The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus come packed with powerful accessibility features designed to make the devices easier to use for everyone, especially users with vision, hearing, or motor skill challenges. Whether you need help reading the screen, typing messages, or customizing the display, this guide will show you exactly how to set up and manage these options.
How to Turn On VoiceOver
VoiceOver reads out loud anything you tap on your screen, making navigation easier if you’re blind or have low vision.
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Select Accessibility.
- Tap VoiceOver under the Vision section.
- Toggle VoiceOver ON.
Quick Tip:
You can also triple-click the Home button to turn VoiceOver on or off instantly.
How to Use Zoom to Magnify Your Screen
If you need to zoom into parts of the screen:
- Triple-tap the screen with three fingers to activate Zoom.
- Drag three fingers up or down to adjust magnification.
You can also turn it on in Settings → General → Accessibility → Zoom.
How to Use and Manage Display Accommodations
Display Accommodations let you tweak color filters and screen settings.
- Go to Settings → General → Accessibility → Display Accommodations.
- Tap Color Filters and choose from grayscale, red/green, green/red, or blue/yellow filters.
Swipe through examples to find the best fit for your vision needs.
How to Adjust Color Intensity and Tint
Want to fine-tune color settings?
- Head to Settings → General → Accessibility → Display Accommodations.
- Adjust the Intensity slider.
- Use Color Tint to shift your screen’s hue if you’re sensitive to certain colors or lights.
How to Set Up Typing Feedback
Typing Feedback helps by reading letters, words, or auto-corrections aloud while you type.
- Go to Settings → General → Accessibility → Speech → Typing Feedback.
- Enable options like Character Feedback, Speak Words, Speak Auto-text, or Hold to Speak Predictions.
How to Turn On AssistiveTouch
AssistiveTouch makes it easier to use your iPhone if you have trouble with gestures or button presses.
To enable AssistiveTouch:
- Go to Settings → General → Accessibility → AssistiveTouch and toggle it on.
Other ways to enable it:
- Ask Siri: “Turn on AssistiveTouch.”
- Triple-click the Home button if you’ve set up Accessibility Shortcut.
Use AssistiveTouch to adjust volume, lock the screen, access the Home screen, or even trigger Siri.
How to Change Text Size and Bold Text
Make reading easier by enlarging text or making it bolder:
- Open Settings → General → Accessibility.
- Tap Larger Text.
- Enable Larger Accessibility Sizes to see even bigger text options.
- You can also toggle Bold Text to make everything thicker and clearer.
How to Set Up Flash Notifications
Want your iPhone’s LED to flash for calls or texts?
- Go to Settings → General → Accessibility.
- Tap LED Flash for Alerts and toggle it on.
How to Change Screen Colors for Visual Needs
If you have dyslexia or other visual impairments, adjusting screen colors can help:
- Go to Settings → General → Accessibility → Display Accommodations.
- Use Color Filters, Invert Colors, or Reduce White Point to modify your display.
How to Set Up and Use TTY on iPhone 7
TTY (Text Telephone) lets you send text-based messages during a phone call without needing extra hardware.
To set up TTY:
- Open Settings → General → Accessibility → TTY.
- Turn on TTY Software.
- Enter a Relay Number if needed.
- Choose to send characters immediately or after typing full messages.
To make a TTY call:
- Open the Phone app.
- Choose a contact and tap TTY Call or TTY Relay Call.
- Enter your message and tap Send.
You can also view TTY call transcripts by tapping the info (i) icon next to a call in your call history.
How to Manage Accessibility Features with iTunes
You can configure some Accessibility settings through iTunes too:
- Connect your iPhone 7 to your computer.
- In iTunes, select your device.
- Under Summary, click Configure Accessibility.
- Choose the features you want and hit OK.