of the reading more precisely during speech playback with Speech Controller. Activate Typing Feedback to hear every letter you type. Languages are automatically detected to switch seamlessly between supported voices. And all this spoken content can come from one of 70 voices in over 35 languages with customizable pronunciations, so your spoken content won’t feel impersonal at all.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch

With Speak Screen, you can hear the content of your entire screen read aloud to you, while Speak Selection lets you select and hear a specific range of text. You can also control the pace of the reading more precisely during speech playback with Speech Controller. Activate Typing Feedback to hear every letter you type. Languages are automatically detected to switch seamlessly between supported voices. And all this spoken content can come from one of 70 voices in over 35 languages with customizable pronunciations, so your spoken content won’t feel impersonal at all.

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Reduce Motion

Simplify onscreen movements.

When you turn on Reduce Motion, you can decrease the movement of onscreen elements. Some screen actions, such as moving between apps or launching apps, become visually simpler for motion sensitivity or to lessen strain on the eyes. Now you can apply the Reduce Motion setting for only the apps you want.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPod touch

When you turn on Reduce Motion, you can decrease the movement of onscreen elements. Some screen actions, such as moving between apps or launching apps, become visually simpler for motion sensitivity or to lessen strain on the eyes. Now you can apply the Reduce Motion setting for only the apps you want.

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Update:

Per-app settings. Reduce Motion settings can now be applied on an app‑by‑app basis.

Accessibility Shortcut

Keep your apps close and your settings closer.

Easily add, organize, and customize shortcuts for the tools and settings you use the most in Control Center. Add Magnifier so it’s always handy or Text Size so you can adjust text size on the fly. And even add Hearing to quickly access Live Listen and Headphone Accommodations, all without leaving the app you’re using.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, iPod touch

Easily add, organize, and customize shortcuts for the tools and settings you use the most in Control Center. Add Magnifier so it’s always handy or Text Size so you can adjust text size on the fly. And even add Hearing to quickly access Live Listen and Headphone Accommodations, all without leaving the app you’re using.

Set up Accessibility Shortcut on:

iWork

Create a workflow that works for you.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote include several features that can help you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that are accessible for both you and your audiences. Add descriptions to images, audio, or video so people using assistive technologies can better understand your presentations. Or make Pages documents more scannable by adding headings that screen readers can easily identify and navigate. A new layout rotor for VoiceOver helps you automatically align selected elements to ensure that your documents look and sound exactly the way you like. VoiceOver Audio Graph support enables you to better communicate data, while line and word spacing tools help you better read and edit documents.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote include several features that can help you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that are accessible for both you and your audiences. Add descriptions to images, audio, or video so people using assistive technologies can better understand your presentations. Or make Pages documents more scannable by adding headings that screen readers can easily identify and navigate. A new layout rotor for VoiceOver helps you automatically align selected elements to ensure that your documents look and sound exactly the way you like. VoiceOver Audio Graph support enables you to better communicate data, while line and word spacing tools help you better read and edit documents.

Set up iWork on:

Display

Find the right view for you.

Change your display to work the way you do, and apply these settings on an app‑by‑app basis in iOS and iPadOS. Choose from a range of color filters to support your color blindness, or turn on Invert Colors to instantly change the values and contrast in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Increase the pointer size in macOS so it’s easier to find and use. Now in macOS, you can also customize your mouse pointer to make it easier to spot as it moves or changes on your screen. Select from common settings like button shapes in iOS, transparency levels in watchOS, and more. And when you’re all set, enable On/Off labels on your iPhone or Apple Watch to better distinguish what’s on and what’s not.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPod touch

Change your display to work the way you do, and apply these settings on an app‑by‑app basis in iOS and iPadOS. Choose from a range of color filters to support your color blindness, or turn on Invert Colors to instantly change the values and contrast in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Increase the pointer size in macOS so it’s easier to find and use. Now in macOS, you can also customize your mouse pointer to make it easier to spot as it moves or changes on your screen. Select from common settings like button shapes in iOS, transparency levels in watchOS, and more. And when you’re all set, enable On/Off labels on your iPhone or Apple Watch to better distinguish what’s on and what’s not.

Set up Display on:

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Updates:

Custom Mouse Pointers. In macOS, modify the outline and fill color of your mouse pointer to make it easier to see as it moves or changes to an insertion point, crosshair, hand, or other shape.

Per-app settings. Display settings can now be customized individually by app.

Siri

Find what you’re looking for without looking at all.

Siri can help you complete the tasks you do every day. You can ask it to find files, set reminders, turn vision features on or off, and so much more. And if you need to streamline a series of actions or tasks, you can create Siri Shortcuts. The new Accessibility Assistant Shortcut can create a custom list of recommended accessibility features based on your individual needs. No matter the Apple product, your favorite assistant is always ready to assist.⁵

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod, AirPods, iPod touch

Siri can help you complete the tasks you do every day. You can ask it to find files, set reminders, turn vision features on or off, and so much more. And if you need to streamline a series of actions or tasks, you can create Siri Shortcuts. The new Accessibility Assistant Shortcut can create a custom list of recommended accessibility features based on your individual needs. No matter the Apple product, your favorite assistant is always ready to assist.⁵

Set up Siri on:

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Updates:

New English Siri voices. Two new English Siri voices can read and answer all your questions with a more natural, speech-like inflection.

