Apple takes accessibility seriously across all its operating systems, including macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS. The company builds a broad set of tools into every device, so they work for people with vision, hearing, mobility, or cognitive differences.

The 2025 updates bring more features powered by on-device AI, such as clearer Accessibility Nutrition Labels in the App Store and new systemwide Accessibility Reader tools. Apple also improved real-time braille, custom voice options, and live object recognition to help users be more independent.

Accessible tech is about fairness. Apple is raising the bar by putting inclusion at the center of its design process.

Built-in Accessibility Features for Vision, Hearing, Mobility, and Cognition

Apple includes the latest accessibility features right on every iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. You can adjust these features for your needs, no matter your setting or ability. Using machine learning and privacy-focused design, Apple makes it easier — and safer — to read, listen, type, scroll, and learn.

Vision Support: VoiceOver, Zoom, Magnifier, and Color Filters

Apple devices help users with low vision or blindness in several ways:

VoiceOver: This screen reader describes everything on your device. You can use gestures or a keyboard to explore, and VoiceOver explains items, buttons, and even images with smart AI.
Zoom: You can zoom in on anything, across all apps. Use gestures or shortcuts to change the level of zoom.
Magnifier App: On both Mac and iPhone, the Magnifier uses the camera to act like a digital magnifying glass. Adjust filters, control lighting, and snap images for later. This helps with reading menus, printed text, or small details.
Color Filters & Display Customization: You can invert colors, choose grayscale, or apply color filters for color blindness. System settings let you change text size, bold type, or bump up contrast.

Thanks to these features, Apple devices become easier to see and use at home, at work, or in class.

Hearing Support: Live Captions, Live Listen, MFi Device Pairing

Apple’s platforms support people with hearing loss by making spoken content easier to follow:

Live Captions: Video calls, streams, or in-person chats can all show real-time captions in several languages on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Live Listen: Connect AirPods or Beats and use your device as a remote microphone. This makes conversations easier to follow in loud places or across a room.
MFi Hearing Devices: Apple’s Made for iPhone hearing aids connect wirelessly. You can adjust sound, stream calls, and even tune background noise, right from your settings.

These tools keep users connected, both online and in person, breaking down barriers to group chats, phone calls, and public spaces.

Mobility and Physical Accessibility: Voice Control, Eye Tracking, and Switch Access

Apple brings more hands-free control to people with mobility needs:

Voice Control: Give commands to tap, type, scroll, and dictate text in any app. Voice Control now understands more natural speech and custom words.
Eye Tracking: Some devices can be used with just your eyes — no extra hardware needed. Use your gaze to select, swipe, or scroll.
Switch Control & Head Tracking: Switches, joysticks, or sip-and-puff systems connect through Switch Control. Head Tracking uses the front camera to move a cursor or perform tasks.

These settings mean users with limited hand use can still communicate, work, and have fun on Apple devices.

Cognitive Accessibility: Assistive Access, Simple Interfaces, and Custom Display

Apple devices also support people with memory, focus, or learning differences:

Assistive Access: Redesigned apps like Phone, Messages, and Camera have simpler layouts and big, easy-to-use buttons.
Custom Display Settings: Adjust text, add outlines, reduce motion, and boost contrast. These tweaks help with understanding and focus.
Guided Access: Lock devices to a single app or activity, which keeps users on task and limits distractions.

Cognitive features help users with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other conditions communicate, learn, and handle daily life without friction.

Accessibility is now part of the core experience on every Apple device, making independence possible for all users.

2025: Recent Updates and New Accessibility Features

Apple’s 2025 changes expand accessibility tools across all devices. With these improvements, users get more independence and more choices — whether they need to find accessible apps, read more easily, or interact with the world in real time.

Accessibility Nutrition Labels in the App Store

All new and updated apps now need Accessibility Nutrition Labels. App pages now clearly show which accessibility features are supported, like VoiceOver, Voice Control, high-contrast modes, dynamic fonts, and captions.

These labels make it much easier to:

Compare apps before downloading.
Search for apps with the features you need.
Hold developers responsible for building accessible products.

For many users, this means you can find suitable apps faster. Developers now have a clear reason to bake in accessibility.

Upgraded Magnifier, Braille Access, and Accessibility Reader

Three important tools got major improvements for 2025:

Magnifier for Mac and Cross-Device

The Magnifier app is now available on Mac. Use the Mac’s camera or connect an iPhone to act as a digital magnifier. You get:

Custom views for brightness and contrast.
Perspective correction for angled documents.
Side-by-side view for referencing while working.

Better Braille Access

The Braille Access suite lets iPhones, iPads, and Macs work as full braille note-takers, now with:

Braille Screen Input for writing and navigation.
Nemeth Braille for math and science.
Instant transcription between speech and braille.
Direct file editing and sharing.

This helps blind and deaf-blind users learn and communicate without barriers.

Accessibility Reader

The new Accessibility Reader appears across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro. It turns any web page, document, or ebook into a focused, easy-to-read space. Key features:

Change fonts, colors, and add spacing.
Use high-contrast or dyslexia-friendly fonts.
Listen to text read out loud at your pace.

Now, users with dyslexia or low vision get these reading tools everywhere, not just in special apps.

AI-powered Accessibility: Live Recognition, Voice Cloning, and More Languages

The latest on-device AI makes accessibility even smarter.

Live Recognition in Vision Pro and iPhone

Devices can now identify objects, people, and text in real time. Live Recognition can:

Read signs and labels out loud.
Spot objects and people in your space.
Help third-party apps offer live remote assistance.

