Back in 2018, I wrote the first version of this post about how I use my Android smartphone and apps like the Google Assistant camera (which is now part of Google Lens) while traveling with low vision or visiting an unfamiliar place. I still love my Android smartphone and use Google Lens, but my access needs/access preferences have changed as technology continues to evolve; I’ve started using magnifier apps more frequently to support visual access, switched to bone conducting headphones instead of using a single earbud so I can use screen readers and text-to-speech more easily in public, and increasingly use web applications and websites instead of downloading a ton of apps to my phone. Here are real-world examples of how I use my phone as assistive technology while traveling with low vision, including strategies I use for accessing information with large print and magnification.
Accessing detailed GPS directions
Google Maps has an option to enable detailed walking instructions that provide additional navigational information, like alerting to busy streets or providing more precise time estimates for getting from one location to another. This feature is designed for users with vision loss in mind, though sighted users may also benefit from the detailed instructions.
To enable detailed walking instructions in Google Maps:
- Open Google Maps and go to the Account and Settings menu
- Select the Settings menu option
- Select Navigation Settings
- Within the Walking options section, turn on Detailed Voice Guidance
Both Google Maps and Apple Maps also provide users with the option to get directions from one place to another using public transit. These apps can display updates about the location of a bus/subway, as well as how much time it will take to arrive to the next stop. For routes that require a transfer, there are also directions for how to get to the next transfer location.
Related links
Navigating airports with indoor maps
I frequently use GPS applications to get directions to buildings or other outdoor spaces, but GPS for indoor navigation is more complicated and not always available. That said, Google Maps has detailed indoor maps of several airports that can provide information about how to get to a concourse/gate, locations for airport lounges and other services, restaurant information, and more; there is also a Live View option that can display turn-by-turn directions in real time using the phone camera, but I have not used it at an airport yet. Apple Maps also offers similar indoor navigation maps for airports.
One strategy I find useful is to explore the map of the airport on my computer or tablet before the trip, so I can familiarize myself with different locations or figure out where I want to get food before a flight. I can also use 360 images to preview what an environment looks like and search for potential visual landmarks, such as neighboring stores, colored furniture, or murals; it’s important to check the date images were taken to ensure these visual landmarks are up-to-date.
Other potential options for navigating airports with low vision include:
- Visual assistance apps like Aira, which is available for free at over 50 airports and uses a human visual interpreter to provide directions or assist with navigation tasks (Disclaimer: I previously received free Aira service through a now-defunct program for college students in 2018/2019 and spoke at an Aira-sponsored event in 2018)
- Enlarging signs with magnification (more on that in the next section)
- Connection assistance apps that can provide directions to gates and flight information; United Airlines and American Airlines offer apps for gate assistance, though I haven’t tested them for accessibility features.
Another helpful strategy for keeping track of flight information is to search for flight status information on Google, which can provide information about gate numbers, expected arrival times, and other helpful details. This information can also be found on websites like FlightAware and Flighty.
Related links
- Accessible Maps and Wayfinding Tools For Low Vision
- Using Aira With Low Vision
- Finding College Classrooms: College O&M
- Web Search Tips and Operators For Low Vision
- Airport Security and Low Vision
- How A TSA Pre-Check Helps Me As A Visually Impaired Traveler
- Tips For Passing Time On Flights With Low Vision
Reading signs and environmental text with video magnifiers
When possible, I prefer to read information visually and use magnification or other display filters to make content easier to read. Magnification apps like Pixel Magnifier, ReBokeh, iOS Magnifier, and Humanware Explorē magnifier can be used to convert a phone camera into a portable video magnifier. Unlike a traditional camera app that can just zoom in on content, video magnifiers can apply color filters that make content easier to see, “freeze” images so users can zoom in without saving an image to the camera roll, or simply make it easier to zoom in on content. I love using magnifiers to read menus, signs, labels, price tags, or to get a closer view of objects.
Before I started using video magnifiers on my phone, I would often turn to the Camera app to enlarge information or help me with quick magnification tasks. Sometimes, I also use OCR scanner apps on my phone to capture documents or signs that I might need to reference later, and use pinch-to-zoom to enlarge text on the screen.
Related links
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- Pixel Magnifier on Google Play
- ReBokeh magnifier app for iOS and Android
- Humanware Explorē magnifier app for iOS and Android (free)
- OCR Scanner Apps For Low Vision Students
Extract text from image or screenshot with OCR
Although I prefer to read information visually, sometimes it is challenging to read a large block of text from a photo or zoom in on a screenshot. This happened when my friend sent a screenshot of the itinerary for a day trip, and I had trouble enlarging the text in the image to a font size I could read.
