Technology

Can’t hear or see well? IPhone settings to make hearing, seeing easier

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2024

Can’t hear or see well? IPhone settings to make hearing, seeing easier

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Technology is integral to our everyday lives, and for individuals who require assistance with vision or hearing, smartphones like the iPhone can be incredibly beneficial. We’ve compiled useful tips for those with vision challenges or who could use enhanced hearing support.

Before we dive in, if you’re an Android user, find out how to increase the font size on your Android here and learn how to unlock clearer sound here.

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Woman navigating vision feature on iPhone (Apple) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How the iPhone 14 and 15 can improve your reading experience with accessibility features

If you are looking for a phone that has features specifically designed to help those with poor eyesight, you may want to consider using the accessibility features available on both the iPhone 14 and Apple’s latest iPhone 15 hardware. Both phones offer features such as adjusting the text size, color intensity, and tint to make reading easier, using VoiceOver to navigate by listening and performing gestures and using Magnifier to zoom in on objects near you.

Make text easier to read on your iPhone

Here are some simple ways to make your iPhone more accessible for those of you with low vision or blindness. Here is how to increase and bold text.

On your iPhone, go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click Display & Text Size
Enable Bold Text and Larger Text to make the on-screen text more readable

Steps to make Bold Text and Larger Text on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When you click on Larger Text, you will want to toggle on Larger Accessibility Sizes to access even bigger font sizes. This will affect the text size in apps that support Dynamic Type
You are able to adjust the text size slider at the bottom of the screen to make the text larger or smaller

Step to adjust text size on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to increase the contrast on your iPhone

On your iPhone, go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click Display & Text Size
Turn on Increase Contrast to enhance visibility and make screen elements easier to distinguish.

Steps to increase the contrast on your iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: NEVER MISS A CALL AGAIN, EVEN WHEN YOUR PHONE’S IN ANOTHER ROOM

Zoom in on the iPhone screen

Many apps let you adjust the size of specific items on the screen. For instance, you can use two fingers to make things bigger or smaller in Photos or Safari. You can also use the Zoom feature to enlarge the whole screen or just a portion of it. You can choose between Full Screen Zoom and Window Zoom modes. Here’s how to set up Zoom to make content more accessible for those of you with low vision.

Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click Zoom
Toggle on Zoom
Double-tap three fingers to zoom
Drag three fingers to move around the screen
Double-tap three fingers and drag to change zoom
Double-tap three fingers to zoom
Drag three fingers to move around the screen
Double-tap three fingers and drag to change zoom

Steps to zoom in on the iPhone screen (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

On the same screen, you can also adjust any of the following:

Follow Focus: Track your selections, the text insertion point, and your typing
Smart Typing: Switch to Window Zoom when a keyboard appears
Keyboard Shortcuts: Control Zoom using shortcuts on an external keyboard
Zoom Controller: Turn the controller on, set controller actions, and adjust the color and opacity
Zoom Region: Choose Full-Screen Zoom or Window Zoom
Zoom Filter: Choose None, Inverted, Grayscale, Grayscale Inverted, or Low Light
Maximum Zoom Level: Drag the slider to adjust the level

Zoom-in accessibility features on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Turn on Magnifier on iPhone

This feature helps you zoom in on small text or objects, making them more accessible.

You can open the Magnifier app either by using Siri and saying something like “Siri, Open Magnifier” or by tapping on the app itself, which looks like a magnifying glass with a plus inside it. Also, on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, you can assign the Action button to open Magnifier.
To adjust the zoom, drag the slider left or right.

How to turn on Magnifier app on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

You can also use the Magnifier app to point and speak. All you have to do is just point your iPhone at anything and let it speak what it sees. Click here to find out more about that amazing feature.

Turn on VoiceOver on iPhone

VoiceOver is a screen reader that lets you use your iPhone with voice feedback. It tells you what’s on your screen, such as the battery level, the caller ID, and the app you’re using. You can change the voice speed and tone to your liking. When you touch the screen or drag your finger over it, VoiceOver speaks the name of the item your finger is on, including icons and text. Here’s how to set up VoiceOver on your iPhone. It’s important to note that VoiceOver changes the gestures you use to control your iPhone. When VoiceOver is on, you must use VoiceOver gestures to operate the iPhone. Here’s how to set it up.

Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click VoiceOver
Then toggle it ON
A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm your decision. Click OK

Steps to turn on Voiceover on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

You can also use Siri to turn on this feature by saying something like “Siri, Turn on VoiceOver.”
Siri knows when VoiceOver is on and often reads more information back to you than appears on the screen. You can also use VoiceOver to read what Siri shows on the screen.

Listen to articles on your iPhone with Speak Screen

This is a feature that lets you have any text on your screen spoken aloud by Siri. Here’s how to enable it.

Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click Spoken Content
Then toggle ON Speak Screen
Now you can use Siri to hear your iPhone speak the screen you want to listen to by going to the page you want it to read and saying something like: “Siri, Speak screen.”

Steps to turn on Speak Screen on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: ARE APPLE AIRPODS PRO AN ALTERNATIVE TO PRICEY HEARING AIDS?

Enhancing accessibility for hearing impairments

Here are some 7 tips and features to enhance the accessibility of your iPhone for hearing impairments, such as using hearing aids, Live Listen, visual alerts, RTT calls, FaceTime, video subtitles, headphone accommodation, and hearing aid apps.

Individuals using sign language (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: 8 GREAT IPHONE ACCESSIBILITY TIPS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

1) Made for iPhone hearing aids: These are devices that are designed to work seamlessly with your iPhone. They can stream audio from your iOS device directly to your hearing aids and let you adjust the volume and settings of your hearing aids from your device. You can also use your iOS device as a microphone to pick up sounds around you and send them to your hearing aids. To check compatibility with your Apple devices or for how to use them click here.

2) Live Listen: Turn your iPhone into a remote microphone that streams sound to your hearing aids or AirPods using Live Listen. This can be useful in situations where you want to hear someone more clearly, such as in a noisy environment or when they are far away from you.

To use Live Listen, follow these steps:

Make sure your hearing aids or AirPods are paired and connected to your iPhone.
Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click Hearing Devices or AirPods and turn on Live Listen.
Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
Tap the ear icon, then click Live Listen.
Place your iPhone in front of the person you want to hear and adjust the volume as needed on your iPhone.

MORE: 8 INCREDIBLY USEFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH AIRPODS

3) Visual alerts: Enable visual alerts on your iPhone by having the LED flash blink when you receive notifications. To enable visual alerts on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps:

Go to Settings
Tap on Accessibility
Tap on Audio/Visual under the Hearing section.
Turn on the switch for LED Flash for Alerts.
You can also turn on the switch for Flash on Silent Mode if you want the LED flash to blink even when your phone is on silent mode, or you can toggle on Flash While Unlocked.

Steps to turn on Visual Alerts on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Now, whenever you receive a notification, such as a call, message, or email, your iPhone’s LED flash will blink to alert you.

4) RTT calls: Real-time text (RTT) calls offer instant message transmission, useful for those with hearing impairments. The Real-time text (RTT) feature allows people with hearing or speech disabilities to communicate in real-time with text during a phone call. RTT calls are aided by real-time text, which is transmitted instantly and in real-time as it is typed, usually without clicking the send button. To use RTT, you can turn on the RTT feature in your phone’s settings.

Go to Settings
Tap Accessibility
Click RTT/TTY
Toggle on Software RTT/TTY

Steps to turn on RTT calls on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If you want to see the text messages on the call screen, turn on Show Notifications. If you want to see them in the Phone app, turn off Show Notifications.
To make an RTT call, tap the RTT button when you dial a number or receive a call. You can also add RTT to your favorites or contacts by tapping the + button and choosing RTT.
To send a text message during an RTT call, type your message and tap return. You can also use dictation or Siri to enter text. To read a text message, look at the call screen or the Phone app. You can also use VoiceOver or Speak Screen to read the text aloud.

Once enabled, you can place a call with RTT or switch from voice to RTT during a call. During an RTT call, the text that you enter appears to the other person in real-time, unlike with chat messaging. RTT calls use call minutes, just like a voice call. It’s important to note that RTT is not available when roaming abroad.

5) Video subtitles: Video content with closed captions (CC) or subtitles also works well on both the iPhone 14 & 15 for those who are deaf and or hard of hearing (SDH). Here’s how to set it up on your iPhone.

Go to Settings
Tap on Accessibility
Tap on Subtitles & Captioning under the Hearing section.
Turn on the switch for Closed Captions + SDH.
You can also customize the appearance of the subtitles by tapping on Style and choosing from the presets or creating your own.

Steps to turn on Visual Subtitles on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

To watch video content with subtitles, make sure the video has a CC icon on the corner. Tap on the icon and select the language of the subtitles you want to see.

