Your iPhone Has 25 New Accessibility Tools You Shouldn't Ignore - Gadget Hacks

While it's not usually the archetypal happening everyone looks astatine aft installing a caller iOS bundle update, I'd springiness the caller accessibility features connected your iPhone precedence attraction due to the fact that determination are immoderate highly invaluable tools that adjacent users without disabilities tin enjoy.

Of course, Apple created the caller accessibility features connected iOS 16 with disabled radical successful mind, but much and much users are utilizing them due to the fact that they tin vastly amended the idiosyncratic experience. What started arsenic a task to marque iPhones accessible to each users became 1 of the iPhone's biggest advantages implicit different smartphones.

Accessibility features let you to customize your iPhone and get the astir retired of it. You tin unit your iPhone to read for you, detect sounds, respond to dependable commands, oregon take photos hands-free. And now, you tin bash adjacent much with iOS 16's caller assistive features.

While we've already seen iOS 16.1 and 16.2 updates for iPhone, determination weren't immoderate recently added accessibility features beyond a tiny icon change and a rumored-to-come-soon feature. However, iOS 16.0 inactive gave america plentifulness to instrumentality vantage of.

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1. Control Nearby Devices

With iOS 16, you tin present power your adjacent devices that are connected and signed into the aforesaid iCloud account. Go to Settings –> Accessibility –> Control Nearby Devices, past pat the "Control Nearby Devices" fastener to commencement a search. It volition database each the devices you tin power connected the adjacent screen, and tapping 1 gives you respective options.

For example, erstwhile controlling my iPad (running iPadOS 16) with my iPhone, I tin unfastened the Home Screen, App Switcher, Notification Center, Control Center, and Siri. When playing audio oregon video connected the device, I tin besides play and intermission it, spell to the erstwhile oregon adjacent track, and set the volume.

• Full Guide: Use Your iPhone oregon Apple Watch arsenic a Remote Control for Your iPad Using This Hidden Built-in Feature

2. Door Detection successful Magnifier

Magnifier has a caller Door Detection enactment connected iOS 16, which helps unsighted and low-vision users find entryways erstwhile they get astatine their destination. The instrumentality tin archer you however acold distant the doorway is, if the doorway is unfastened oregon closed, however to unfastened it (push it, crook the knob, propulsion the handle, etc.), what immoderate signs accidental (like country numbers), what immoderate symbols mean (like radical icons for restrooms), and more.

Door Detection uses the lidar scanner for airy detection and ranging, which is lone disposable connected the pursuing models:

• iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
• iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd, 3rd, and 5th generations)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th, 5th, and 6th generations)

Image via Apple

3. Image Descriptions successful Magnifier

Another caller diagnostic successful the Magnifier app is Image Descriptions. When you constituent your camera astatine something, it volition amusement (or read) you elaborate descriptions of what it sees. Unlike Door Detection, this diagnostic is disposable for each iOS 16 users. It's not ever accurate, but it should amended arsenic improvement continues.

4. Detection Mode successful Magnifier

Now that determination are 2 much detection tools successful Magnifier, a caller Detection Mode paper is disposable that houses Door Detection, People Detection, and Image Descriptions.

If you don't person 1 of the iPhone oregon iPad models that supports Door Detection (see above), which are besides the aforesaid models that enactment People Detection, you tin lone adhd Image Descriptions to your controls, not the Detection Mode menu.

Image via Apple

5. Activities successful Magnifier

Magnifier besides supports activities, which lets you prevention your existent Magnifier configuration, including the controls panel, camera, brightness, contrast, filters, and detection modes. That way, you tin usage specialized setups for a peculiar recurring task oregon situation. To prevention your existent layout, usage "Save New Activity" from the Settings cog. You tin power betwixt layouts via the cog, too. In the Activities settings, you tin delete oregon duplicate customized options.

6. Live Captions for Audio, Video, and Calls

One of the astir important caller accessibility features is Live Captions, which are adjuvant for radical with proceeding problems and anyone who cannot perceive audio connected their iPhone for immoderate reason. It volition enactment successful telephone and FaceTime calls, video calls connected societal media apps, streaming shows and different media, and adjacent teleconferencing apps.

Image via Apple

It's besides imaginable to customize the font size, color, and inheritance colour for easier reading. You tin adjacent determination the captions similar you tin with the Picture successful Picture subordinate and acceptable its idle opacity. And if you usage a Mac for calls, you tin reply to the speech by typing and having your words work retired large successful existent time.

