How to Make Your iPhone Screen Easier to Read
If you’ve ever found yourself squinting at your phone or struggling to read small text, you’re not alone. For many people, default phone settings just aren’t easy on the eyes — especially when reading messages, browsing websites, or checking email. The good news? Your iPhone has a wide range of built-in features that can make your screen easier to read, without requiring any extra apps or complicated steps.
In this guide, TechPals walks you through everything you need to know to make your iPhone more comfortable to use. Whether you’re adjusting the font size, magnifying your screen, or tweaking contrast and color settings, these tips will help you personalize your device for a better reading experience. Best of all, you can do it yourself — or get help from TechPals any time at techpals.org.
Make the Text on Your iPhone Bigger
One of the simplest ways to improve readability on your phone is to increase the text size. Apple offers two different ways to do this, depending on how large you want your text to be.
Option 1: Standard Text Size Adjustment
Open the Settings app
Tap Display & Brightness
Select Text Size
Drag the slider to the right to make the text larger
This change will affect most built-in apps like Messages, Notes, Mail, Calendar, and more. You’ll see a preview above the slider so you can choose a size that’s comfortable for you.
Option 2: Larger Accessibility Text Sizes
For those who need extra-large text:
Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Select Display & Text Size
Tap Larger Text
Turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes
Use the slider to select a size up to 310% of the default
This feature is especially helpful for people who have visual impairments or who prefer a much larger font across the board. It also works with many third-party apps that support Dynamic Type.
Example: If you’ve ever found yourself handing your phone to someone else to help you read a text, this setting is for you.
Bold Text: Make Everything Easier to See
If larger text alone doesn’t do the trick, turning on Bold Text can make a big difference. It thickens the font throughout the interface, making words more defined and easier to distinguish from backgrounds.
How to Turn On Bold Text:
Open Settings
Tap Accessibility
Tap Display & Text Size
Toggle on Bold Text
Once you turn it on, your phone will apply bold text system-wide. You’ll notice it immediately in messages, menus, buttons, and more. This is a subtle but powerful way to reduce visual strain — especially when paired with larger text sizes.
Use Zoom: Your iPhone’s Built-In Magnifier
Need a closer look at something on your screen? The Zoom feature acts like a magnifying glass for your entire display. It can help when reading small text, viewing images, or even navigating tricky websites.
How to Enable Zoom:
Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Tap Zoom
Toggle the feature on
Once activated, double-tap the screen with three fingers to zoom in. You can then:
Move around by dragging with three fingers
Double-tap and drag to adjust the zoom level
Choose between full-screen zoom or a movable zoom window
Extra Tip: Use the Zoom Controller
If you want even easier access, turn on the Zoom Controller under the same menu. This adds a small on-screen joystick that lets you zoom in, out, or move around quickly.
What if I accidentally zoom too far?
Just double-tap with three fingers again to zoom out. It may take a bit of practice, but once you get used to it, Zoom is a powerful accessibility tool.
Use Display & Text Adjustments for Better Visibility
In addition to text size and zoom, Apple provides other display settings designed to improve readability and reduce eye strain. These can be found under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
Useful Adjustments Include:
Increase Contrast – Enhances the contrast between text and background
Reduce Transparency – Makes background elements solid so text stands out more
Differentiate Without Color – Adds extra shapes or labels so you don’t have to rely on color to understand icons
Smart Invert Colors – Reverses screen colors for easier nighttime reading without affecting photos or videos
Color Filters – Adjusts colors for various types of color blindness or personal preference
TechPals tip: If you read at night or in low light, these settings can make your phone easier on the eyes without sacrificing usability.
Don’t Forget Display Zoom
Apple offers another feature that makes everything on your screen — not just text — a little bigger. It’s called Display Zoom, and it increases the size of icons, buttons, keyboards, and menus.
To Enable Display Zoom:
Go to Settings
Tap Display & Brightness
Scroll to Display Zoom
Tap View
Choose Zoomed, then tap Set
Your phone will restart with everything slightly enlarged. This can make tapping and navigating much easier, especially for users who find the default layout a bit cramped.