6) Headphone accommodation: Customize headphone audio settings to amplify soft sounds and adjust frequencies for your hearing needs. To make the most of this feature, you may want to consider downloading the TruHearing App.

TruHearing App: The TruHearing App is a free app available on the Apple App Store that allows you to manage TruHearing brand hearing aids only. You can use the app to stay in touch with your hearing care professional, even when you can’t visit in person. The app lets you tailor your personal preferences right on your smartphone. The app also lets you easily contact your hearing care professional via text message, voice call, or video call.

MORE: THESE HIGH-TECH GLASSES WILL SUBTITLE REAL-LIFE CONVERSATIONS

Kurt’s key takeaways

Technology has the power to break down barriers and create a more inclusive world for individuals with vision and hearing impairments. Fortunately, the iPhone 14 and 15 offer a range of accessibility features, from text adjustments to voice feedback and real-time text calls, making them valuable tools for improving the digital experience for those of you with visual and hearing difficulties. We hope these tips and features empower you to navigate and interact with your iPhone more effectively so it enhances your overall quality of life.

What accessibility features are most important to you? Are there any that you would like to see added in the future? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Meta expands nuclear power ambitions to include Bill Gates’ startup

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Meta expands nuclear power ambitions to include Bill Gates’ startup

These AI projects include Prometheus, the first of several supercluster computing systems, which is expected to come online in New Albany, Ohio, sometime this year. Meta is funding the construction of new nuclear reactors as part of the agreements, the first of which may come online “as early as 2030.” These announcements are part of Meta’s ongoing goal to support its future AI operations with nuclear energy, having previously signed a deal with Constellation to revive an aging nuclear power plant last year.

Financial information for the agreements hasn’t been released, but Meta says that it will “pay the full costs for energy used by our data centers so consumers don’t bear these expenses.”

“Our agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, Oklo, and Constellation make Meta one of the most significant corporate purchasers of nuclear energy in American history,” Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, said in the announcement. “State-of-the-art data centers and AI infrastructure are essential to securing America’s position as a global leader in AI.”

Technology

Why January is the best time to remove personal data online

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Why January is the best time to remove personal data online

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

January feels like a reset. A new calendar. New goals. New habits. While you clean out your inbox, organize paperwork or set resolutions, however, scammers also hit reset, and they start with your personal data.

That is because January is one of the most important months for online privacy. This is when data brokers refresh profiles and scammers rebuild their target lists.

As a result, the longer your information stays online, the more complete and valuable your profile becomes. To help address this, institutions like the U.S. Department of the Treasury have released advisories urging people to stay vigilant and avoid data-related scams.

For that reason, taking action early in the year can significantly reduce scam attempts, lower identity theft risks, and limit unwanted exposure for the rest of the year.

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January is when data brokers refresh profiles and scammers rebuild target lists, making early action critical for online privacy. (iStock)

STOP DATA BROKERS FROM SELLING YOUR INFORMATION ONLINE

Why personal data does not expire and keeps compounding online

Many people assume old information eventually becomes useless. Unfortunately, that’s not how data brokers work.

Data brokers don’t just store a snapshot of who you are today. They build living profiles that grow over time, pulling from:

Public records (property sales, court filings, voter registrations)
Retail purchases and loyalty programs
App usage and location data
Past addresses, phone numbers, and relatives
Marketing databases and online activity.

Each year adds another layer. A new address. A changed phone number. A family connection. A retirement milestone. On its own, one data point doesn’t mean much. But together, they create a detailed identity profile that scammers can use to convincingly impersonate you. That’s why waiting makes things worse, not better.

Why scammers ‘rebuild’ targets at the start of the year

Scammers don’t randomly target people. They work from lists. At the beginning of the year, those lists get refreshed.

Why January matters so much:

Data brokers update and resell profiles after year-end records close
New public filings from the previous year become searchable
Marketing databases reset campaigns and audience segments
Scam networks repackage data into “fresh” target lists.

Think of it like the upcoming spring cleaning, except it’s criminals organizing identities to exploit for the next 12 months.

If your data is still widely exposed in January, you’re far more likely to:

Once your profile is flagged as responsive or profitable, it often stays in circulation.

As personal information accumulates across databases, digital profiles grow more detailed and more valuable to scammers over time. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Why taking action in January protects you all year long

Removing your data early isn’t just about stopping scams today; it’s about cutting off the supply chain that fuels them. When your information is removed from data broker databases:

It’s harder for scammers to find accurate contact details
Phishing messages become less convincing
Impersonation attempts fail more often
Your identity becomes less valuable to resell.

