Best Cell Phones For The Visually Impaired

For users with visual impairments, iPhones are widely considered the best choice for accessibility. Apple's iOS includes VoiceOver, Display Accommodations, Magnifier, and other robust accessibility features built into every iPhone. Here are the best current iPhone options for visually impaired users.

Best iPhones For Visually Impaired Users In 2026

iPhone 17 Pro Max — Best For Large Display

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has a 6.9-inch ProMotion display — the largest available on any current iPhone. A larger screen makes text and content easier to see. It runs iOS 26, which includes all of Apple's current accessibility features, and supports Apple's full suite of low-vision tools including VoiceOver, Display Accommodations, and Zoom. The Dynamic Island design gives more usable screen space than Touch ID designs.

iPhone 17 — Best All-Around iPhone For Accessibility

The iPhone 17 is the best-balanced choice for most users. It has a 6.3-inch display, the A19 chip, and runs iOS 26 with full accessibility feature support. Apple's text size scaling, Display Accommodations, and VoiceOver are all available at setup through the Accessibility Assistant.

iPhone 17e — Best Budget Accessible iPhone

The iPhone 17e ($599) is Apple's current entry-level new iPhone. It supports all iOS 26 accessibility features including VoiceOver, Zoom, Display Accommodations, and Spoken Content. The 6.1-inch display is large enough for most users while keeping the price lower than the Pro line.

iPhone Accessibility Settings For The Visually Impaired

Although iPhones are intuitive, they can still be difficult to use, especially if you're visually impaired. Fortunately, Apple has integrated a bevy of accessibility features into the Settings app. Below, we'll discuss those features and show you how to turn them on.

VoiceOver

VoiceOver is a feature provided in all Apple products under Accessibility settings. VoiceOver describes what's on an iPhone's screen to you.

To turn VoiceOver on, go to Settings -> Accessibility -> VoiceOver. Turn on the switch next to VoiceOver to turn it on.

Below the switch, you'll see a series of instructions on how to use VoiceOver. You can also adjust how quickly VoiceOver talks using the slider below Speaking Rate.

VoiceOver is controlled by gestures, so it may take some time to remember which movements activate which descriptions. Luckily, after making a gesture, a black box will appear around the application or element you've selected. Like the speed and pitch, these gestures can be customized to meet your specific needs.

Additional VoiceOver Settings For The Visually Impaired

Typing with VoiceOver is made easier because the app reads each character aloud as you type. Edits can be made just by flicking your finger up or down the screen.

VoiceOver also works with images by reading the descriptions. This feature is activated by tapping an image with three fingers.

You can scroll through Safari web pages using two fingers and moving them across the screen in a circular motion. VoiceOver can also read closed captions in apps like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.

Zoom

Zoom enlarges your iPhone's screen, making it easier to read. Head to Settings -> Accessibility -> Zoom to turn it on.

Check out our other article to learn more about Zoom on your iPhone!

Magnifier

Magnifier turns your iPhone into a magnifying glass. This feature uses your iPhone's camera to enlarge things directly in front of you, such as a book or restaurant menu. You can also turn on the iPhone flashlight within the Magnifier window, making it easier to read in dimly lit environments.

Head to Settings -> Accessibility -> Magnifier to turn this feature on. To activate it, triple-click the Home button. If your iPhone doesn't have a Home button, triple-click the side button.

Display And Text Size

This setting makes it easy to customize the size of the text on your screen. Head to Settings -> Accessibility -> Display & Text Size. From here, you have several options. You can make text bold across your iPhone, reduce the transparency of text on certain background, and increase or decrease font size.

To change font size on your iPhone, tap Larger Text and turn on the switch next to Larger Accessibility Sizes. At the bottom of the screen, drag the slider to the right to increase font size.

You can also add Display & Text Size to Control Center for easier access!

Motion

Motion is a function on iPhones that adds depth to transitions like switching between pages and apps. Enabling Reduce Motion will simplify these visual transitions. We typically recommend turning on Reduce Motion, as it helps save battery life.

Head to Settings -> Accessibility -> Motion and turn on the switch next to Reduce Motion. When you do, a Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions option will appear. We recommend turning that on as well.

Spoken Content

Spoken Content is very similar to the VoiceOver, except it only reads aloud the content you choose. With this function enabled, simply tap the element you wish to hear to activate it. This is very helpful for people who want a middle ground between no description and VoiceOver.

Head to Settings -> Accessibility -> Spoken Content and tap the switch next to Speak Selection to turn it on. If you want to be able to hear the content of your entire screen with just one gesture, turn on Speak Screen as well.

Now, when you highlight text on your iPhone, a Speak option will appear. Tap Speak to have the highlighted text read aloud.

Audio Descriptions

Like Spoken Content, Audio Descriptions provides a detailed description of what's on your screen. However, this setting is used for movies instead of text. Not every movie support Audio Descriptions, so look out for the “AD” icon if you're renting or purchasing through Apple.

To turn on Audio Descriptions, open Settings and tap Accessibility -> Audio Descriptions. Tap the switch to the right of Audio Descriptions to turn it on.

Which iPhone Is Best For The Visually Impaired?

The iPhone 11 is the perfect mix of price and features. It less expensive than Apple's Pro line of iPhones, but has the same features and hardware. Since the iPhone 11 was released in 2019, it'll support major iOS updates many years down the road.

If price isn't a concern and you want the biggest display possible, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is worth considering. It has a 6.5 inch display, a 30 hour battery life, a rear triple 12 MP cameras. Like the iPhone 11, the 11 Pro Max will support several major iOS updates.

Learn More About How To Use Your iPhone

If you're new to the iPhone and don't have experience with its Accessibility settings, there are some great resources where you can find help and guidance.

The iPhone offers countless settings and software features, which allows you to set your device the way you want it. These can be hard to understand, if you’ve never used Apple products before, but there are many resources available to guide you through this process.

Hadley offers videos on iPhones and iPads to help you learn how to take full advantage of the different accessibility settings. From their home page, you can easily navigate through the different sections to discover what works best for you. Their videos are updated frequently to ensure that you’re viewing the most recent and accurate information on your device.

AppleVis is another excellent resource created specifically to assist visually impaired users. This site is a community-based forum where you’re able to learn about your device, while reading the opinions of other users about all of the features your iPhone has to offer.

The Ideal Device For You!

Visual impairments should not limit your ability to use a cell phone. In our opinion, iPhones have the most features that make the device accessible to all users. We hope you'll share this article on social media to teach your friends, family, and followers about the best cell phones for the visually impaired! Feel free to leave a comment down below if you have any other questions.

Last verified: April 2026. Apple accessibility features and phone availability may change — verify at apple.com/accessibility before purchasing.