How to use the iPhone Magnifier
Let’s see a show of hands. How many of you have a magnifying glass that you occasionally use in order to read some fine print or view some detail on an object? I have one and my one observation about my magnifying glass is that it is never where it is needed, for instance when working out in the yard or in the garage
Since IOS 10, the iPhone has an easy to access Magnifier that will use your iPhones camera and flash as a Magnifier that you can use to read fine print or detail. This recipe will identify how to access the Magnifier, verify the Settings needed to make it available and a couple of essential options for lighting and focus.
As older adults, a lot of us recognized our changing eyesight decades ago. As our eyesight changes, we admit that we occasionally have to work a little harder to read the fine print. I use readers but I also happen to have a couple of magnifying glasses in my office for this purpose.
There are countless situations where access to my magnifying glass allows me to read a label or pick out a detail that is unavailable to the naked eye. The iPhone provides a magnifier function that allows my to use my iPhone as a substitute magnifying glass.
It’s easy. You pull you iPhone out of your pocket and press the Home or Side button three times. Yes, it is that accessible.
Magnifier Setup
The Magnifier is part of the iPhone’s Accessibility functions and does not have an App or Home screen presence. This means you will not find an icon for the Magnifier.
To set up the Magnifier, Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Magnifier, then turn on Magnifier.
Access the Magnifier
There are multiple ways you can use to access the Magnifier. You can pick the method that works for you.
1. Home or Side Button
This is pretty easy! Press the Home (if you have a Home button) or the Side button three times.
The triple-click of the Home or Side button is known as the accessibility shortcut. If the Magnifier does not start with pressing the Home button three times, it may be that the accessibility shortcut is assigned to another function. This can be change by accessing Settings > General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut.
2. Use the Control Center
You can place a Magnifier icon on the Control Center. You can find the instructions on how to do this at Add New Icons to Customize the Control Center.
3. Home Screen App
In IOS 14, once you turn on the Magnifier in Settings as described above, you will not find a Magnifier app on your Home screen or App Library.
Magnifier Controls
With the Magnifier launched, you will use a combination of manual phone movements and onscreen controls to capture the detail you with to magnify. Here is a review of the onscreen controls.
- Adjust the magnification level. Drag the Zoom Level slider. If you prefer, you can also use the pinch in and pinch out zoom gestures to control the magnification.
- If your image is too dark, add more light to you subject by tapping
to turn the flashlight on or off. - Lock the focus. Your iPhone will attempt to focus the image based on your position. If you move the iPhone, a refocus will occur. Once your image is in focus, you may want to lock the focus allowing you to move the iPhone without the refocus.Tap the padlock
to lock the focus. Tap again to unlock the focus. - Freeze the Frame. Tap the “shutter” button
to lock the image. This will allow you to examine the magnified image and adjust the magnification and drag the image around for better viewing. Unfreeze the frame, tap the “shutter” again. - Turn off Magnifier by pressing the Home button.
Smart Tip: Freeze the Frame
Once you have the focus you want, freeze the frame on your image. This allows you to still change the magnification and shift the image without needing to hold the camera.
Check for Understanding
Use the following questions to determine if you need to read or study this recipe. You might already have an understanding of this topic. Following your study, answer the same questions to help you check your understanding of the skills taught in this lesson.
- Is the Magnifier set up so that it is available when you press the Home button three times?
- Are you able to use the Magnifier controls to change the zoom or lighting.
Additional Information
The Senior Tech Club recommends the following additional resources for members that wish to pursue additional and/or advanced information on this recipe:
iPhone User Guide – Magnifier
iMore Web site – How to use the Magnifier on iPhone and iPad
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