Modern smartphones, both those with Android system such as Samsung Galaxy or Huawei, and iPhones, improve every year with new features and customization possibilities, but they have the defect of assuming that people are able to use them with dexterity. The truth, however, is that many do not know well how to use the settings and internal tools of a phone, they do not know that alternative apps can be installed compared to the pre-installed ones and, above all, they may have difficulty reading small writings on touchscreen screens.
For those who need to configure the new phone to the inexperienced mother, for those with vision problems and for those who are trying to make the screen of the phone more readable and less confused, we see here a brief guide on how to make each smartphone simpler, both Android and iPhone, using accessibility options and some internal settings to zoom in on text, icons and buttons.
First of all, on some smartphones such as Samsung and Huawei, the simple mode or simplified mode is available that changes the home screen of the phone with large buttons to start the main applications i.e. Phone, Messages, Address Book, Camera, Gallery, the clock and then the possibility of adding other applications. The simplified mode (tested on Huawei) also enlarges the written text on all applications, therefore it also allows for easier reading.
If the simple mode option is missing or if you still want to keep the normal Android interface, then you can still enlarge the text by going to Settings> Screen> Text and display size . You will then find two sliders to enlarge or decrease the size of the text only or also that of everything else (such as icons, menus and dialog boxes).
In Android Settings you will also find a menu with accessibility options that allows you to activate many useful functions for those with some vision problems, such as reading the screen (TalkBack), voice commands, voice synthesis options, the Select function to listen, color correction, activate captions or subtitles, color inversion, high contrast text and much more. These tools take some getting used to, but after a short period of adjustment they can really make a difference for those who have difficulty seeing the screen correctly. The touch magnification option then allows you to zoom in on the screen when needed, by making three finger touches at one point.
Always in the Smart assistance settings or also in the Display you should find options that facilitate the use of the smartphone in some situations, such as the gloves mode to be used in winter or the user interface with one hand, in order to be able to reach every part the screen using your thumb when holding the phone with one hand.
In some smartphones there is also the option of the Assistive Touch or Quick menu (as Huawei calls it) which makes a circle appear on the screen to be positioned and moved as you wish, which you can press at any time and from any app. The quick menu has different functions depending on the type of phone. On Huawei it allows you to go back, see recent apps or go back to the Home screen. In any case, you can also install an app like Assistive Touch for Android, very complete.
The option to have the notification LED color differently can also be very useful, usually in Settings> Notification . In another article we saw some apps to improve notifications on Android, even with the notification that illuminates the camera Flash, useful for those who do not feel well.
Obviously, then, there is also the Android voice assistant that allows you to control the phone with your voice and that you can call back at any time by saying the words Ok Google . We have seen in another article the main voice commands for Voice commands to make calls, read SMS and voice notifications, especially useful when you are in the car.
Finally, it is worth mentioning some Android launchers that can be installed to replace the main screen with a simpler one. We have seen in several articles the best launchers for Android among which Square Home is very valid, which recalls the old Windows Phone graphics with the big buttons, or the launcher that simplifies Android, Simple Launcher, ideal for the less experienced, with icons large and clearly legible text, free and without advertising. Another launcher to consider is the one that turns Android into a phone for the elderly, a little ugly to look at but very effective.
READ ALSO: How to make Android fluid and fast
To read the screen in a spoken voice on the iPhone there are three similar options to choose from in the Accessibility menu. You can activate VoiceOver to hear everything that appears on the screen including menus, dialog boxes, etc., with settings to adjust the speed and pitch of pronunciation. Then there are the options to read only the text when it is highlighted or the options to read the text on the screen only when scrolling down using two fingers, from above. Even for these options, the response speed can be adjusted as desired.
Returning to the Accessibility menu, Zoom is perfect for seeing more closely what appears on the screen. After enabling it, you can use the zoom on the iPhone by tapping twice with three fingers to zoom in and then drag the finger, always with three fingers, to move the zoom. In the options you can adjust the maximum zoom level.
For those who have difficulty or find it inconvenient to use the touchscreen, iOS has another set of Accessibility options to activate the AssistiveTouch mode which makes the figure of a ball appear on the screen to be touched to get a little in all the phone screens, including notifications, the control center and the home screen. The AssistiveTouch bubble can be configured to launch Siri with a double touch, to access notifications with a long touch and with other personalized actions and gestures.
Among the other Accebbilità options, one particularly useful is that of the Flash alert, which illuminates the LED of the camera when a notification is received, useful for not having to rely only on sound notifications.
Finally, do not forget that on the iPhone there is an advanced and good voice assistant like that of Google, which you can call up by saying the words Hey Siri, useful for controlling the phone with your voice. From Settings, tap on Siri to activate it so you can call it at any time, even from the lock screen. Siri is able to make calls, send messages, launch apps, add reminders to the calendar, get directions, and much more that we have described in the voice command guide for Siri.
