I have low vision that fluctuates throughout the day, and I rely on several accessibility features for iPad to access information and interact with different types of content. While there are some settings that I always have turned on like large font sizes and display filters, there are other settings that I don’t necessarily need to have turned on all of the time or that I only turn on when I need them. I think of this process as enabling temporary accessibility settings for iPad, where the temporary accessibility settings can be quickly accessed whenever I need them and turned off easily when I don’t. Here is a list of temporary accessibility settings for iPad that can help visually impaired users access content, and turned on/off when needed.
Turn the camera into a video magnifier: Magnifier
Magnifier is a built-in application that allows users to turn their device’s camera into a video magnifier- this does not magnify on-screen text. Like most video magnifying devices, Magnifier allows users to customize contrast, color filters, magnification levels, and even freeze an image without saving it to the camera roll. This is different than Zoom, which is a screen magnifier that enlarges content on the device itself.
Magnifier supports the following display filter colors:
- No filter (natural color)
- Grayscale
- Red on black
- Yellow on black
- Yellow on blue
- White on blue
- Inverted
- Black on red
- Black on yellow
- Blue on yellow
- Blue on white
How to turn on Magnifier
Before using Magnifier for the first time, users will need to download the official Magnifier app from the App Store if it is not already on their device. Magnifier is developed by Apple and is 100% free to use. Magnifier can then be added to the home screen or as part of the Accessibility Shortcuts menu.
To use Magnifier, open the Magnifier app and position the device camera in front of or above an area of interest. Options for customizing the Magnifier view include:
- Adjust magnification power with the Zoom slider
- Increase or decrease brightness/contrast with sliders
- Apply display filter or tint screen. Options include Enlarge text with keyboard: Hover Text
- Freeze frame (does not save to camera roll)
- Take multiple photos for freeze frame (does not save to camera roll)
Related links
- Magnifier on the App Store (apple.com)
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- Zoom Magnifier and Low Vision
Enlarge text with cursor: Hover Text
In this context, Hover Text is an accessibility feature available for iPad and Mac 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.
How to enable Hover Text
To enable Hover Text for iPad, 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.
Related links
Enlarge text while typing: 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. When Hover Typing is activated, the text input is displayed in a separate window with a consistent font style, color, and size so it is easier to read. 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.
How to enable Hover Typing
To enable Hover Typing, open Settings > Accessibility > Hover Text > Hover Typing, which is located in the Vision sub-section of the Accessibility menu. Users can then turn Hover Typing on or off, as well as customize how text is displayed. Hover Typing is available for iOS 18 and later.
Adjust settings within apps: Control Center
Control Center provides quick access to device features and accessibility settings and can be opened within any application by swiping down from the top right corner of the device screen. Users can customize the display of Control Center by opening the Settings app and selecting the Control Center menu. From there, users can add, remove, or customize which settings they would like to display.
The default Control Center menu offers the following accessibility settings:
- Accessibility Shortcuts (listed as plural, see next section)
- Classic Invert (iOS 18)
- Color Filters (iOS 18)
- Dark Mode
- Dim Flashing Lights (iOS 18)
- Guided Access
- Hearing
- Hover Text (iOS 18)
- Hover Typing (iOS 18)
- Increase Contrast (iOS 18)
- Live Recognition (iOS 18)
- Magnifier
- Music Recognition
- Reduce Motion (iOS 18)
- Reduce Transparency (iOS 18)
- Reduce White Point (iOS 18)
- Smart Invert (iOS 18)
- Speak Screen (iOS 18)
- Sound Recognition
- Text Size (customizable for individual apps with a slider)
- Vehicle Motion (iOS 18)
- VoiceOver (iOS 18)
- Zoom (iOS 18)
While some settings can be customized for individual applications, most settings will remain on until the user turns them off again.