Accessibility Assistant Shortcut. Siri Shortcuts features a new Accessibility Assistant Shortcut that can create a custom list of recommended accessibility features and resources by asking questions about your personal needs.

Dark Mode

Make everything easier on the eyes.

Dark Mode transforms every element on your screen into a dark color scheme to make reading easier. Toolbars and menus recede into the background as your content takes center screen. Light text against darker backdrops in apps like Mail, Safari, and Calendar makes text easier to read in low light.⁶

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, iPod touch

Dark Mode transforms every element on your screen into a dark color scheme to make reading easier. Toolbars and menus recede into the background as your content takes center screen. Light text against darker backdrops in apps like Mail, Safari, and Calendar makes text easier to read in low light.⁶

Set up Dark Mode on:

Hover Text

Get a quick size boost of what you’re reading.

Hover Text makes it easier to view text on your Mac display. If a paragraph, caption, or headline is too small to read, just hover over it with your pointer and press the activation key for a bigger, high‑resolution version of your selection. You can even choose the fonts and colors that work best for you.

Available on:

Mac

Hover Text makes it easier to view text on your Mac display. If a paragraph, caption, or headline is too small to read, just hover over it with your pointer and press the activation key for a bigger, high‑resolution version of your selection. You can even choose the fonts and colors that work best for you.

Set up Hover Text on:

Mac

Zoom

Enlarge your screen to your liking.

Zoom is a screen magnifier that lets you enlarge the content you see on your device. Choose from full‑screen magnification or picture‑in‑picture view, which shows the magnified area in a separate window while the rest of your screen stays the same.⁷ Zoom also works with VoiceOver, so you can better see and hear what’s happening on your screen. Zoom Display on Mac lets you see content up close and at a distance simultaneously. With two displays, you can keep one zoomed in while the other stays at a standard resolution for a customizable, multizoom setup.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, iPod touch

Zoom is a screen magnifier that lets you enlarge the content you see on your device. Choose from full‑screen magnification or picture‑in‑picture view, which shows the magnified area in a separate window while the rest of your screen stays the same.⁷ Zoom also works with VoiceOver, so you can better see and hear what’s happening on your screen. Zoom Display on Mac lets you see content up close and at a distance simultaneously. With two displays, you can keep one zoomed in while the other stays at a standard resolution for a customizable, multizoom setup.

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Magnifier

Use your camera to get a closer look.

Magnifier works like a digital magnifying glass. It uses the camera on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to increase the size of any physical object you point it at, like a menu or sign, so you can see all the details clearly on your screen. Use the flash to light the object, adjust filters to help you differentiate colors, or use a freeze-frame to get a static close-up. With Split View on iPad, you can use Magnifier to increase the size of a physical object on one side of your screen and take notes or write an email on the other. The LiDAR Scanner in iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12.9‑inch iPad Pro (4th generation or later), and 11‑inch iPad Pro (2nd generation or later) can determine a person’s proximity to you. People Detection uses technology that measures how long it takes light to reflect back from objects, helping you do things like stand in line at a safe distance, better navigate a noisy area, or find an empty seat with ease.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Magnifier works like a digital magnifying glass. It uses the camera on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to increase the size of any physical object you point it at, like a menu or sign, so you can see all the details clearly on your screen. Use the flash to light the object, adjust filters to help you differentiate colors, or use a freeze-frame to get a static close-up. With Split View on iPad, you can use Magnifier to increase the size of a physical object on one side of your screen and take notes or write an email on the other. The LiDAR Scanner in iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12.9‑inch iPad Pro (4th generation or later), and 11‑inch iPad Pro (2nd generation or later) can determine a person’s proximity to you. People Detection uses technology that measures how long it takes light to reflect back from objects, helping you do things like stand in line at a safe distance, better navigate a noisy area, or find an empty seat with ease.

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Dictation

Everything you say goes.

Dictation lets you speak words and punctuation where you would type — and it works in over 30 languages. Just go to any text field, tap the microphone button on the keyboard, and start dictating.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPod touch

Dictation lets you speak words and punctuation where you would type — and it works in over 30 languages. Just go to any text field, tap the microphone button on the keyboard, and start dictating.

Set up Dictation on:

Audio Descriptions

A scene to be heard.

Watch movies with detailed audio descriptions of every scene on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or iPod touch. Just check for the AD icon under the movie title on the Apple TV app or on the iTunes Store.

Available on:

iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, iPod touch

Watch movies with detailed audio descriptions of every scene on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or iPod touch. Just check for the AD icon under the movie title on the Apple TV app or on the iTunes Store.

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Vision

VoiceOver

Hear what’s happening on your screen.

VoiceOver + braille

Customize your braille experience.

Spoken Content

Go from written word to spoken word.

Reduce Motion

Simplify onscreen movements.

Accessibility Shortcut

Keep your apps close and your settings closer.

iWork

Create a workflow that works for you.

Text Size

Apps can adapt to larger, bolder type.

Display

Find the right view for you.

Siri

Find what you’re looking for without looking at all.

Dark Mode

Make everything easier on the eyes.

Hover Text

Get a quick size boost of what you’re reading.

Zoom

Enlarge your screen to your liking.

Magnifier

Use your camera to get a closer look.

Dictation

Everything you say goes.

Audio Descriptions

A scene to be heard.

Get more out of your features.

Additional Resources

Hadley

AppleVis.com

Braille User Guides

Make  yours. showing Speak Selection feature.

Discover more about Apple accessibility features.