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Apple iPhone • Easier to Use • 20–30 minutes

Make your iPhone easier to use — Apple iPhone

Read this firstThe simple mode in the last step, called Assistive Access, uses its own separate passcode, different from the regular iPhone passcode. If that passcode is forgotten and no recovery Apple Account was set up, the iPhone has to be erased before it can be used again. A trusted family member or caregiver should know this passcode, and it is best if they help set it up.
You do not have to change everything at once. Work through these steps in order and stop whenever the iPhone feels comfortable. The menu names below match the newest iPhone software, which is why step 1 checks for an update first. The last step, Assistive Access, is a last resort: save it for when the gentler changes above are not enough.

  1. Check for an iOS update

    Open Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, tap Update Now and follow the on-screen steps.

  2. Make the words bigger

    Why: Bigger, bolder words are easier to read in menus, messages, and apps.

    What to do: Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and drag the slider to the right. Go back one screen and turn on Bold Text on the Display & Brightness page.

    What to look for: The example words on the slider screen grow as you drag. For even bigger sizes, open Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Larger Text, turn it on, and drag that slider to the right.

    Note: On the newest iPhones (iOS 26), these settings live under Settings > Appearance > Text Size and Bold Text instead.

  3. Make everything on the screen bigger

    Why: Display Zoom magnifies the whole screen, including app pictures, buttons, and the keyboard, not just the words.

    What to do: Open Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom. Tap Larger Text, tap Done, then tap Use Zoomed.

    What to look for: The iPhone restarts its display after you confirm. When it comes back, everything looks bigger. That is normal.

  4. Leave only the essential apps on the Home Screen

    Why: A Home Screen with only a few everyday apps is easier to look at, and there is less to tap by mistake.

    What to do: Touch and hold any app you do not need. Tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen. Repeat until only the essentials are left, such as Phone, Messages, Camera, and Photos.

    What to look for: The app is not deleted. It stays installed and can be found in the App Library by swiping left past the last Home Screen page.

  5. Make tapping more forgiving for shaky hands

    Why: Touch Accommodations stops quick or shaky touches from counting as taps, so the iPhone feels calmer to use.

    What to do: Open Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Touch Accommodations and turn it on.

    What to look for: Hold Duration lets you set how long a press must last before it counts, using the + and - buttons. Ignore Repeat, on the same screen, treats rapid double-taps as a single tap.

  6. Last resort: set up Assistive Access, the simple locked-down mode

    Why: Try the gentler changes above first. If the iPhone is still too complicated, Assistive Access replaces the whole iPhone with one simple screen of very large, clearly labeled buttons for only the apps you choose. There is a back button, and there are no extra menus to get lost in.

    What to do: Open Settings > Accessibility > Assistive Access. Tap Set Up Assistive Access > Continue, then follow the setup screens and choose only the apps the person needs, such as Phone, Messages, and Camera.

    What to look for: The setup asks which apps to include and who the trusted supporter is. When it finishes, the iPhone shows only those apps as big buttons.

    Leaving it later: To leave Assistive Access, quickly press the Side button three times (or the Home button on iPhones that have one). Tap Exit Assistive Access and enter the Assistive Access passcode.

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