Other Features That Can Help
Beyond basic adjustments, there are a few bonus features that can further enhance readability.
Reader Mode in Safari
Tired of cluttered websites with ads and pop-ups? Use Safari’s built-in Reader mode:
Tap the “aA” icon in the address bar
Select Show Reader View
This strips away everything except the article text. You can also adjust the font size and background color for easier reading.
Magnifier Tool
Turn your phone into a digital magnifying glass using the camera:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier
Toggle it on
Triple-click the side button to open it anytime
You can zoom in on menus, labels, and small print in real life — not just on your phone.
Spoken Content
Want your iPhone to read aloud? Enable Spoken Content under Accessibility to have your device read emails, articles, and more out loud. Swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to activate.
What If Nothing Seems to Help?
If you’ve tried all of the above and your phone is still hard to use, don’t worry — that’s exactly why TechPals exists.
We offer one-on-one help with screen settings, font adjustments, privacy tools, and more. Whether you're setting up a brand-new phone or tweaking the one you've had for years, our experts make it easy.
You can visit techpals.org to get started, or browse more tech tutorials at techpals.org/blog.
No question is too small. And no frustration is too silly. TechPals is here to help — without jargon, judgment, or waiting on hold.
Related Questions You Might Be Searching For
Why does the text on my iPhone look tiny even though I changed the settings?
Some apps may override system settings. Try using Display Zoom or Zoom mode.Can I adjust text size on just one app without changing the whole phone?
Yes — add the Text Size toggle to your Control Center and adjust app-by-app.Will increasing text size or zooming in use more battery?
Not significantly. These are visual settings and have little to no impact on battery life.How do I make buttons and icons easier to tap?
Try Display Zoom, or go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Touch Accommodations.What’s the difference between Zoom and Magnifier?
Zoom affects your screen. Magnifier uses the camera to help you see the real world.
If you’ve already adjusted your text size and enabled features like Zoom or Display Zoom but still find your iPhone’s screen difficult to read or navigate, don’t worry—there are additional accessibility options designed to enhance usability and comfort. These tools can help reduce eye strain, make buttons easier to tap, and even let your phone read text aloud to you. Let’s explore these lesser-known but powerful features you can try right now.
Touch Accommodations: Make Tapping Easier and More Accurate
For some users, especially those with motor skill challenges or arthritis, precise tapping on tiny icons or buttons can be frustrating. iPhone’s Touch Accommodations help by adjusting how your screen responds to taps.
To enable Touch Accommodations:
Open Settings
Tap Accessibility
Select Touch
Tap Touch Accommodations and toggle it on
Once enabled, you can customize settings such as:
Hold Duration: Require you to hold your finger down for a set time before the tap registers. This avoids accidental taps.
Ignore Repeat: Ignores multiple taps in quick succession if you tend to tap multiple times accidentally.
Tap Assistance: Allows the iPhone to recognize the location of your tap and adjust accordingly, which is helpful if your finger lands slightly off target.
These settings can be adjusted gradually to find what feels best for you. They make the phone more forgiving, reducing frustration and increasing confidence when interacting with your device.
Reduce Motion: Soften Screen Animations
The iPhone uses animations for things like opening apps or switching screens, which can sometimes cause discomfort or dizziness, especially for people sensitive to motion.
Reducing these animations can make your iPhone feel calmer and easier to use:
How to reduce motion:
Open Settings
Tap Accessibility
Tap Motion
Toggle on Reduce Motion
With this on, transitions become simpler, and the phone uses fade effects instead of zooming and sliding animations. Many users report that this makes their screen feel less busy and easier to follow.
Night Shift and True Tone: Protect Your Eyes from Harsh Lighting
The color and brightness of your screen can significantly affect eye strain, especially when using your phone in low light or at night.
Night Shift changes your screen colors to warmer tones (more yellow/orange) after sunset, reducing blue light exposure that can interfere with sleep.
True Tone adjusts the screen’s color and brightness based on your environment to make the display appear more natural.
