How to set up and use Apple Watch vision accessibility features

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Apple Watch 2020 Leather Band Hero
Apple Watch 2020 Leather Band Hero (Image credit: iMore)
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There's been a lot of discussion over the years about accessibility and iPhone. Often missed are the many accessibility features available for the Apple Watch Series 6 and other models, including those for the visually impaired. Fortunately, we're going to show you how to make use of them!

Be sure to also check out the best accessories for Apple Watch.

Here's the latest on Apple Watch vision accessibility!

Apple Watch vision accessibility: How to use VoiceOver with Apple Watch

VoiceOver is a gesture-based screen reader that uses the built-in Apple Watch speaker. It's great for Apple Watch accessibility and can tell you what's happening on the wearable device without the need to see it. To date, VoiceOver is compatible across built-in apps and is available in more than 35 languages. To turn on VoiceOver on Apple Watch:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Choose Accessibility.
  3. To the right of VoiceOver, tap Off.
  4. Toggle VoiceOver to the On position.

To use VoiceOver with Apple Watch, tap on the Watch app on iPhone, choose Accessibility. To the right of VoiceOver, tap Off. Toggle VoiceOver to the On position (Image credit: iMore)

When you tap on Apple Watch, you'll now hear more about what's happening on the screen. Double-tab to act. For example, if you tap on the Exercise app, Siri will say "Workout." By double-tapping the same icon, you'll be given a choice of the options within that app.

Apple Watch vision accessibility: Using a braille display with Apple Watch

With VoiceOver turned on your Apple Watch, you can use Braille via a Bluetooth-enabled display to read and navigate. Using a braille display with your Apple Watch requires watchOS 7.2 or later.

To activate:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Choose Accessibility.
  3. Select Voice Over at the top of the page.

To use a braille display with Apple Watch, tap on the Watch app, then choose Accessibility. Select Voice Over at the top of the page. (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Tap More Info.
  2. Choose Braille Commands, then follow the specific commands for your display.

As Apple notes:

Apple Watch (with watchOS 7.2 or later) supports many international braille tables and refreshable braille displays. You can connect a Bluetooth wireless braille display to read VoiceOver output, including contracted and uncontracted braille. When you edit text, the braille display shows the text in context, and your edits are automatically converted between braille and printed text. You can also use a braille display with input keys to control your Apple Watch when VoiceOver is turned on.

Apple Watch vision accessibility: How to use Taptic Chimes on Apple Watch

With Taptic Chimes, you can receive an alert every 15 or 30 minutes or hour to tell you the time directly from your Apple Watch via sounds. To set this up:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Choose Accessibility.
  3. Select Chimes.
  4. Toggle on Chimes.

To use Taptic Chime on Apple Watch, tap on the Watch app on your iPhone, choose Accessibility, then choose Chimes. Toggle on Chimes (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Tap Schedule and select from Hourly, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes.
  2. Choose from Bells or Birds for the sounds.

To use Taptic Chimes, tap Schedule to set up the schedule, and under sounds select the sounds you want to hear (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: How to use Font Adjustment on Apple Watch

For additional Apple Watch accessibility, you can activate Larger Dynamic Type to increase the text size on Apple Watch on apps such as Mail, Messages, and Settings. There's also the ability to Bold Text across all built-in apps.

To change the font size:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. On the My Watch tab, select Display & Brightness.
  3. Use the slider to adjust the Text Size.
  4. Toggle on Bold Text.
  5. If Bold Text is turned on, choose Continue in the popup.

To use Font Adjustment, tap on the Watch app on iPhone, on the My Watch tab, choose Display & Brightness, use the slider to adjust the text size, toggle on Bold Text. If Bold Text is turned on, tap Co (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: Using Zoom on Apple Watch

With Zoom activated, Apple Watch has a built-in magnifier that you can use wherever you are on the device. Use the Digital Crown to move across the screen by rows or use two fingers to move around the screen.

To turn Zoom on:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Select Accessibility.
  3. Toggle Zoom to turn it on.
  4. On the Zoom page, you can adjust the maximum zoom level up to 5x.

To turn on Zoom, tap the Watch app on iPhone, select Accessibility, toggle on Zoom. You can adjust the maximum zoom level up to 5x. (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: How to turn on Grayscale on Apple Watch

When you activate Grayscale, the filter is shown system-wide on Apple Watch.

To turn on Grayscale:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Choose Accessibility.
  3. Toggle Grayscale to the On position.

To turn on Grayscale on Apple Watch, tap the Watch app on iPhone, choose Accessibility, then toggle on Grayscale. (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: How to reduce motion and transparency on Apple Watch

You can reduce screen motion and transparency on Apple Watch. In doing so, the movement of icons on the wearable device's Home screen is more straightforward and more directly associated with your navigation gestures, and contrast is increased on the screen.

To turn these on/off:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Choose Accessibility.
  3. Toggle on Reduce Transparency.
  4. Select Reduce Motion.
  5. Toggle on Reduce Motion.

To activate reduce motion and transparency on Apple Watch, tap the Watch app on iPhone, choose Accessibility, toggle on Reduce Transparency, choose Reduce Motion, toggle on Reduce Motion (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: Using On/Off labels on Apple Watch

To make it easier to see whether a setting is on or off, you can have Apple Watch show an additional label on the on/off switches. This label looks like a vertical line.

To turn this setting on or off:

  1. Tap on the Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Accessibility.
  3. Toggle On/Off Labels.

To turn on on/off labels on Apple Watch, tap the Watch app on iPhone, choose Accessibility, then toggle on on/off labels (Image credit: iMore)

Apple Watch vision accessibility: Questions?

Did you have any trouble using any of these accessibility settings? Give us a shout in the comments with your questions and thoughts!

Updated March 2021: Includes latest Apple Watch information.

Bryan M Wolfe
Bryan M Wolfe
Staff Writer

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.