This gives people with vision loss better navigation support and context.

Personal Voice and Voice Cloning

Setting up Personal Voice now takes just ten spoken phrases, and supports more languages like Spanish (Mexico). The voice sounds more natural and works with all major communication apps.

Expanded Live Captions and Language Support

Live Captions are now faster and available in more languages on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Highlights include:

Captions in several new languages.
Name Recognition on Apple Watch to alert you if someone calls your name in a crowd.

These smart tools help users stay independent and confident in their routines.

Apple’s focus on on-device AI improves accessibility while keeping personal data private.

By combining easy-to-understand labels, adaptive reading, and instant AI support, Apple sets new standards for accessible technology.

Apple’s Focus on Privacy, Personalization, and Inclusion

Apple designs accessibility features to protect your privacy while letting you make each device your own. Sensitive data is processed directly on the device whenever possible, keeping it safe. At the same time, you can personalize settings and sync them across all your Apple devices.

Privacy by Design: Local Processing and Data Protection

Privacy is built in, not added on. For data like voice, images, or health info, Apple handles processing on-device. This reduces the risk of exposure.

Key points:

On-device tools: AI handling voice, images, and recommendations runs locally.
Secure sharing: When the device needs extra computing, Apple uses secure cloud tech with strong encryption.
Clear controls: Transparency about what data each feature uses, and why.

Apple also secures data with end-to-end encryption, secure storage, and anonymous identifiers. Even when features use the internet, your information stays shielded.

Personalization: Tailoring Devices for You

Accessibility means more than just a fixed set of tools. Apple lets you fine-tune every device for your preferences and lifestyle.

How Apple helps you personalize:

Assistive profiles: Save and sync accessibility settings across all your Apple devices.
Share settings: Temporarily share your accessibility preferences with another device, which is handy in classrooms or when borrowing a device.
Device-level options: Adjust text size, button size, speech, color contrast, and more to match each device you use.
Accessibility Nutrition Labels: Find apps in the App Store that support the exact features you need.

Personalization is available across all Apple platforms, from phones to smart glasses.

Inclusivity Throughout the Apple Ecosystem

Apple supports people with all types of abilities and backgrounds by building accessibility into the core system. This gives users consistent support no matter which device or app they use.

Key commitments:

Universal access: Every new Apple device includes full accessibility features.
Multilingual support: VoiceOver, Live Captions, and Personal Voice keep adding new languages.
Cross-device syncing: Turn on a feature like large text or color filters once—they follow you on all Apple devices.
Assistive controls: Switch access, eye tracking, and custom voice controls are available everywhere, with user data kept safe.

Apple’s design puts the user first and gives devices the flexibility to adapt to each person.

The Future of Accessibility on Apple Devices

Apple’s vision for accessibility goes beyond new tools. The goal is simple: make every device smarter and more helpful for everyone. With each update, accessibility becomes more AI-powered, flexible, and connected with assistive hardware.

AI and Machine Learning at the Core

AI now powers Apple’s most advanced accessibility features. Apple Intelligence works on-device, never sharing your data with the cloud.

Context-aware help: Devices offer prompts, suggestions, or adjustments based on what you’re doing. For example, reading documents aloud or describing visuals.
Smarter speech and touch: Voice control now works better for people with different speech patterns, making hands-free use even easier.
Vision Pro advances: Object and scene recognition provides live feedback for users with vision loss.

Machine learning now delivers support that once took several steps or third-party tools.

Brain-Computer Interfaces and Adaptive Hardware

Apple is testing support for Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) on iPadOS and macOS. Users can operate devices with neural or muscle signals, using expanded Switch Control.

Direct control: Thought-driven actions help people who cannot touch, speak, or use eye tracking.
Wider compatibility: New rules and standards let third-party devices work more easily across Apple platforms.
Better Bluetooth: More reliable, low-latency connections aid those using adaptive controllers and hearing aids.

These changes increase independence for those with the highest support needs.

Vehicle Motion Support and Spatial Accessibility

Apple helps people who get motion sickness by adding motion cues. Devices sense movement and adjust on-screen content to keep users comfortable.

Vehicle cues: Minimize motion blur and add visual stability in moving vehicles.
Spatial tools: VisionOS now gives real-time help with orientation and navigation for users with vision or cognitive differences.

This keeps device use safe and comfortable during travel.

All-in Approach to Inclusion

Apple makes sure accessibility features work everywhere, not just on certain devices. Design updates go out to all device types at the same time.

Unified developer tools: Standard programming tools let all apps support accessibility, not just Apple’s own.
Custom profile support: Users can create detailed accessibility profiles and use them on any Apple device.

This lets people move between devices and places with less hassle, and helps developers hit high standards.

Looking Ahead

The future of accessibility on Apple devices centers on user choice, built-in AI, and trusted privacy. Users can count on Apple to keep pushing forward, opening up work, play, and everyday tasks for everyone.

Conclusion

Today, accessibility is standard across all Apple devices. AI-powered reading, better braille, live object recognition, and adjustable controls show Apple’s broad approach. Nutrition Labels in the App Store and deep customization help more people trust Apple for work, school, and daily life.

Developers need to update their apps to meet these high standards. Users should try the new tools, adjust settings, and share feedback to keep things moving forward.

Apple’s ongoing updates set the pace for accessibility in tech. With continued support from both developers and users, Apple devices will stay open to all.

Share your own experience or favorite Apple accessibility feature in the comments to help others learn more.

Accessibility on Apple Operating Systems: Features and Improvements for 2025 [Update]