PRESS RELEASE
20 May 2026
Apple unveils new accessibility features and updates powered by Apple Intelligence
With Apple Intelligence, detailed descriptions and natural language navigation are coming to features such as VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control and Accessibility Reader
Now with Apple Intelligence, VoiceOver is more powerful than ever in helping users who are blind or have low vision explore their surroundings and onscreen images.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today previewed a suite of accessibility updates that use Apple Intelligence to bring new capabilities to features users rely on every day, including VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control and Accessibility Reader.1 Apple also announced on-device generated subtitles for uncaptioned video content coming to the Apple ecosystem. These new features, as well as updates using Apple Intelligence, are coming later this year. And starting today, the Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone — an adaptive MagSafe accessory designed with accessibility at the core — is available in three vibrant new colours on the Apple Store online.
“Apple’s approach to accessibility is unlike any other,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Now, with Apple Intelligence, we are bringing powerful new capabilities into our accessibility features while maintaining our foundational commitment to privacy by design.”
“The accessibility features our users rely on every day become even more powerful with Apple Intelligence,” said Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. “With these updates, we’re bringing new, intuitive options for input, exploration and personalisation — designed to protect users’ privacy at every step.”
VoiceOver and Magnifier Can Explore More
For users who are blind or have low vision, VoiceOver and Magnifier can describe onscreen information or a user’s surroundings.2 With Apple Intelligence, these essential tools become even more powerful. The Image Explorer in VoiceOver uses Apple Intelligence to give more detailed descriptions of images systemwide, including what’s in photographs, scanned bills, personal records and other visual content. With updates to Live Recognition, VoiceOver users can press the Action button on iPhone to quickly ask a question about what’s in the camera viewfinder and get a detailed response. Users can also ask follow-up questions in their own words to get more visual information.
Magnifier uses Apple Intelligence to bring the same assistive exploration and visual description to a high-contrast interface designed for users who have low vision. Magnifier also works with the Action button so users can quickly ask questions and get answers. And users can control the app itself with spoken requests, such as “zoom in” or “turn on torch.”
Voice Control Gets Natural Language
With Apple Intelligence, Voice Control becomes more intuitive than ever, using natural language to help users with a range of physical disabilities navigate iPhone and iPad entirely by voice. With a new flexible input, users can describe onscreen buttons and controls with natural language instead of memorising exact labels or numbers. The option to “say what you see” is great for navigating any app, including those with visual layouts such as Apple Maps or Files, using intuitive language like “tap the guide about best restaurants” or “tap the purple folder.” This can also help users overcome barriers when elements aren’t properly labelled for accessibility.3
With Apple Intelligence, Voice Control becomes more intuitive than ever, using natural language to help users navigate apps and experiences.
Accessibility Reader Adapts Even More
Accessibility Reader is a customised reading experience for users with a wide range of disabilities, from dyslexia to low vision, and with Apple Intelligence, the reading experience is more accessible than ever. Accessibility Reader works on more complex source material like scientific articles, handling text with multiple columns, images and tables. On-demand summaries provide readers the option to get an overview of the article before diving into the details. And with new built-in translation, users can read text in their native language while retaining customised formatting, font and colours.
Generated Subtitles for Video
While captioning solutions are increasingly common for users who are deaf or hard of hearing, subtitles for spoken dialogue are rarely available for personal videos, content shared by friends and family, and other media. With new generated subtitles, videos can display transcriptions of spoken audio automatically when captions or subtitles are not already provided, including in clips recorded on iPhone, received from friends and family, or streamed online. With on-device speech recognition, subtitles are generated privately and appear automatically for uncaptioned videos on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. The appearance of subtitles can be customised in the video playback menu or in Settings.4
Hikawa Adaptive MagSafe Accessory Now Widely Available
Launching today worldwide on the Apple Store online, the Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone is now available in three vibrant new colours. Los Angeles-based designer Bailey Hikawa developed this MagSafe accessory with accessibility in mind, collaborating with individuals with a wide range of disabilities affecting grip, strength and mobility. The result is an adaptive grip and stand that helps users hold iPhone in the way that works best for them. Now, in a collaboration between Hikawa and PopSockets, this unique adaptive accessory is available globally for the first time.5
“Apple’s accessibility work — which involves including disability communities from the very earliest stages of design to make the best possible product for everyone — has been the driving force of this project,” said Hikawa. “Our studio is built around intuitive, delightful accessories for iPhone, and it’s been a great privilege to create a product that embraces iPhone as an assistive device and pays tribute to accessibility.”
On 20 May (PDT), Apple The Grove in Los Angeles will host a Today at Apple session with Hikawa, author Shane Burcaw and actor Alex Barone to discuss the role of iPhone as a pivotal assistive technology, and how accessible design can create inclusive, delightful experiences for everyone.
Additional Updates
- Touch Accommodations provide a new way to personalise setup in iOS and iPadOS.
- Made for iPhone hearing aids pair and hand off between Apple devices more reliably, with an improved setup experience in iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
- Larger Text support is coming to tvOS, so viewers who have low vision can increase onscreen text size to be easier to read.
- Name Recognition, which can notify users who are deaf or hard of hearing if someone says their name, works across more than 50 languages globally.
- For sign language interpretation app developers, a new API supports users in adding a human interpreter to an ongoing FaceTime video call.
- Those with difficulty interacting with traditional controllers can now connect the Sony Access controller as a game controller with iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Users can configure the thumbstick, nine built-in buttons, and up to four additional external buttons or specialty switches to personalise layout. They can also combine two controllers for a deeply personalised gaming experience.
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- Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability, and system requirements, see support.apple.com/en-nz/121115.
- VoiceOver and Magnifier should not be relied upon in circumstances where one could be harmed or injured, in high-risk situations, for navigation, or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.
- Voice Control powered by Apple Intelligence will be available in English in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
- Generated subtitles will be available in English in the US and Canada.
- Customers can purchase the Hikawa Grip & Stand for iPhone on apple.com in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US.