With the Photos app for iOS and Google Photos, users can select text from a photo using optical character recognition (OCR) and copy/paste the text into another application to read with large print, or recognize the text automatically when using a screen reader. To select text, long-press on a supported image and drag the highlighting tool to select a specific area of text, or select “copy text from image” if the option is available.
Some apps like Pixel Magnifier and iOS Magnifier have text recognition features, which can be used to extract text from images and read it out loud or display with large print. In Pixel Magnifier, tap the capture button to freeze an image and then tap the Google Lens icon (camera icon) to extract the text. In iOS Magnifier, tap the capture button to freeze an image and then select Reader or Detect to read text.
Related links
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Smartphones
- How To Access Images Without Alt Text
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Scan product barcodes and view details
I have several highly sensitive allergies, so I have to read ingredients lists frequently. One option I use frequently is scanning product barcodes with Google Lens, which can provide a list of ingredients associated with the product that I can read with large print or listen to with text-to-speech. If I don’t have a barcode or if I want to double-check something, I use a video magnifier app to enlarge labels, turning on an inverted color scheme or high contrast color scheme if the ingredients list is hard to read. Some companies also partner with visual assistance apps like Be My Eyes or Seeing AI to provide accessible packaging information; I have also encountered a few products with NaviLens barcodes designed for visually impaired users.
I personally avoid asking AI tools if a product contains an ingredient I’m allergic to, because there would be serious consequences if I was given incorrect information; I prefer to manually verify this information myself. AI tools may also not detect “may contain” listings or information about shared processing lines.
Related links
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- How To Use Invert Colors With Low Vision
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- How I Use Be My Eyes With Low Vision
Search for social narratives to preview accessible environments
One underrated strategy that has helped me with navigating museums, aquariums, and other places that I visit on trips is searching for a social narrative, also known as a social story. Social narratives provide information about what visitors can expect in a particular situation or when navigating a specific environment, along with modeling appropriate behavior. They are often published online as part of accessibility resources or may be written by someone else. While they are typically created with other disabilities in mind, social stories and social narratives can provide visually impaired guests with information that can help them navigate their environment, such as:
- Photos or realistic illustrations of the venue to aid with navigation or wayfinding
- Descriptions of what staff uniforms look like (helpful if assistance is needed)
- Descriptions of what kind of sounds that may be encountered, or environments that have particularly loud sounds or flashing lights
- Information about seating for shows or viewing areas for exhibits
- Rules or guidelines for interacting with specific exhibits, such as information about lines.
I find social stories helpful as someone with low vision, and often use them alongside a map to plan my visit. Knowing what an environment looks like in advance makes it easier to navigate, and it also reduces the likelihood that I will be surprised with something that has a lot of flashing lights. This strategy is also helpful for people with cerebral visual impairment/cortical visual impairment, who may experience fluctuating vision in crowded or unfamiliar environments.
Related links
- Tips For Visiting Aquariums With Low Vision
- Visiting The Met With Visual Impairment
- Touring Colleges With Virtual Reality
- How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights
View museum exhibits up close
I often use my phone as a video magnifier when I visit museums so I can read signs or examine the visual details of an item without crossing boundaries. One strategy I have used over the years to quickly locate high resolution images in a museum is taking photos with Google Lens, but sometimes Google Lens would give me an overly verbose description or get information completely wrong. I still use Google Lens for scanning QR codes, but I have another strategy for getting a closer view of items.
Recently, I started bookmarking the museum website or archives page before a visit so I can visit the website on my phone, filtering items by exhibit or searching for the specific name of a piece so I can view a high resolution image directly from the museum. Some museums even offer digital 3D models that users can rotate and magnify with higher resolution compared to 2D images.
Another way I use my phone at museums is to play audio tours or audio description tracks when available, which can provide context or clarification about what is in an image or highlight visual details that I might otherwise miss. I love pairing audio description with accessible visuals so I can use the audio as a guide while I look at something visually. I use bone-conducting headphones so that I can remain aware of my surroundings and not block out sounds around me.
Related links
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
- Using Digital 3D Models With Low Vision
- How To Make Virtual Museums Accessible For Visual Impairments
- Visiting The Museum of Modern Art With Vision Loss
- Visiting The Gateway Arch Museum With Low Vision
Accessibility information for restaurants and more: Crowdsourced information on accessibility
Searching for information about the physical accessibility of a space, crowd levels at different locations, or noise levels at a particular restaurant? There are several free resources that provide crowdsourced accessibility information, which can include whether there is a step-free entrance option, on-site parking, and other details about the space. Examples of apps and websites that I have used include:
Google Maps accessibility: Emphasize accessibility info
Google Maps displays information about wheelchair accessibility with the Accessible Places feature, including information about accessible entrances, seating, restrooms, and parking. When available, this information will be listed with a wheelchair icon. Google Maps can also provide real time activity levels for several locations, which can be useful for predicting how crowded a place will be or expected wait times.
