I love using simplified reading displays to read text content in large print, but they aren’t always available or practical for certain tasks like filling out forms, interacting with content that has a lot of images, or viewing small sections of text. When I was working with another student that had difficulty accessing simplified reading displays as well, I learned how to use Hover Text for iPad to make it easier to enlarge text in a consistent format, and both the student and I were happy with this option for improving text access and viewing content with large print. Here is how to use Hover Text with low vision for iPad, including options for customizing the appearance of text and viewing content with large print sizes.
What is Hover Text for iPad?
In this context, Hover Text is an accessibility feature available for iPad, Mac, and Apple TV devices that enlarges content positioned under the pointer in a separate window and applies a consistent font style, color, and size to selected text. Hover Text essentially is a combination of a simplified reading display and screen magnification tool, and is used to customize the appearance of on-screen text positioned under a pointer. The original page/display is still visible when Hover Text is enabled, so the window does not take up the entire screen.
Hover Text requires users to connect a mouse/trackpad and keyboard for iPad and Mac- I personally use Apple’s Magic keyboard to access Hover Text on iPad. Hover Text does not require any peripheral accessories for Apple TV, and will automatically display magnified text for any text content displayed on screen.
Related links
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- Choosing An iPad Keyboard For Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Comparing Hover Text to other accessibility features
When it comes to low vision accessibility settings for iPad, Hover Text is not the only tool for reading text with larger font sizes. Some users may prefer to use these settings in lieu of or in addition to the functionality offered by Hover Text for accessing large print content.
Pinch-to-Zoom
Pinch-to-zoom is a gesture that can be used to enlarge an entire area of content in apps like web browsers, text-based pages, photos, and similar. This feature does not require the user to enable any settings, and can be used alongside Hover Text to enlarge a webpage or similar content.
Zoom
Zoom is the built-in screen magnification program for Mac and iOS, which can be used to enlarge any on-screen content even if pinch-to-zoom is not available. Zoom enlarges all content on the screen, not just text, and offers several features including color filters, full screen zoom, and up to 15x magnification. However, Zoom does not change the font style for text content.
Larger text/Dynamic Text
Larger text can be enabled for applications that support Dynamic Text in the Settings menu, under Display & Text Size. If an application supports Dynamic Text, the font for the application will automatically be resized/enlarged to the user’s chosen font size, which is helpful for using iPad with large print.
Magnifier
Magnifier is an accessibility feature that enlarges environmental text using the device camera and does not enlarge text or content that is on the device screen. Magnifier is essentially a built-in video magnifier or magnifying glass that displays information on the iPad screen.
Reading View
Reading View is a simplified reading display built into the Safari web browser, which applies a consistent font size and style to text content to make it easier to read. To enable Reading View in Safari, select the Reading View icon in the address bar, which looks like a lowercase and uppercase A. Long-press on the icon to customize the font size, font, and background color, or use pinch-to-zoom to further enlarge text.
Hover Typing
Hover Typing is another setting in the Hover Text accessibility menu that enlarges text that is being typed in a textbox using the same display settings as Hover Text. It does not require an external keyboard or cursor, and is automatically activated whenever a user is typing something on their device, like a text message, email, username on a login screen, or similar. Hover Typing is available in iOS 18 and above.
Enlarging status bars and toolbars
This isn’t an accessibility setting from what I can tell, but users can enlarge information on their device status bar and select app toolbars by long-pressing on an icon or gliding their finger/stylus across a status bar or toolbar to enlarge icon labels. This will enlarge each icon in a separate window visible on the center of the screen, which can be helpful for checking things like battery levels or identifying icons on the toolbar for Mail, Notes, or Microsoft Office applications.
Related links
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Zoom Magnifier and Low Vision
- Enabling Temporary Accessibility Settings For iPad
How to enable Hover Text in accessibility settings
To enable Hover Text for iPad or Apple TV, open Settings > Accessibility > Hover Text, which is located in the Vision sub-section of the Accessibility menu. Users can then turn Hover Text on or off, as well as customize how text is displayed. Hover Text is available for iOS 16 and later.
To enable Hover Text for Mac, open System Preferences > Accessibility > Zoom > Hover Text. Users can then turn Hover Text on or off, or select the Info button to customize how text is displayed. Hover Text is available for MacOS Catalina and later.
