I’ve been using Twitter for a few years now, and it’s been exciting to see so many new accessibility features be added over the years to make Twitter an even more accessible place for people with low vision. Here are my most used Twitter accessibility features for low vision, and how to enable them on your own Twitter account.
How to increase Twitter font size
Desktop
To increase the Twitter font size on the Twitter website:
- Login to your Twitter account
- On the homepage, click on your profile photo and open the Account Info pane
- Open the Settings menu
- Open the Accessibility, Displays, and Languages menu
- Open the Display Menu
- Increase the font size with the slider by moving the slider to the right, or decrease the font size by moving the slider to the left
Mobile
The Twitter app uses the system font size to display text in the app, though some users may prefer a larger or smaller font size. To increase the Twitter font size on the iOS and Android applications:
- Open the Twitter app
- Tap on the Menu key (which looks like three dots) and open the Settings and Privacy menu
- Open the Accessibility, Display, and Languages menu
- Open the Display and Sound menu
- Tap on the Font Size slider and increase the font size with the slider moving to the right, or decrease the font size by moving the slider to the left
Related links
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Android Phones
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Enabling Temporary Accessibility Settings For iPad
Adding alt text to images and gifs
Alt text tells people what is in an image, such as text or basic essential details. Many people with blindness, low vision, or other visual impairments use screen readers to access websites, applications, and documents. When the screen reader comes across an image, the alt text is read out loud to tell the person what the image is and what it looks like. While some websites will automatically generate alt text for images, Twitter requires users to write their own alt text that will be read out loud by the screen reader.
To add alt text to an image or gif on Twitter:
- Create a new tweet and attach an image or gif
- Select Add Description underneath the image
- Type alt text of your choice
- Select Save when finished
Related links
Reading alt text for images and gifs
For users who benefit from alt text for images and gifs but do not use a screen reader, users can read alt text for images and gifs that have them by clicking on the ALT badge in the bottom left corner of an image- this will expose the alt text so that anyone can read it. This only works for images that have alt text added to them.
Another option is to tag an alt text bot that will display the alt text in a tweet below the original image or gif. To activate this, reply to a tweet with the phrase “@get_altText” or with the alt text bot of your choice.
Using Thread Reader to read threads more easily
Threads are a collection of tweets that are connected to each other in the form of replies to the original tweet. There are two options for reading Twitter threads more easily for people with low vision, one that is free and one that is a paid feature.
Thread Reader is a free automated Twitter bot that will organize Twitter threads into one page in a separate webpage for easier viewing and bookmarking. Users can view threads with Thread Reader by replying to a Twitter thread with the phrase “@threadreaderapp unroll” or by quote tweeting the thread with the phrase “@threadreaderapp unroll” and the app will reply to your Tweet with a simplified display of the thread with all of the tweets listed.
Another paid option is the Reader function within the Twitter Blue paid subscription service. With Twitter Blue, the option to read threads in the Reader view will be displayed underneath the thread so that users can click the button and immediately read the thread within the Twitter application, no other tags needed.
Displaying Twitter with high contrast
Users can customize the color scheme of Twitter and make it easier to read with high contrast color schemes using the following instructions.
Desktop
To increase the Twitter font size on the Twitter website:
- Login to your Twitter account
- On the homepage, click on your profile photo and open the Account Info pane
- Open the Settings menu
- Open the Accessibility, Displays, and Languages menu
- Open the Display Menu
- Choose an accent color and background color
Mobile
The Twitter app uses the system color scheme unless otherwise specified. To change the background colors on the iOS and Android applications:
- Open the Twitter app
- Tap on the Menu key (which looks like three dots) and open the Settings and Privacy menu
- Open the Accessibility, Display, and Languages menu
- Open the Display and Sound menu
- Choose an accent color and background color
Related links
- Choosing High Contrast Color Schemes For Low Vision
- Black Or White: Choosing Dark Mode For Low Vision
- Using High Contrast Themes In Windows 10
Reduce motion and disable video autoplay
For users that experience vertigo or light sensitivity from motion or flashing lights, Twitter will use system settings to automatically disable motion or turn off video autoplay when applicable. To reduce motion and disable video autoplay manually, follow these instructions.
Desktop
To increase the Twitter font size on the Twitter website:
- Login to your Twitter account
- On the homepage, click on your profile photo and open the Account Info pane
- Open the Settings menu
- Open the Accessibility, Displays, and Languages menu
- Open the Accessibility Menu
- Check the checkbox to reduce motion and configure autoplay settings
Mobile
- Open the Twitter app
- Tap on the Menu key (which looks like three dots) and open the Settings and Privacy menu
- Open the Accessibility, Display, and Languages menu
- Open the Accessibility menu
- Toggle Reduce Motion to the On setting and configure autoplay settings
Related links
Using Reader View for mobile links (iOS only)
Reader View allows users to open links with a simplified reading view with a solid colored background and consistent font/font size. This feature is only available in the iOS app, but users can access links with simplified reading views with other apps as well.
To enable Reader View for links:
- Open the Twitter app
- Tap on the Menu key (which looks like three dots) and open the Settings and Privacy menu
- Open the Accessibility, Display, and Languages menu
- Open the Accessibility menu
- In the Web Browser section, turn Reader View on
To use Reader View in iOS:
- When opening a link, tap the Reader View button, which looks like an uppercase and lowercase A
- Choose a font and background color
- Tap the Reader View button again to close settings
Related links
- Five Ways To Simplify Reading With Technology
- My Talk At I’m Determined Summit: Crash Course In Immersive Reader
- Ways To Read Webpages Without A Traditional Screen Reader
More information on creating accessible tweets
- How To Make ASCII/Emoji Memes Accessible For Visual Impairment
- Options For Writing Extended Image Descriptions On Social Media
- How To Access Images Without Alt Text
