Most people have never opened Settings > Accessibility. That's a shame, because Apple has quietly packed it with tools that aren't just for people with disabilities. Some of them, like Back Tap and Guided Access, are flat-out useful for everyone. Here's what's in there and how to actually use it.
Find every accessibility feature in one place: Settings > Accessibility
Every single accessibility tool on iPhone lives under Settings > Accessibility. Vision, Hearing, Physical & Motor, and General categories are all here. Once you know this entry point exists, you'll stop hunting through random menus and just go straight to it.
- Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
- Browse the four categories: Vision, Physical & Motor, Hearing, and General.
- Tap any feature name to enable it or dive into its settings.
Watch out for
- The menu layout shifts slightly between iOS versions. Scroll all the way down if a specific feature seems to have vanished.
- A small handful of features need you to back out and return to Settings, or restart the phone, before they fully take effect.
Assign your most-used accessibility features to the Accessibility Shortcut (triple-click Side button)
The Accessibility Shortcut lets you triple-click the Side button (or Home button on older models) to instantly toggle whichever accessibility features you've pre-selected. No digging through Settings mid-task. Assign one feature and it toggles immediately; assign several and a quick menu appears so you can pick.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut (it's right at the bottom of the Accessibility menu).
- Tick one or more features: VoiceOver, Zoom, Magnifier, Guided Access, and others are all available.
- Triple-click the Side button quickly from any screen to activate or deactivate your chosen feature.
- If you've assigned multiple features, a small menu appears. Tap the one you want.
Watch out for
- Triple-clicking too slowly won't register. Practise a brisk three-click rhythm.
- On iPad and iPod touch the same shortcut applies via the same menu.
- If you've already assigned Back Tap (tip 5 below) to a triple-tap action, think about which features go where to avoid clashes.
Turn Back Tap on to trigger actions by tapping the back of your iPhone
Back Tap is the "secret button" most iPhone owners have never heard of. A double or triple tap on the rear glass can fire off a screenshot, launch Magnifier, scroll the screen, or trigger any Shortcut you've built. No button press, no voice command. Just tap the back.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap.
- Tap Double Tap or Triple Tap (or set up both for different actions).
- Choose an action from the list: Screenshot, Scroll Down, Accessibility Shortcut, Magnifier, or a custom Shortcut you've created.
- Head back to any app and tap the rear glass to confirm it fires.
Watch out for
- Back Tap requires iPhone 8 or later.
- Thick or rugged cases can muffle the tap. Try it without the case if taps aren't registering.
- Assign double-tap and triple-tap to different actions to double your one-handed toolkit.
Use Magnifier to turn your iPhone camera into a real-time magnifying glass
Magnifier uses the iPhone camera to zoom in on anything in the real world: menus, medicine labels, tiny print on a form. You can adjust brightness, contrast, and colour filters on the fly, and freeze the image to read it without holding the phone steady. It's the accessibility feature non-disabled people use most once they discover it.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and toggle it on.
- Optionally, add it to Control Centre: Settings > Control Centre > Add Magnifier.
- Open Magnifier from Control Centre, or via a triple-click / Back Tap if you've assigned it.
- Drag the zoom slider to increase magnification.
- Tap the freeze button (the camera shutter icon) to lock the image still so you can read it comfortably.
- Tap the filter button to apply colour filters or boost brightness and contrast.
Watch out for
- Magnifier is separate from the Zoom accessibility feature. Zoom magnifies the entire iPhone screen. Magnifier uses the camera to look at the physical world.
- In low light, tap the torch icon inside Magnifier for a much clearer image.
- Detection Mode (for people, doors, and text) requires iPhone 12 or later for some LiDAR-dependent functions.
Lock your iPhone to a single app with Guided Access
Guided Access pins your iPhone to one app and won't let anyone leave it without your passcode. Hand a phone to a child, run a customer-facing demo, or lock yourself into a focus session without accidental exits. You can even disable specific areas of the screen with a finger-drawn circle.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and toggle it on.
- Tap Passcode Settings and set a Guided Access passcode (Face ID or Touch ID exit is also an option).
- Open the app you want to lock to.
- Triple-click the Side button to start Guided Access.
- Optionally draw circles over screen areas you want to disable, then tap Start.
- To exit: triple-click the Side button, then enter the passcode or use Face/Touch ID.
Watch out for
- If you forget the Guided Access passcode, you may need to force-restart the device and restore it.