For now, Live Captions is disposable successful the U.S. and Canada for iPhone 11 and later, iPad with A12 Bionic and later, and Macs with Apple silicon. If you're disquieted astir privacy, Apple promises that idiosyncratic accusation volition enactment backstage arsenic Live Captions are generated straight connected the device. You can't grounds them erstwhile you instrumentality a screenshot.

7. Apple Watch Mirroring

If you person an Apple Watch, you tin usage astir of your paired iPhone's accessibility features to power it remotely, acknowledgment to Apple Watch Mirroring.

With Apple Watch Mirroring, users tin power Apple Watch utilizing iPhone's assistive features similar Voice Control and Switch Control, and usage inputs including dependable commands, dependable actions, caput tracking, oregon outer Made for iPhone switches arsenic alternatives to tapping the Apple Watch display. Apple Watch Mirroring uses hardware and bundle integration, including advances built connected AirPlay, to assistance guarantee users who trust connected these mobility features tin payment from unsocial Apple Watch apps similar Blood Oxygen, Heart Rate, Mindfulness, and more.

Apple Watch Mirroring is disposable connected Apple Watch Series 6 and later. To alteration it, spell to Settings –> Accessibility –> Apple Watch Mirroring, past toggle connected the switch. Once connected, you tin power your Watch wholly done your iPhone.

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Image via Apple

8. More Languages for VoiceOver and Speak Tools

You tin present alteration adjacent much languages for VoiceOver, Speak Selection, and Speak Screen. The supported languages see the following. Asterisks (*) bespeak languages that are caller connected iOS 16.

• Arabic (World) *
• Bangla aka Bengali (India) *
• Basque (Spain) *
• Bhojpuri (India) *
• Bulgarian (Bulgaria) *
• Catalan (Spain) *
• Chinese (China mainland)
• Chinese (Hong Kong)
• Chinese (Liaoning, China mainland) *
• Chinese (Shaanxi, China mainland) *
• Chinese (Sichuan, China mainland) *
• Chinese (Taiwan)
• Croatian (Croatia) *
• Czech (Czechia)
• Danish (Denmark)
• Dutch (Belgium)
• Dutch (Netherlands)
• English (Australia)
• English (India)
• English (Ireland)
• English (Scotland, UK) *
• English (South Africa)
• English (UK)
• English (US)
• Finnish (Finland)
• French (Belgium) *
• French (Canada)
• French (France)
• Galician (Spain) *
• German (Germany)
• Greek (Greece)
• Hebrew (Israel)
• Hindi (India)
• Hungarian (Hungary)
• Indonesian (Indonesia)
• Italian (Italy)
• Japanese (Japan)
• Kannada (India) *
• Korean (South Korea)
• Malay (Malaysia) *
• Marathi (India) *
• Norwegian Bokmål (Norway)
• Persian aka Farsi (Iran) *
• Polish (Poland)
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Portuguese (Portugal)
• Romanian (Romania)
• Russian (Russia)
• Shanghainese (China mainland) *
• Slovak (Slovakia)
• Slovenian (Slovenia) *
• Spanish (Argentina)
• Spanish (Chile) *
• Spanish (Columbia)
• Spanish (Mexico)
• Spanish (Spain)
• Spanish (Sweden)
• Tamil (India) *
• Telugu (India) *
• Thai (Thailand)
• Turkish (Turkey)
• Ukrainian (Ukraine) *
• Valencian (Spain) *
• Vietnamese (Vietnam) *

9. More Voices for VoiceOver and Speak Tools

Dozens of caller voices are besides disposable for VoiceOver, Speak Selection, and Speak Screen — each optimized assistive features and languages. For English, caller voices see Agnes, Bruce, Eloquence, Evan, Joelle, Junior, Kathy, Nathan, Noelle, Ralph, Vicki, and Zoe.

There are besides novelty voices, including Albert, Bad News, Bahh, Bells, Boing, Bubbles, Cellos, Good News, Jester, Organ, Superstar, Trinoids, Whisper, Wobble, and Zarvox.

10. More VoiceOver Programming Settings

There are a fewer caller options to enactment with successful Settings –> Accessibility –> VoiceOver –> Activities –> Programming, the paper that lets you make groups of preferences for circumstantial uses.

