Making Your Phone Easier to See
Struggling to read small text? Screen too dim? Your phone has many built-in features to make everything easier to see and use. Here's how to adjust them.
Make Text Bigger
On iPhone
- Open Settings
- Tap Display & Brightness
- Tap Text Size
- Drag the slider to the right for bigger text
For even larger text: Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Larger Text
On Android
- Open Settings
- Tap Display
- Tap Font size or Screen zoom
- Drag the slider for bigger text
Screen zoom makes everything bigger, not just text
Adjust Screen Brightness
Quick Way (Both Phones)
Swipe down from the top of your screen to see quick settings. Look for the brightness slider (sun icon) and drag it left/right.
Auto-Brightness
Your phone can automatically adjust brightness based on your surroundings. This is usually on by default and works well for most people.
To adjust: Settings → Display (or Display & Brightness) → Look for "Auto-Brightness" toggle
Bold Text for Better Readability
On iPhone
- Open Settings
- Tap Display & Brightness
- Turn on Bold Text
- Your phone will restart to apply the change
On Android
- Open Settings
- Tap Accessibility
- Look for Bold text or High contrast text
- Turn it on
Zoom In on Anything
Magnifier Feature
Your phone can act like a magnifying glass for anything on screen:
iPhone
Enable: Settings → Accessibility → Zoom → Turn on
Use: Double-tap with three fingers to zoom in/out. Drag with three fingers to move around.
Android
Enable: Settings → Accessibility → Magnification → Turn on
Use: Triple-tap anywhere to zoom. Triple-tap again to zoom out.
Reduce Eye Strain
Night Mode / Dark Mode
Switches your screen to light text on dark background. Easier on eyes, especially at night.
Find it: Settings → Display → Dark Mode (or Night Mode)
Night Shift / Blue Light Filter
Reduces blue light in the evening, making it easier to sleep after using your phone.
iPhone: Settings → Display & Brightness → Night Shift
Android: Settings → Display → Night Light (or Blue light filter)
More Helpful Features
Voice Control
Control your phone by speaking. Say "Hey Siri" (iPhone) or "Hey Google" (Android) to make calls, send texts, or get information without touching the screen.
Read Screen Aloud
Your phone can read emails, articles, and messages to you.
iPhone: Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → Speak Screen
Android: Settings → Accessibility → Select to Speak
Hearing Aid Compatibility
Both iPhone and Android work with many hearing aids. Check Settings → Accessibility for hearing options.
Flash for Alerts
Make your camera flash blink when you get a call or message - helpful if you don't always hear notification sounds.
iPhone: Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual → LED Flash for Alerts
Android: Settings → Accessibility → Flash notification
Quick Settings to Try
- Bigger text: Display settings → Text size → slide right
- Brighter screen: Swipe down, adjust sun slider
- Bold text: Display settings → Bold text on
- Zoom anywhere: Accessibility → Zoom/Magnification
- Dark mode: Display settings → Dark mode