Do a variety of tasks more easily
Small adjustments can make life a lot simpler
>>> The Accessibility features present in iOS 12 aren’t just for users with disabilities. Among them are great options for customizing your device and getting more from it. Start by going to Settings > General > Accessibility.
The Magnifier is fantastic any time you want a closer look at something, such as reading serial numbers or tiny labels. It’s much better than using the Camera app and zooming in, because it can zoom in further than 10x and includes built–in filters, brightness, and contrast controls to help make text and fine detail easier to decipher.
Once turned on, call up the Magnifier by triple–clicking the side button (formerly called the sleep/wake button) on iPhones and iPads without a Home button, or triple–clicking the Home button on older models. If you like it a lot, add a Control Center shortcut (Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls) for fast access.
Adjust your display
Wishing iOS had a system–wide dark mode, like macOS? Go to Display Accommodations > Invert Colors and turn on Smart Invert. It makes the display more comfortable to use in dim lighting, and can save power by virtue of more pixels not being illuminated.
Finding your display a bit too intense or garish, even at reduced brightness? The Reduce White Point setting, under Display Accommodations, could help.
Don’t overlook Reachability, which makes one–handed interaction with big iPhones easier. Once it’s turned on, on iPhone X or later, swipe down on the bar at the foot of the screen to the screen’s contents down so the top portion is closer to your thumb. To revert, swipe up on the gesture bar. On iPhones with a Home button, double–tap (but don’t click) the Home button; to revert, tap on the screen.
Silent running
When it’s not convenient to speak, go to Siri and turn on Type to Siri. Now when you hold down the side/Home button, it’ll expect you to type instead. Siri will still speak its response if Settings > Siri > Voice Feedback is set to Always On. With Type to Siri switched on, you can still speak to Siri by triggering it from headphones that have a mic. Saying “Hey Siri” still works too, if your device is set to listen.
If you enable several Accessibility features, the side/Home button will display a menu of them to choose from when you click it three times. Set this using the Accessibility Shortcut item at the bottom of the Accessibility page.