- Guided Access ends automatically on restart.
- Guided Access and Assistive Access cannot run at the same time.
Set up Assistive Access for a stripped-back, large-icon iPhone experience
Assistive Access replaces the standard iPhone interface with a simplified, high-contrast layout showing only the apps you choose, all with large icons and minimal clutter. Designed for people with cognitive disabilities, it's also useful for elderly relatives who find the usual iPhone UI overwhelming.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Assistive Access and tap Set Up Assistive Access.
- Choose which apps to include and configure each app's behaviour.
- Set a passcode to prevent unauthorised exit.
- Tap Enter Assistive Access to switch into the simplified mode.
- To exit: triple-click the Side button, enter the Assistive Access passcode, then tap Exit Assistive Access.
Watch out for
- Only Apple-supported apps and compatible third-party apps appear in Assistive Access. Not every app on your phone will be available.
- The standard iPhone interface is completely hidden while Assistive Access is active.
- Have a trusted person help with initial setup to make sure the right apps and settings are in place before you hand the phone over.
Enable VoiceOver to have everything on screen read aloud
VoiceOver is a full screen reader that describes every element on screen, making iPhone usable without sight. It changes how touch gestures work (single-tap to hear, double-tap to activate), so the built-in Practice screen is the place to start before you do anything else. Siri can also toggle it hands-free if you get stuck.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver and toggle it on. Or say "Hey Siri, turn on VoiceOver".
- Use the VoiceOver Practice screen that appears immediately after enabling it to learn the new gesture set.
- Single-tap any element to hear it described. Double-tap to activate it. Swipe left or right to move between items.
- To turn VoiceOver off: triple-click the Side button (if assigned to the Accessibility Shortcut), or say "Hey Siri, turn off VoiceOver".
Watch out for
- Standard tap-to-activate no longer works once VoiceOver is on. You must double-tap everything. This trips up first-time users immediately.
- Some third-party apps are not fully VoiceOver compatible and may behave unpredictably.
- Assigning VoiceOver to the Accessibility Shortcut before you need it is the safest move, so you can always triple-click your way out.
Add accessibility tools to Control Centre for one-swipe access
Control Centre lets you reach your most-used tools with a single swipe down from the top-right corner. Add accessibility controls like Magnifier, Text Size, and Hearing there and you'll never need to open Settings mid-activity again.
- Go to Settings > Control Centre.
- Scroll to More Controls and tap the green + next to Magnifier, Hearing, Text Size, or Accessibility Shortcuts.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Centre.
- Tap the accessibility control you added to launch it instantly.
Watch out for
- On iPhones with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge instead.
- VoiceOver itself isn't available as a standalone Control Centre tile. Use the Accessibility Shortcut (triple-click) for that one.
Ask Siri to toggle accessibility features completely hands-free
If VoiceOver has scrambled your gestures, your hands are full, or you simply can't navigate the Settings menus right now, Siri is the fastest escape hatch. A single voice command turns most accessibility features on or off in seconds.
- Say "Hey Siri" or hold the Side button to activate Siri.
- Try commands like: "Turn on VoiceOver", "Turn off Zoom", "Open Magnifier", or "Turn on Guided Access".
- Siri confirms and applies the change immediately.
Watch out for
- Siri must be enabled first: Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for "Hey Siri".
- Most Siri requests need an internet connection.
- Siri cannot enter or exit Assistive Access because that process requires a passcode.
Adjust Display & Text Size settings to cut eye strain without any extra hardware
Bold text, larger font sizes, increased contrast, reduced transparency, and colour filters are all sitting in one menu and they're free. Combined, they can transform a screen that felt hard to read into one that's genuinely comfortable, no specialist equipment needed.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
- Toggle Bold Text for heavier fonts across the entire system.
- Tap Larger Text and drag the slider to increase font size system-wide.
- Enable Increase Contrast or Reduce Transparency to make UI elements more distinct.
- Enable Colour Filters and select the appropriate filter if you have colour vision deficiency (greyscale, red/green, blue/yellow options are all here).
Watch out for
- Very large text sizes can break some app layouts or cause text to truncate. Dial back slightly if you notice that happening.
- Colour Filters apply to photos and videos too, not just the UI. Turn them off if colour accuracy matters for what you're doing.
- Bold Text takes effect immediately in recent iOS versions without needing a restart.