How to Turn On and Use VoiceOver Accessibility on iOS

For individuals who are blind or have low vision, interacting with a flat, glass touchscreen can seem impossible. To solve this, Apple engineered VoiceOver, an industry-leading screen reader built directly into iOS. When VoiceOver is enabled, your iPhone fundamentally changes how it responds to touch. Instead of tapping a button to immediately activate it, you tap the screen to hear a description of what is under your finger. This audible feedback allows you to build a mental map of the screen and navigate complex apps using specialized, multi-finger gestures.

How to Turn On VoiceOver

Because VoiceOver changes the basic touch gestures of the iPhone, it is highly recommended that you ask Siri to turn it on for you, especially if you are navigating the screen for the first time.

1. Activate Siri (by saying “Hey Siri” or holding the Side/Home button).
2. Say, “Turn on VoiceOver.”

If you prefer to enable it manually via the Settings app:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
3. Under the “Vision” section at the very top, tap VoiceOver.
4. Toggle the switch to the ON (green) position.

As soon as the switch is flipped, a black outline will appear around the active element on the screen, and Siri’s voice will immediately begin reading the text aloud.

Basic VoiceOver Gestures

Once VoiceOver is active, standard scrolling and tapping will no longer work. You must learn the fundamental VoiceOver gestures to operate the phone.

• Explore the screen: Drag a single finger slowly around the glass. VoiceOver will announce the name of every app icon, button, or text block you touch.
• Select an item: Tap once anywhere on the screen. VoiceOver will jump to the nearest item and read it aloud, drawing a black box around it.
• Activate a selected item: Once an item is selected (and outlined in black), double-tap anywhere on the screen with a single finger. You do not need to double-tap exactly on the button; tapping anywhere on the glass will activate the currently selected item.
• Scroll a page: Because a single-finger swipe now moves the VoiceOver cursor, you must use three fingers to swipe up, down, left, or right to scroll through a menu or a webpage.

How to Turn Off VoiceOver

If you accidentally turned VoiceOver on and your phone seems “stuck” because standard taps no longer work, do not panic. The easiest way to disable it is to use Siri again: “Hey Siri, turn off VoiceOver.”

If Siri is unavailable, you must use the VoiceOver gestures to navigate back through the Settings app:

1. Tap the Settings icon once to select it (it will say “Settings”).
2. Double-tap anywhere on the screen to open it.
3. Use three fingers to scroll down the list until Accessibility is visible.
4. Tap Accessibility once to select it, then double-tap to open it.
5. Tap VoiceOver once to select it, then double-tap to open it.
6. Tap the green VoiceOver toggle switch once to select it, then double-tap to turn it off. Normal touch functionality will instantly return.