First is Typing Style, which lets you take betwixt Default, Standard, Touch, and Direct Touch. The 2nd is Navigation Style, with Default, Flag, and Grouped choices. And the 3rd is Braille Alert Messages, wherever you tin prime either Default, On, oregon Off. These options were disposable before, conscionable not for programming activities.

11. VoiceOver Starting Point Detection successful Maps

When utilizing VoiceOver successful Apple Maps, you'll get automatic dependable and haptic feedback to assistance you place the starting constituent for walking directions.

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12. Buddy Controller for Games

If you person trouble utilizing a crippled controller, the caller Buddy Controller diagnostic lets a person oregon attraction supplier assistance you play a game. It works by combining 2 crippled controllers into one, truthful you tin efficaciously play unneurotic arsenic a azygous player. If this sounds familiar, that's due to the fact that Xbox consoles connection a akin diagnostic called Co-pilot.

13. Siri Pause Time

In Settings –> Accessibility –> Siri, you'll find a caller conception called Siri Pause Time, which lets you acceptable however agelong Siri waits for you to decorativeness speaking. You tin permission the default mounting oregon take Longer oregon Longest. This instrumentality is cleanable for you if Siri ever seems similar an impatient interrupter.

14. Custom Sounds for Sound Recognition

Sound Recognition has been disposable since iOS 14, but successful iOS 16, you tin bid your iPhone to admit circumstantial sounds from your environment. Go to Settings –> Accessibility –> Sound Recognition –> Sounds, and take "Custom Alarm" oregon "Custom Appliance oregon Doorbell."

To delete customized alarms and sounds, swipe near connected them from the Sounds menu. You tin besides pat "Edit," past the delete icon (red ellipse with a achromatic enactment successful the middle), and corroborate with "Delete."

15. Voice Control Spelling Mode

You're astir apt already utilized to the iPhone's dictation feature, but present you tin usage Spelling mode successful Voice Control to spell retired a connection missive by missive truthful determination are nary misunderstandings. Use it to dictate names, addresses, acronyms, and more. The diagnostic is presently lone disposable successful US English.

16. More Voice Control Commands

Aside from Spelling Mode, Voice Control besides has caller commands for:

• Open App Library
• Show Keyboard
• Hide Keyboard
• Press <key name> key
• Hang up
• Turn connected Apple Watch Mirroring
• Turn disconnected Apple Watch Mirroring
• Turn connected Apple Watch Remote Control
• Turn disconnected Apple Watch Remote Control
• Turn connected Full Keyboard Access
• Turn disconnected Full Keyboard Access
• VoiceOver activate
• VoiceOver Magic Tap
• VoiceOver prime <number>
• VoiceOver work all
• VoiceOver prime <item name>
• VoiceOver prime archetypal item
• VoiceOver prime past item
• VoiceOver prime adjacent app
• VoiceOver prime erstwhile app
• VoiceOver prime adjacent item
• VoiceOver prime erstwhile item
• VoiceOver prime adjacent rotor
• VoiceOver prime erstwhile rotor
• VoiceOver prime adjacent rotor option
• VoiceOver prime erstwhile rotor option
• VoiceOver prime presumption bar
• VoiceOver Item Chooser
• VoiceOver talk summary
• VoiceOver halt speaking
• VoiceOver surface curtain
• Increase zoom
• Decrease zoom
• Maximize zoom
• Minimize zoom
• Zoom down
• Zoom up
• Zoom left
• Zoom right

17. Apple Books Customization

In iOS 16, the Apple Books app comes with caller themes and accessibility options. The app has been redesigned, and the caller interface is simplified, which besides helps marque it much accessible. You tin bold substance and customize spacing for easier reading. And determination are a fewer caller themes you tin usage to marque the app easier connected the eyes.

• More Info: Apple Books Just Got Its Biggest iPhone Update successful Years

On iOS 16.2 and later, determination are caller Books actions successful the Shortcuts app, including a Change Book Appearance action. So you tin make shortcuts to each publication successful the app, applying antithetic appearances to each, truthful you don't person to support changing them manually.

• More Info: Apple Finally Gave Us More Shortcut Actions for Books

18. Prevent Lock to End Call

If you've been known to accidentally bent up connected radical during telephone oregon FaceTime calls by clicking the Side button, which locks the surface and unintentionally ends calls, past iOS 16 tin help. In Settings –> Accessibility –> Touch, there's a caller power for "Prevent Lock to End Call." Toggling it connected volition halt you from hanging up prematurely whenever your iPhone's surface locks.

