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Reset Windows, Text Chats,
and Disk Space Utility
By Bob DeLaurentis
Q. How do I make the text on my phone 1arger
A. The good news is that both iPhone and Android
have system settings to make text larger, and many
apps support adjustable-size text based on these
settings. The less good news is that these settings
appear in multiple places, and they have different
effects. Read on for some general suggestions, but I
encourage you to search the web for detailed advice
about your specific device. Not all text on a phone is
the same.
On both iPhone and Android, open "Settings,” and
open the “Accessibility" option, then look for a menu
choice like "Font Size" or "Larger Text." These con-
trols will get you started in the right direction.
On Android, text in the Chrome web browser has
its own control under the three-dot menu in the up-
per right of the screen. Tap it, then tap "Settings"
followed by "Accessibility" and "Font Scaling." On
Apple, the Safari text is small button next to the URL
marked with "AA" that reveals a menu to change text
size.
One side effect of larger text is that other items on
screen must adapt. Make the text too big, and other
screen elements might be pushed off the screen.
There is a balance to strike between readability and
usability. Once you find the correct size for you, the
experience of using your phone will be much more
comfortable.
Q. How can I make my phone screen easier to
see? Sometimes I cannot tell where I should tap.
A. Modem smartphones are smart enough to ac-
commodate our individual differences in several
ways. Options range from increased in text size, to
contrast and color refinements, to voice-based inter- enlarge the parts the snapshot you wish to read.
faces useable by people with severely impaired vi-
sion.
All these options are managed in device
"Settings," grouped under a menu titled
"Accessibility." There are a considerable number of
choices under that menu. Simply knowing what they
are and what they do is useful.
In addition to text size adjustments, there are two
other notable features worth exploring.
The first is system-wide screen enlarging. It works
like a zoom gesture on a photo, except that it magni-
fies the entire screen. It takes practice to manage
zooming along with screen taps and scrolling re-
gions, but it can make a huge difference in usability.
To enable it, look under "Accessibility" for an item
called "Magnification" on Android and "Zoom" on
iPhone.
Seeptember 2021 7
The second is increasing contrast. This feature is
more useful on iPhone because it changes things
like buttons and borders to make them more clearly
defined. Android has a similar option, but it only ap-
plies to text.
Every year smartphones become smarter at adapt-
ing to us. And accessibility features are key to mak-
ing the most personal computing devices ever made
even more personal.
Q. Can I use my smartphone like a magnifying
glass?
A. Absolutely yes! I first wrote about this capability
on iPhone a few
years ago, but the feature has improved since then,
and it has come to Android as well.
The "Magnifier" app comes preinstalled on iPhones
and the "Lookout by Google" app is available from
the Google Play Store. Both apps have similar fea-
tures.
For iPhone users, this feature is as simple as acti-
vating sin and saying, "open Magnifier." It can also
be opened by tapping the Magnifier app in the utili-
ties folder or in the Control Center.
There is a slider at the bottom of the screen to adjust
the magnification. If you tap just above the slider, a
tray will slide upward to reveal secondary. controls,
which include a snapshot button, contrast and color
adjustments, and a flashlight.
Snapshots allow you to store a quick image, so
you do not have to
hold the camera for more than a few seconds. This
is especially handy for grabbing images in awkward
to reach places. Use the two-finger zoom gesture to
The Lookout app for Android is a gem. Alongside
the ability to magnify,
it 'has special modes for things like reading a docu-
ment aloud and deciphering nutrition labels.