How to enable Night Shift:
Open Settings
Tap Display & Brightness
Tap Night Shift
Set a schedule or enable manually
True Tone is usually enabled by default but can be toggled on/off in the same Display & Brightness settings.
Using these features reduces glare and makes your phone more comfortable to look at during extended use.
Spoken Content: Have Your iPhone Read to You
If reading on a screen is difficult or tiring, your iPhone can read text aloud for you. This includes emails, articles, messages, and more.
To enable Spoken Content:
Open Settings
Tap Accessibility
Tap Spoken Content
Toggle on Speak Selection and/or Speak Screen
Speak Selection lets you highlight specific text and tap “Speak” to hear it read aloud.
Speak Screen reads everything visible on the screen when you swipe down with two fingers from the top.
You can adjust the speaking rate and voice to find what sounds best. This feature is great not only for those with visual impairments but also for anyone who wants to rest their eyes or multitask while listening.
Customize Your Control Center for Quick Access
Many of these features become more useful when you can toggle them quickly. You can add accessibility shortcuts to your Control Center for instant access.
To customize:
Go to Settings
Tap Control Center
Tap Customize Controls
Add controls like Text Size, Magnifier, Hearing, or Accessibility Shortcuts
For example, adding the Text Size control lets you adjust font size on the fly—either for the entire system or just the active app. This is perfect if you find some apps harder to read than others.
Display Accommodations for Color Blindness and Visual Preferences
If you have specific color vision needs or find certain color combinations hard to see, iPhone includes Color Filters and other display accommodations.
Find these under:
Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters
Options include:
Grayscale
Red/Green or Green/Red filters for common types of color blindness
Blue/Yellow filters
Tint adjustments
You can turn on Classic Invert or Smart Invert to reverse colors in a way that’s easier on your eyes without affecting images.
These settings allow you to tailor the phone’s visuals to what feels clearest and most comfortable.
Set Up Accessibility Shortcuts for Instant Control
If you use multiple accessibility features, you can set up an Accessibility Shortcut that activates or deactivates features with a triple-click of the side or home button.
To set up:
Open Settings
Tap Accessibility
Scroll to the bottom and tap Accessibility Shortcut
Select the features you want to toggle (such as Zoom, Magnifier, VoiceOver, etc.)
This creates a powerful, customizable shortcut that makes accessibility tools just a quick gesture away.
Practical Tips for Better Reading Comfort
Beyond settings, a few simple habits can improve your phone reading experience:
Adjust screen brightness manually or enable Auto-Brightness in Settings to avoid glare.
Use Dark Mode (Settings > Display & Brightness) to reduce bright backgrounds and improve contrast.
Take regular breaks using the Screen Time app to avoid eye fatigue.
Clean your screen regularly—dust and fingerprints can reduce clarity.
Hold your phone at a comfortable distance—usually about 16 to 18 inches away.
When to Ask for Help
If adjusting settings doesn’t improve your reading experience, or if you find your phone hard to use despite all available features, don’t hesitate to get personalized assistance.
TechPals offers patient, jargon-free tech support tailored to your needs. Whether you want help enabling accessibility features, learning new gestures, or troubleshooting issues, we’re here.
Visit techpals.org or email help@techpals.org for one-on-one support.
Summary: Your iPhone Can Work for You
Your iPhone comes equipped with powerful, customizable tools designed to make your screen easier to read and your phone more comfortable to use. From increasing text size and bolding fonts to magnifying the screen and enabling spoken content, there are options for every need and preference.
The best part? You don’t need to be tech-savvy to make these changes. With a few taps, you can tailor your device to fit your vision and comfort perfectly.
And if you want guidance or run into questions, TechPals is just a message away. Because everyone deserves technology that works for them—not against them.
TechPals Is Here to Help
TechPals is more than just tech support. We’re a team of patient, friendly experts who help people of all experience levels feel more confident with their devices. Whether you want to stop spam calls, change your privacy settings, or just make your screen easier to read — we’ve got you.
Visit techpals.org for step-by-step help that makes sense.
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