Related links
View favorite settings: Accessibility Shortcut
Accessibility Shortcut provides additional accessibility settings that can be turned on/off using either the Control Center or by triple-clicking a button shortcut (either the top button, side button, or home button depending on the device model). These accessibility settings will remain on until the user turns them off, and they will not be turned on/off automatically when opening an application. To customize the features available in the Accessibility Shortcut menu, open Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut, which is located in the General sub-section of the Accessibility section, and then select or drag to rearrange the features the user would want visible in this menu.
iPadOS and iOS currently offer the following options for the Accessibility Shortcut:
- Assistive Access
- Background Sounds
- AssistiveTouch
- Classic Invert
- Color Filters
- Dim Flashing Lights
- Eye Tracking
- Full Keyboard Access
- Guided Access
- Hover Text
- Hover Typing
- Increase Contrast
- Left/Right Balance
- Live Captions
- Live Recognition
- Live Speech
- Magnifier
- Reduce Motion
- Reduce Transparency
- Reduce White Point
- Smart Invert
- Speak Screen
- Switch Control
- Vehicle Motion Controls
- Voice Control
- VoiceOver
- Zoom
If more than one accessibility feature is added, each feature will be displayed in a list when the Accessibility Shortcut is activated, so the user can choose the feature they want to access.
Related links
Read text without distractions: Safari Reading View
Safari Reading View is a built-in simplified reading display that is built into the Safari web browser. With a simplified reading display, text content is displayed with a consistent font size, font style, and background color, regardless of how the content is displayed on the original website. This can help to eliminate visual clutter such as ads, multi-column layouts, decorative photos, and animations, as well as provide users with the option to have text read out loud. Reading View in Safari can be launched automatically for specific websites or blog posts/articles from websites, and text can be further enlarged with pinch-to-zoom as well.
How to enable Reading View
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. Select Listen to Page to hear the content read out loud in a synthesized voice.
Reading View offers twelve font sizes, nine fonts (with a mix of sans serif and serif), and four background colors (white, sepia, dark gray, and black). Listen to Page has more limited customization options, supporting a reading rate of up to 2x speed, increased/decreased in increments of 0.25x.
Related links
Listen to text read out loud: Spoken Content
For users that benefit from having text read loud but not necessarily all of the time, text-to-speech tools like Speak Selection/Spoken Content may be a better option. Speak Selection and Speak Screen will read all text that is selected or on the screen, as well as any alt text or other elements of a page that would traditionally be read by VoiceOver. Speak Text and Speak Screen offer the same voice customizations as VoiceOver, though users do not need to know any VoiceOver gestures to interact with content. Settings for Speak Selection can be customized independently from VoiceOver, though the settings for each feature are similar.
How to enable Speak Text and Speak Screen in iOS
- Go to the Settings app
- Go to the Accessibility section
- Go to the Spoken Content option, which is in the Vision section
- Turn on speak selection and/or speak screen
- Activate speak selection/speak screen by long-pressing on text content and selecting the Speak option, or swipe down from the top of the page with two fingers
Related links
Open applications with voice controls: Siri
Another option for quickly turning accessibility features on or off while connected to internet/cellular data is to use Siri. For example, if I wanted to turn on VoiceOver, I could say “Hey Siri, VoiceOver on” and VoiceOver would automatically turn on with the settings I had previously configured in the Accessibility menu. Alternatively, if users would prefer to type when talking to Siri, this can also be configured in Settings > Accessibility > Siri, which is located in the General sub-section of the Accessibility menu by turning on Type to Siri. Siri can also be configured to respond silently instead of speaking out loud in this menu as well.
Streamline tasks and set routines: Shortcuts
Shortcuts is a free app that is pre-installed on all Apple devices running iOS 13.1 or higher and allows users to complete one or more actions using an application on their device. This can include personal automations that are activated when specific conditions are met (such as a time, location, or voice/text command) as well as icons or bookmarks for accessing specific settings. Shortcuts offers several options for accessing frequently used features, customizing icons, and listening to text with text-to-speech.
Related links
More ideas for enabling temporary accessibility settings for iPad
- Another temporary accessibility setting that can be used with the Pages app is Presenter View, which converts a document into a teleprompter-style display. Learn more in Ways To Use Teleprompter Apps As Assistive Technology
- When using text-to-speech or audio settings, users may prefer to wear headphones so they can hear the audio output. Learn more about selecting headphones for visually impaired users in Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: Headphones
- 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 February 2, 2021. Updated September 2024