Being able to easily read text on your iPhone is important for having a good user experience. As we age, many people find that their eyesight changes and small text becomes more difficult to read. Fortunately, iPhones have great accessibility features that allow you to increase text size for improved readability.
Table of Contents
Adjust Text Size in Settings
The easiest way to make text larger across all apps on your iPhone is to adjust the text size option in Settings:
- Open the Settings app
- Go to Display & Brightness
- Tap on Text Size
- Drag the slider to the right to increase text size
You’ll see the text size change on the sample text to preview the effect. Drag the slider to adjust the size up to your desired text size.
Pro Tip: If the largest text size in Settings isn’t big enough for your needs, keep reading for how to increase it even more.
Use Accessibility Text Options
For even larger text sizes, head to the Accessibility settings:
- Open the Settings app
- Go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size
- Tap on Larger Text
- Toggle on the switch for Larger Accessibility Sizes
- Drag the text size slider farther right to make text even bigger
The Accessibility text sizes allow you to have much larger font sizes for improved readability. You can adjust the slider until the text is a comfortable size for your eyesight needs.
Bold Text for Added Clarity
Along with adjusting text size, you can also make the text appear bolder which can help with readability:
- Open the Settings app
- Go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size
- Toggle on the switch for Bold Text
With Bold Text enabled, all text across the system will appear in a heavier font weight for clearer definition between letters.
Per App Text Size
If you only need larger text in certain apps like Mail or Messages, you can customize text size on a per app basis:
- Open Control Center by swiping down from top right
- Long press on the Text Size control
- Choose the app you want to adjust below the slider
- Drag slider to set custom text size for that app
This allows you to have different text sizes set for your most-used apps without affecting text size globally across your iPhone.
Additional Tips for Readability
A few additional settings that can aid with text clarity and readability on your iPhone:
- Color Filters – Alters color settings to make text stand out more
- Increase Contrast – Heightens contrast between text and background
- Reduce Transparency – Removes transparent effects that could obscure text
- On/Off Labels – Adds indicator labels to on/off switches for clarity
Try enabling these to see if they help with your ability to easily read text. You can toggle them on/off to test the difference.
Conclusion
With Dynamic Type and the Accessibility options in iOS, you have great control over increasing text size for improved readability on your iPhone. Whether adjusting the global text size under Display & Brightness, using larger Accessibility text options, or customizing text by app, you can tune your iPhone’s text to your specific needs. Combined with settings like Bold Text, Color Filters, and Increased Contrast, you can optimize your iPhone’s text for maximum clarity and legibility.