To enable Accessible Places, open the Google Maps app and select Settings > App & display > Emphasize accessibility info
SoundPrint noise levels
SoundPrint measures sound levels in various restaurants and locations and maintains a database with information about venues with quiet or moderate noise levels, ideal for people with hearing loss or sensory processing issues. SoundPrint is available internationally, and also offers curated Quiet Lists for larger cities on their website.
AccessNow accessibility information
Another crowdsourced resource for accessibility information at restaurants and beyond, AccessNow provides options for adding accessibility information for venues and businesses listed on Google Maps. Users can also add accessibility reviews to provide further context.
Related links
- Accessible Maps and Wayfinding Tools For Low Vision
- SoundPrint – Find your quiet place
- AccessNow – Discover accessible restaurants
- Going To Restaurants With Low Vision Assistive Technology
Using visual assistance apps to recognize text and objects
Visual assistance apps, sometimes called visual interpreting apps, are tools that connect blind/low vision users with people or technology that can help them to get information about something that they would not be able to see otherwise. Visual assistance apps for blind and low vision users are a category of high-tech assistive technology applications that can be installed on a smartphone or tablet. By streaming video from the device’s back camera or taking a photo, visual assistance apps recognize text and other objects, providing a transcript of text or visual description of items such as objects, colors, people, and more.
Many visual assistance apps like Seeing AI and Google Lookout are self-voicing, meaning that they can be used to continuously read information or describe items out loud without relying on a screen reader. This can be helpful when I am dealing with a lot of visual fatigue, if I notice that I have been straining my eyes a lot, or if I would rather have my device read something for me. When I use visual assistance apps in a public place, I use bone conducting headphones so I can still hear my surroundings and be aware of traffic or crowds.
Some visual interpreting apps use humans to describe information, such as Aira and Be My Eyes. These tools use one-way video and two-way audio so users can ask questions in real time. With that in mind, visual interpreting apps are not a substitute for mobility aids like a white cane and cannot be used for tasks like navigating public bathrooms or crossing the street.
Related links
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- How I Use Microsoft Seeing AI With Low Vision
- Using The Envision App With Low Vision
- Google Lookout App For Low Vision
Order rideshare services (Uber, Lyft, etc.)
Uber and Lyft apps are both accessible with screen readers and support large font sizes, but there are options for requesting rides that don’t require opening the app (though users will still need to set up an account and install the app on their device). One option is to use Gemini or Siri to request an Uber ride or Lyft ride, which can be useful for booking rides without having to swipe through the screen multiple times.
Uber also offers a Call to Ride option, where users can book an Uber by calling a dedicated phone number to book a ride at no additional cost in the United States. For the most up-to-date information, check the Uber website.
Instructions for using Uber Call to Ride:
- To initiate a ride request, call 1-833-USE-UBER (1-833-873-8237) between the hours of 4:00am and 10:00pm Eastern Time. Calls must be made with a phone that can receive text messages.
- If prompted, confirm the payment method that will be used to pay for the ride, including the last four digits of a credit card or gift card on file.
- Once connected to an agent, provide the location and destination for the ride, including the address(es) and/or nearby landmarks that can help with identifying a pickup or dropoff location.
- After providing the necessary information, the user will receive a text message with trip details, including information about the driver and vehicle and expected arrival time. Once the vehicle arrives, the Uber trip can begin!
While Call to Ride is marketed for seniors, there is no age restriction or additional cost for using the service. However, users will need to have an Uber account with a payment method set up in advance.
Related links
- Uber Call to Ride information
- Texting and Low Vision
- How I Learned To Use The City Bus System With Low Vision
More examples of how I use my smartphone while traveling with low vision
- Smart glasses have become more popular in recent years, but I personally find them uncomfortable to wear and don’t own a pair. I know many blind and low vision people use them as hands-free accessibility tools for several of the tasks I listed above!
- Looking for tips on taking selfies or smartphone photos with low vision? Read Taking Selfies With Low Vision
- While this app is technically on my iPad, I love using the Stylebook digital closet app to create a packing list and help me keep my suitcase organized. Learn more in How I Use The Stylebook App With Low Vision
- When I stay in hotels, I often use my phone to find the answers to questions mentioned in Hotel Familiarization and Low Vision
Published May 23, 2018. Updated May 2026