How to use VoiceOver, the screen reader in iOS 18 on your iPhone or iPad

5. The Rotor is an onscreen menu that allows you to change how you navigate and interact with the screen. For instance, if you choose Heading from the Rotor menu, you can then move from one heading on the page to the next heading using a flick gesture. You can change VoiceOver settings such as the speaking rate and volume, and activate special input methods such as Braille Screen Input or Handwriting (useful for silently entering passwords or your iPhone passcode).

You can open the Rotor by rotating two fingers on the screen (clockwise or anti-clockwise) as if you were turning a physical dial. You can also open the Rotor by simultaneously dragging one finger up and one finger down the screen. 

Keep turning (or dragging) until you hear the setting you require. You can now use this setting by swiping a finger up or down the screen.

You can change which items appear in the Rotor so that it contains only the items you require. In VoiceOver settings, tap Rotor. On the next page, tap Rotor Items. Finally, tap items to add or remove them from the Rotor menu. To reorder items, drag the list icon to a new position.

6. When VoiceOver is enabled, you will see an option for VoiceOver Practice. This is not a guided practice session but simply a screen where you can try out different gestures.

Select VoiceOver Practice.

On the VoiceOver Practice screen, tap in the middle of the screen to activate the practice area. Try tapping and swiping with different numbers of fingers to hear what action each gesture performs. Try using the Rotor as well.

The following steps cover many of the options available to you to customise VoiceOver.

7. With VoiceOver Recognition options enabled, your device can recognize images and text in apps and on websites.

Tap­ VoiceOver Recognition. The features you can customise are described after the image below.

8. To change the VoiceOver speaking rate, adjust the slider for Speaking Rate. Adjust the slider to the left to slow it down and to the right to speed it up. Note: If VoiceOver is on, you will need to select the slider, then double-tap and hold until you hear a sound. When you hear the sound, drag left and right to adjust the slider.

9. To change how VoiceOver sounds, tap Speech. The features you can customise are described after the image below.

10. You can use a Bluetooth refreshable braille display to read VoiceOver output in braille. In addition, braille displays with input keys and other controls can be used to control an iPhone when VoiceOver is on.

For more information on using Braille, see the Apple guide: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph73b8c43/ios

For a list of common Braille commands, you can use on your device, see the Apple guide: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202132

For a list of supported devices, see: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202514

11. VoiceOver gives you a lot of information as you navigate a screen. If you find you’re getting bombarded with too much detail, you can customise the level of spoken feedback you receive.

Tap Verbosity and adjust the settings to your preferences.

12. You can change the sounds you hear while navigating the screen and change how VoiceOver interacts with media and calls. Tap Audio. The features you can customise are described after the image below.

13. You can view and change the gestures and keyboard shortcuts that activate VoiceOver commands. Tap Commands. The features you can customise are described after the image below.

14. You can create groups of VoiceOver settings that are specific to an app or an activity. You can set VoiceOver to apply these settings when opening a particular app and add them to the Rotor.

Tap Activities, then tap Add Activity.  On the next screen add the settings that you would like to apply when using a specific app or performing a particular activity.

15. To change how VoiceOver behaves when you are typing, tap Typing. The features you can customise are described after the image below.

16. You can access the settings menu at any time by performing a two-finger quadruple tap. To change which items appear in the menu, tap Quick Settings. On the next screen, tap items to add or remove them from the Rotor menu. To reorder items, drag the list icon to a new position.

17. There are two navigation styles for moving through the items on the screen, Flat and Grouped. To change the navigation style, tap Navigation Style. On the next screen, choose from:

18. By default, VoiceOver will read out the information associated with images. To how VoiceOver treats images, tap Navigate Images and choose from:

19. The cursor is the rectangular border that highlights the selected item. To make the border thicker so that it is easier to see, tap the toggle switch for Large Cursor to turn it on.

20. The Caption Panel allows a sighted assistant to follow exactly where the user is on the screen. Tap the toggle switch for Caption Panel to turn it on. The Captions Panel appears at the very bottom of the screen.

21. You can set a delay before VoiceOver selects an item when you touch the screen. This can help avoid making selections accidentally.

Tap Delay before Selection. Use the + (plus) and – (minus) buttons to set the delay time.

22. When VoiceOver is enabled, you have to double-tap the screen to activate an item. You can adjust the length of time in which the two taps must occur. The timeout can be set between 0.20 seconds and 0.50 seconds.

Tap Double-tap Timeout.  Use the + (plus) and – (minus) buttons to adjust the timeout.

23. When you are happy with your settings, you can return to the Home screen by swiping up from the bottom of the screen or by pressing the Home button on devices with a physical Home button.