Customize iPad Hover Text for low vision accessibility
There are several customization options available with Hover Text for iPad, many of which are also available for MacOS and Apple TV. These include:
Display Mode
Display Mode determines where the Hover Text window should be positioned. Inline text will be displayed in the same position as the cursor, while top or bottom text will display text in the top-center position or bottom-center position on the screen.
Scrolling speed
For long sections of text that cannot fit in the display window, the text will automatically scroll through the display, similar to captions in a video or a horizontal text crawl. There are five options for customizing the scrolling speed, ranging from slowest to fastest.
Font
Text displayed in the Hover Text window can be displayed in a consistent font style, which can be selected from the Font menu and includes previews of what a font looks like. Some examples of choices that may work well for users with print disabilities include Arial, Chalkboard, Helvetica, and Verdana.
Size
Hover Text will automatically enlarge text in a consistent size, which is the same size as the system font by default. There are 12 options for font size that can be adjusted with the slider.
Colors
Hover Text offers several options for customizing how text content is displayed within the window view, including:
- Text color
- Insertion point color
- Background color
- Border color
Users can select colors from a grid, spectrum, or RGB/HEX values, as well as adjust the opacity of individual colors.
Control
Users can customize which keyboard shortcut (activation modifier) they would like to use to activate Hover Text, which can include Control, Option, or Command. Users can also turn on the Activation Lock by triple-pressing the activation modifier key to continuously display the selected text as Hover Text, even when opening another application.
Related links
How to activate Hover Text for iPad and Mac
To activate Hover Text on a screen with text content, follow these instructions:
- Make sure Hover Text is turned on
- Move the pointer over text content on the device screen
- Press and hold the activation modifier key/keyboard shortcut to view the Hover Text window. Users can continue to hold the key and move the pointer to display additional text
- Release the activation modifier key to stop displaying Hover Text content.
If the Activation Lock feature has been enabled, users can display Hover Text without holding the activator key. To use Hover Text with Activation Lock:
- Make sure Hover Text and the Activation Lock is turned on
- Move the pointer over text content on the device screen
- Triple-press on the activation modifier key/keyboard shortcut to view the Hover Text window. Users can continue to move the pointer across the screen to display additional text
- To unlock Activation Lock, triple-press on the activation modifier key/keyboard shortcut again
Examples of how I use Hover Text with low vision
I have Hover Text enabled on my iPad in addition to other low vision accessibility settings. While I don’t use Hover Text as a substitute for enabling large font sizes when possible, here are some examples of how I personally use Hover Text with low vision.
Changing display colors for text
If a section of text has particularly poor contrast, it’s helpful to use the custom color configurations available in Hover Text to provide a consistent viewing experience. This is also helpful if I am reading text that is a light gray color or that is in multiple colors that are hard to see on a light background.
Viewing text with a different font
I had to fill out a form for school that had a difficult-to-read font size that also required me to write or edit text. Using Hover Text for iPad, I could switch the display font to Arial without editing the original document, which made it easier to tell letters apart as I was filling in each section.
Providing tech support for a friend’s computer
I don’t have a Mac computer of my own, but I often provide tech support for friends who have Macs and may not have large print settings enabled. Before I help with anything, I ask them to temporarily enable Hover Text so I can enlarge text content more easily, which is often easier than using Zoom for short tasks.
Viewing text as I type it
Small text boxes can be challenging for me to read on websites, so I can use Hover Text over a text input field to view whatever I am typing in a larger font size. This feature is also known as Hover Typing in iOS 18 and is enabled separately from Hover Text.
Reading individual sections of blog posts or documents
If I don’t want to turn on a simplified reading display or need to proofread specific lines/sections of text, Hover Text is helpful for enlarging individual sections of blog posts, documents, or code snippets which I can then read in their own window. This was especially helpful when I had to proofread assignments for school, as I could view individual lines of text in large print without having to constantly scroll or move the display.
Related links
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For MacBooks
- Make Proofreading Feedback Accessible For Low Vision
Other resources on Hover Text for iPad and low vision accessibility settings
- Looking for another option to enable Hover Text? I share a few ideas in Customize Accessibility Settings For Specific Apps
- Hover Text is an example of an accessibility setting that improves access to digital text. I share other examples of tools like this in A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Want to learn more about using Apple and iOS devices with low vision? Browse Apple And iOS Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published August 2, 2024. Updated September 2024