This has a compounding benefit in the opposite direction. The fewer lists you appear on in January, the fewer times your data gets reused, resold, and recycled throughout the year. That’s why I consistently recommend addressing data exposure before problems start, not after.

Why retirees and families feel the impact first

January is especially important for retirees and families because they’re more likely to become targets of fraud, scams, and other crimes.

Retirees often have:

Long addresses and employment histories
Stable credit profiles
Fewer active credit applications
Public retirement and property records

Families add another layer of risk:

Relatives are linked together in broker profiles
One exposed family member can expose others
Shared addresses and phone plans increase visibility

Scammers know this. That’s why households with established financial histories are prioritized early in the year.

Why quick fixes don’t work

Many people try to “start fresh” in January by:

Those steps help, but they don’t remove your data from broker databases. Credit monitoring services alert you after something goes wrong. Password changes don’t affect public profiles. And unsubscribing doesn’t stop data resale. If your personal information is still sitting in hundreds of databases, scammers can find you.

The January privacy reset that actually works

If you want fewer scam attempts for the rest of the year, the most effective step is removing your personal data at the source.

You can do this in one of two ways. You can submit removal requests yourself, or you can use a professional data removal service to handle the process for you.

Removing your data yourself

Manually removing your data means identifying dozens or even hundreds of data broker websites, finding their opt-out forms and submitting removal requests one by one. You also need to verify your identity, track responses and repeat the process whenever your information reappears.

This approach works, but it requires time, organization, and ongoing follow-up.

Using a data removal service

A data removal service handles this process on your behalf. These services typically:

Send legal data removal requests to large networks of data brokers
Monitor for reposted information and submit follow-up removals
Continue tracking your exposure throughout the year
Manage a process that most people cannot realistically maintain on their own

Removing your data at the start of the year helps reduce scam attempts, phishing messages and identity theft risks all year long. (iStock)

Because these services handle sensitive personal information, it is important to choose one that follows strict security standards and uses verified removal methods.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

RETIREES LOSE MILLIONS TO FAKE HOLIDAY CHARITIES AS SCAMMERS EXPLOIT SEASONAL GENEROSITY

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Scammers don’t wait for mistakes. They wait for exposed data. January is when profiles are refreshed, lists are rebuilt, and targets are chosen for the year ahead. The longer your personal information stays online, the more complete-and dangerous-your digital profile becomes. The good news? You can stop the cycle. Removing your data now reduces scam attempts, protects your identity, and gives you a quieter, safer year ahead. If you’re going to make one privacy move this year, make it early-and make it count.

Have you ever been surprised by how much of your personal information was already online? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Xbox’s Towerborne is switching from a free-to-play game to a paid one

Published

14 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Xbox’s Towerborne is switching from a free-to-play game to a paid one

Towerborne, a side-scrolling action RPG published by Xbox Game Studios that has been available in early access, will officially launch on February 26th. But instead of launching as a free-to-play, always-on online game as originally planned, Towerborne is instead going to be a paid game that you can play offline.

“You will own the complete experience permanently, with offline play and online co-op,” Trisha Stouffer, CEO and president of Towerborne developer Stoic, says in an Xbox Wire blog post. “This change required deep structural rebuilding over the past year, transforming systems originally designed around constant connectivity. The result is a stronger, more accessible, and more player-friendly version of Towerborne — one we’re incredibly proud to bring to launch.”

“After listening to our community during Early Access and Game Preview, we learned players wanted a complete, polished experience without ongoing monetization mechanics,” according to an FAQ. “Moving to a premium model lets us deliver the full game upfront—no live-service grind, no pay-to-win systems—just the best version of Towerborne.”

With the popular live service games like Fortnite and Roblox getting harder to usurp, Towerborne’s switch to a premium, offline-playable experience could make it more enticing for players who don’t want to jump into another time-sucking forever game. It makes Towerborne more appealing to me, at least.

With the 1.0 release of the game, Towerborne will have a “complete” story, new bosses, and a “reworked” difficulty system. You’ll also be able to acquire all in-game cosmetics for free through gameplay, with “no more cosmetic purchasing.” Players who are already part of early access will still be able to play the game.

Towerborne will launch on February 26th on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox on PC, Game Pass, Steam, and PS5. The standard edition will cost $24.99, while the deluxe edition will cost $29.99.