For those who need to configure the new phone to the inexperienced mother, for those with vision problems and for those who are trying to make the screen of the phone more readable and less confused, we see here a brief guide on how to make each smartphone simpler, both Android and iPhone, using accessibility options and some internal settings to zoom in on text, icons and buttons.
How to make Android easier to use
Android's options for making the smartphone simpler may vary by phone brand and model, and while the guide is based on Android 9, those described should still be included with each smartphone.First of all, on some smartphones such as Samsung and Huawei, the simple mode or simplified mode is available that changes the home screen of the phone with large buttons to start the main applications i.e. Phone, Messages, Address Book, Camera, Gallery, the clock and then the possibility of adding other applications. The simplified mode (tested on Huawei) also enlarges the written text on all applications, therefore it also allows for easier reading.
If the simple mode option is missing or if you still want to keep the normal Android interface, then you can still enlarge the text by going to Settings> Screen> Text and display size . You will then find two sliders to enlarge or decrease the size of the text only or also that of everything else (such as icons, menus and dialog boxes).
In Android Settings you will also find a menu with accessibility options that allows you to activate many useful functions for those with some vision problems, such as reading the screen (TalkBack), voice commands, voice synthesis options, the Select function to listen, color correction, activate captions or subtitles, color inversion, high contrast text and much more. These tools take some getting used to, but after a short period of adjustment they can really make a difference for those who have difficulty seeing the screen correctly. The touch magnification option then allows you to zoom in on the screen when needed, by making three finger touches at one point.
Always in the Smart assistance settings or also in the Display you should find options that facilitate the use of the smartphone in some situations, such as the gloves mode to be used in winter or the user interface with one hand, in order to be able to reach every part the screen using your thumb when holding the phone with one hand.
In some smartphones there is also the option of the Assistive Touch or Quick menu (as Huawei calls it) which makes a circle appear on the screen to be positioned and moved as you wish, which you can press at any time and from any app. The quick menu has different functions depending on the type of phone. On Huawei it allows you to go back, see recent apps or go back to the Home screen. In any case, you can also install an app like Assistive Touch for Android, very complete.
The option to have the notification LED color differently can also be very useful, usually in Settings> Notification . In another article we saw some apps to improve notifications on Android, even with the notification that illuminates the camera Flash, useful for those who do not feel well.
Obviously, then, there is also the Android voice assistant that allows you to control the phone with your voice and that you can call back at any time by saying the words Ok Google . We have seen in another article the main voice commands for Voice commands to make calls, read SMS and voice notifications, especially useful when you are in the car.
Finally, it is worth mentioning some Android launchers that can be installed to replace the main screen with a simpler one. We have seen in several articles the best launchers for Android among which Square Home is very valid, which recalls the old Windows Phone graphics with the big buttons, or the launcher that simplifies Android, Simple Launcher, ideal for the less experienced, with icons large and clearly legible text, free and without advertising. Another launcher to consider is the one that turns Android into a phone for the elderly, a little ugly to look at but very effective.
READ ALSO: How to make Android fluid and fast
Simplify the use of the iPhone
Unfortunately on the iPhone external apps cannot add functionality to simplify the use of the smartphone as it happens on Android, due to the restrictions and permissions of the operating system, so you can only try to make the iPhone easier to use using the Settings on iOS . From Settings, go to General and then to Accessibility to find the simplification assistance options. You can then enlarge the text and adjust the size of the writing in most apps. You can also use the buttons to read everything in bold and to increase the contrast in order to make the text more readable.To read the screen in a spoken voice on the iPhone there are three similar options to choose from in the Accessibility menu. You can activate VoiceOver to hear everything that appears on the screen including menus, dialog boxes, etc., with settings to adjust the speed and pitch of pronunciation. Then there are the options to read only the text when it is highlighted or the options to read the text on the screen only when scrolling down using two fingers, from above. Even for these options, the response speed can be adjusted as desired.
Returning to the Accessibility menu, Zoom is perfect for seeing more closely what appears on the screen. After enabling it, you can use the zoom on the iPhone by tapping twice with three fingers to zoom in and then drag the finger, always with three fingers, to move the zoom. In the options you can adjust the maximum zoom level.
For those who have difficulty or find it inconvenient to use the touchscreen, iOS has another set of Accessibility options to activate the AssistiveTouch mode which makes the figure of a ball appear on the screen to be touched to get a little in all the phone screens, including notifications, the control center and the home screen. The AssistiveTouch bubble can be configured to launch Siri with a double touch, to access notifications with a long touch and with other personalized actions and gestures.
Among the other Accebbilità options, one particularly useful is that of the Flash alert, which illuminates the LED of the camera when a notification is received, useful for not having to rely only on sound notifications.
Finally, do not forget that on the iPhone there is an advanced and good voice assistant like that of Google, which you can call up by saying the words Hey Siri, useful for controlling the phone with your voice. From Settings, tap on Siri to activate it so you can call it at any time, even from the lock screen. Siri is able to make calls, send messages, launch apps, add reminders to the calendar, get directions, and much more that we have described in the voice command guide for Siri.
