Introduction to www.blindios.uk

This website was originally little more than a set of notes written for learners after training sessions to help blind and low vision individuals to use iPhones and iPads. Over the years it has developed into a reasonably comprehensive resource with the emphasis towards accessibility for people with severe sight impairment. The information here is current for iOS and iPadOS 18.4, released in spring 2025. Inevitably I will have overlooked some of the less obvious changes from previous versions so please let me know by email if you spot errors. You will find my contact details below. The website is written from a UK viewpoint but will be relevant anywhere.

I am registered in the UK as having severe sight impairment and have extensive experience of training both people with low vision and with severe sight impairment. 

There are many low vision features on both iPhone and iPad that may help people who prefer to use their vision to work with the screen.  Apple publishes details of these features in the accessibility section of the iPhone and iPad user guides.  These features are fairly self evident but some, like changing text sizes, don't work in all apps. Also, some apps can be difficult to use if text size is set extremely large.  I don't cover low vision features fully on this website and have limited personal experience of them.  You will find full details in Apple's user guides at iPhone low vision settings and iPad low vision settings. Low vision users may also find Zoom useful, which is described on this website. Apple also provides handy and simple features to have whole screens or sections of screens spoken.

I focus here mainly on the use of VoiceOver, a feature built in to the iPhone and iPad as standard. This allows iPhones and iPads to be used by people who have no useful vision.  VoiceOver can also be extremely effective for low vision users who simply find it hard to read the phone or tablet screen. I certainly find that using VoiceOver is usually much easier than struggling to read text with large amounts of magnification. Some low vision users may get along well with a mix of using their vision when that works best and then turning on VoiceOver to have items spoken to them. It is very quick and easy to turn VoiceOver on and off using Siri, Apple's digital assistant, or by using an accessibility shortcut.

iPhones and iPads can be truly life changing for people with sight loss so long as they receive appropriate guidance in selecting the device and receive whatever training they need to get up and running. I've been rewarded by experiencing this many times.

A word of warning about VoiceOver, though. Many people, especially older learners, find it difficult and slow to learn to use VoiceOver.  VoiceOver requires the user to learn a set of gestures; these are taps and flicks across the screen in various directions with one or more fingers.  It's essentially a new language and it takes time and practice to learn.  Please consider three things before embarking on learning or teaching VoiceOver.  Most important of all, the user needs to have reason to use the iPhone or iPad frequently for tasks that they value and find essential.  Few people can learn a new language if they don't practice it frequently.  Secondly, the gestures and their purpose need to be remembered and that can prove a challenge, especially to older learners.  Thirdly, the gestures require reasonable dexterity and this should be assessed before deciding to embark on the VoiceOver journey. If in doubt, seek advice. 

This website is designed to be used both by learners and trainers but there is a separate page of resources for trainers.

There are many deliberate incorrect spellings (and probably some unintentional ones) throughout the text which attempt to persuade electronic voices to speak the text correctly. 

If you want advice, discover errors here, want to suggest improvements or request additional content then please email me at

blindiosuk@gmail.com

Feel free to adapt these pages to your own needs and, if you republish them or text derived from them, please acknowledge my original authorship and link back to this site.

You can find your way around this site from its home page, which I have called the navigation page. There are also navigation pages specific to iPhone and iPad which you will find on the main navigation page. Below these you will also find links to general topics which are not specific to either iPhone or iPad. There is a link back to the main navigation page at the foot of pages on this site.  Alternatively, use the browser back button to return to the previous page visited. 

I email updates with hints and tips as well as news of changes of interest to iPhone and iPad users with sight loss to two mailing lists - one for trainers and the other for learners. If you would like to be placed on one of those lists, please email me a request at blindiosuk@gmail.com . This isn't an automated system; please just ask to be added to the list. I'll also remove you on request, of course ;-).

I'm also on X as @BrianNegus and post hints, tips and news relevant to sight loss and hearing loss there. 

I hope that you find this website useful; there are numerous other sources of information for people with sight loss who want to learn to use iPhones and iPads.  I learnt from Apple's user guides along with a healthy dose of trial and error.  Check my more information page for links to several additional sources.

Thanks for using this website,

Brian Negus

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