• More Info: Stop Your iPhone's Side Button from Accidentally Ending Audio Calls Early

19. Hey Siri, Hang Up

It wasn't imaginable to inquire Siri to extremity a telephone oregon FaceTime telephone for you, but present you tin bash it by saying, "Hey Siri, bent up" portion talking to someone. The downside is that the idiosyncratic you're talking to volition perceive you saying the command, but it's large for ending the telephone hands-free for immoderate reason. You tin alteration it successful the Siri & Search settings (left screenshot below) oregon Siri accessibility settings (right screenshot below).

This diagnostic is disposable connected the iPhones with an A13 Bionic spot oregon later, meaning the iPhone 11 and newer. However, it's besides supported connected models with an A12 Bionic spot — the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR — erstwhile utilizing AirPods oregon Siri-enabled Beats headphones.

• Don't Miss: Siri Settings, Shortcuts, and Hacks Every iPhone User Should Know

20. Auto-Answer Calls Switching with Hey Siri

The auto-answer calls enactment is simply a large assistance to immoderate users with disabilities. Still, determination was 1 drawback — it had to beryllium turned connected manually via Settings –> Accessibility –> Touch –> Call Audio Routing –> Auto-Answer Calls. Now, you tin say, "Hey Siri, crook connected auto-answer," oregon "Hey Siri, crook disconnected auto-answer." Besides iOS 16, it's besides disposable for WatchOS 9.

21. Announce Notifications Without Earphones

Your iPhone tin work incoming messages and notifications, but the diagnostic lone worked erstwhile combined with AirPods oregon Beats headphones. On iOS 16, it besides works connected your iPhone's talker and with Made for iPhone proceeding aids. It's an indispensable instrumentality for anyone who can't prime up their iPhone to work the latest substance oregon notification.

Have Siri work retired notifications. Siri volition debar interrupting you and volition perceive aft speechmaking notifications truthful you tin respond oregon instrumentality actions without saying 'Hey Siri.' Siri volition denote notifications from caller apps that nonstop Time Sensitive notifications oregon nonstop messages.

You tin besides acceptable Siri to nonstop a reply successful supported apps without asking you if you're definite you privation to nonstop it.

22. More Back Tap Options

Back Tap allows you to pat the Apple logo connected the backmost of your iPhone 2 oregon 3 times to trigger an action, specified arsenic taking a screenshot without a thumbnail appearing oregon opening Spotlight. Regarding accessibility, determination are 2 much options for Back Tap: Control Nearby Devices and Live Captions.

23. More Accessibility Shortcuts

If you activate a circumstantial accessibility instrumentality utilizing the Accessibility Shortcut, wherever you triple-click the Home oregon Side fastener connected your iPhone, you'll beryllium blessed to cognize that it present besides supports the caller Control Nearby Devices and Live Captions features, conscionable similar Back Tap does.

24. Show Zoom While Mirroring

In Settings –> Accessibility –> Zoom, you'll spot a caller power for "Show portion Mirroring." It's disabled by default, but erstwhile on, it volition amusement the zoomed quality whenever sharing your surface oregon during surface recordings. However, it doesn't look to enactment erstwhile using QuickTime oregon different surface recorders connected Mac that usage QuickTime's protocol.

25. Add Audiograms to Health

If you usage the Health app, you tin present import your audiograms into it connected your iPhone. Go to Browse –> Hearing –> Audiogram, past pat "Add Data." You tin usage your camera to instrumentality a representation of your audiogram, take an audiogram representation from your Photos app, oregon upload an audiogram papers from Files.

New Custom Accessibility Mode (Not Live Yet)

While not successful iOS 16.0 oregon 16.1, Apple has started investigating a caller Custom Accessibility Mode connected iOS 16.2, but it wasn't unrecorded for anyone to effort and didn't marque the last unchangeable release. Codenamed Clarity, the mode "creates a streamlined iPhone experience," to punctuation Apple's description.

The mode creates a caller idiosyncratic interface that replaces the regular one, letting you alteration circumstantial elements to suit your needs. You tin presumption apps successful lists alternatively of grids, usage elephantine app icons, marque the Lock Screen easier to unlock, and more. For elaborate information, cheque retired our usher to iOS 16.2's caller features.

• More Info: iOS 16.2 Has 23 Huge Changes You Need to Know About Before Updating Your iPhone

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Cover photo, screenshots, and GIFs by Jovana Naumovski/Gadget Hacks