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Sep 12
26 m

What’s New in iOS 26 Accessibility

AppleVis Podcast
About this episode

In this episode, Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse) dives deep into the exciting new accessibility features in iOS 26. From improved VoiceOver experiences to powerful tools for customization and ease of use, this update offers meaningful improvements for blind, low-vision, and accessibility-focused users.

Whether you’re a long-time VoiceOver user or just curious about Apple’s accessibility innovations, this episode guides you through the highlights with real examples, demonstrations, and practical insights.

Key Highlights

  1. New VoiceOver Tone for Touch Containers A subtle sound now plays when entering a new container, making navigation clearer without extra speech.

  2. Copied Speech Rotor Option A three-finger quadruple-tap saves text to a clipboard history, accessible via the rotor for quick pasting.

  3. Accessibility Nutrition Labels on the App Store Developers can now declare supported accessibility features (VoiceOver, Captions, Larger Text, etc.) directly on app pages.

  4. Customizable Magic Tap Gesture Prevent media from accidentally playing when ending a call by disabling Magic Tap’s default play/pause function.

  5. Custom Labels Management See and manage all custom labels you’ve created in one place under VoiceOver > Verbosity.

  6. Always Use Siri Sounds Replace VoiceOver’s audio tones with Siri’s system sounds for a more familiar experience.

  7. Reset VoiceOver Settings Easily A new reset option restores VoiceOver to factory defaults without affecting other system settings.

  8. Share Accessibility Settings Between Devices Transfer or sync your preferences seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices.

  9. Reduce Transparency for a Cleaner Look Turn off translucent “liquid glass” UI elements for a more legible and distraction-free display.

  10. Expanded Background Sounds Library New sounds include airplane cabin noise, rain, night ambiance, and crackling fire for relaxation or focus.

  11. Faster Personal Voice Creation Create a natural-sounding personal voice with just 10 phrases instead of 100—done in minutes.

  12. Name Recognition Improve clarity with personalized pronunciation for names in contacts, photos, and text.

  13. Accessible Reader A new clutter-free reading view with customizable layout, font, and background options.

  14. New Live Listen Features Pair Live Listen with captions and rewind missed audio for more flexible conversations.

  15. Head Tracking Use subtle head movements to control audio, highlight menus, or enhance spatial listening.


This episode is perfect for anyone eager to explore iOS 26’s most impactful accessibility features. Tune in to discover how Apple continues to lead in inclusive design.

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers…

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