Magnifier in iOS 14 Gets Overhauled UI and New Features, Can Be Added to Home Screen

[MacRumors]

In every version of iOS, Apple adds new Accessibility features and improves others, and iOS 14 is no exception. The Magnifier tool, designed by those with visual issues who need assistance, has new capabilities in iOS 14.

iOS 14 Magnifier interface on left, iOS 13 Magnifier interface on right​

Updated Interface

The app features an updated interface that makes controls more readily available and offers clarity on what each tool does. There are options for adjusting brightness and contrast, or adding a filter to change what's being magnified to a color that's easier for an individual to see.

All of the controls can be rearranged to best meet a user's needs, and the filter options can be customized so you can set the one that you need and toggle it on with a tap.

In a dark area, the flashlight can be toggled on with a tap, and the magnification level can be easily controlled with a slider bar. Many of these features were available in the prior version of the app, but multi-shot, an option for capturing more than one photo at once, is new.

Multi-Shot

With a new multi-shot option, Magnifier users can take multiple photos at one time, capturing something like different pages of a menu, and then review them all at once, rather than having to take single shots that need to be reviewed one by one.

Adding Magnifier to Home Screen

For frequent Magnifier users, an app icon to activate the Magnifier function can be added to the Home Screen by accessing the App Library, searching for Magnifier, and then dragging it over to one of the app pages or long pressing and choosing "Add to Home Screen." The feature can continue to be accessed with a triple tap on the side button as well.

To find Magnifier in App Library, make sure it's turned on by opening up Settings, tapping on Accessibility, choosing Magnifier, and then toggling it to the on position.

More Accessibility Info

The changes to the Magnifier app are small but significant, making the app customizable for each user and streamlining the use process. Apple also added several useful new Accessibility features to iOS 14, such as Back Tap for manually activating some iPhone features and Sound Recognition for recognizing sounds like water running, sirens, alarms, and more. Additional detail on the new Accessibility features can be found in our iOS 14 roundup.

Article Link: Magnifier in iOS 14 Gets Overhauled UI and New Features, Can Be Added to Home Screen

 

[bigpoppa]

Cannot find Magnifier in App Library, iOS 14 beta 2.

 

[zorinlynx]

Magnifier is such a useful feature, I always wondered why it was hidden away so much. Glad to see it getting some attention and that it's being brought to the forefront!

 

[Apple_Robert]

Cannot find Magnifier in App Library, iOS 14 beta 2.

Disregard.

 

[jclo]

Cannot find Magnifier in App Library, iOS 14 beta 2.

Is it enabled in Settings? It should show up when you search. Running iOS 14 beta 2, I can search for it in App Library.

Edit: Can confirm, it has to be enabled. I added that info to the guide. Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier > On.

 

[Newbie67]

Does not appear to work on public beta (iPhone X) despite enabling the feature in accessibility.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier > toggle on.
[automerge]1594675637[/automerge]

Is it enabled in Settings? It should show up when you search. Running iOS 14 beta 2, I can search for it in App Library.

Edit: Can confirm, it has to be enabled. I added that info to the guide. Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier > On.

I always use it from control center so, it never occurred to me that I needed to enable from Settings.

Thanks, Juli

 

[lazy_desi_]

Cannot find Magnifier in App Library, iOS 14 beta 2.

turnoff and in under setting and do a search in library, it will show up.

 

[Newbie67]

Does not appear to work on public beta (iPhone X) despite enabling the feature in accessibility.

UPDATE- took a minute but it showed up in the App Library after it was run for the first time

 

[rk-apple]

Every year I use magnifier more and more...

 

[JosephAW]

I'm still waiting for a live OCR where you wave your magnifier over part of a page of text and when it stitches the entire page together in memory it can read it back to you. That and object recognition. I have other apps that can do that now and also tell you what denomination of money you are holding.

 

[iDento]

I turned it on and now it is only in the App Library in list mode. I want it in the home screen, it is not a big deal but why is it the only app that I can‘t put in the home screen?

Update: I figured it out.

 

[jpn]

... I have other apps that can do that now and also tell you what denomination of money you are holding.

sounds good if yr app could work with minimal user input.

like:
1 open app
2 input how much you have in the foreign currency (this is the only user input)
3 wave iPhone above the currency to understand what currency it is
4 provides a graph of how that currency has changed over the course of a preset number of months
5 app converts the amount of foreign currency to a preset other currency (like USD or whatever).

worth: about USD 6 in app store.
will sell 100's of thousands.

 

[Chester Stone]

Why is the newer (iOS 14) graphic always on the left in your articles? ?

It's easier to understand progression by putting old on left, new on right, because our eyes are reading the words from your article left-to-right.

It's as if you post the new graphic for readers, then think, "Oh, I need to compare what this used to be like," and, as an afterthought, post the second image. But for those of us that didn't even know the original feature was there, we look at the two photos and can't tell old from new. (esp. if the new looks subjectively worse)

This is confusing for your readers. When you give your writing an edit pass, please think about how readers will consume it.

 

[bigpoppa]

UPDATE- took a minute but it showed up in the App Library after it was run for the first time

Had to turn it off and back on myself. Mine was on. Appears now.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Magnifier is such a useful feature, I always wondered why it was hidden away so much. Glad to see it getting some attention and that it's being brought to the forefront!

All of the "Accessibility" features are somewhat hidden away and disabled by default.

Anywho...

I like the option of a Home screen icon but will still probably continue to just access it via the Control Center. (Settings->Control Center->Customize Controls) I can only imagine accessing Magnifier would be quicker if I had it in the Dock, but don't feel that'd be necessary.

 

[MisterSavage]

This is so great. I showed magnifier to my parents but they had trouble remembering how to activate it. Having it in control center will help a lot.

 

[hagar]

“an app icon to activate the Magnifier function can be added to the Home Screen by accessing the App Library, searching for Magnifier, and then dragging it over to one of the app pages or long pressing and choosing "Add to Home Screen."

this app drawer is turning out to be very user friendly. Explain these steps to someone who needs assistance...
/sarcasm

 

[SBlue1]

I use it lot for the kids. Studing ants, flys, flowers, minerals and whatever. The zoom by itself is amazing, and together with a free 3x add on lens I got from a toy shop as a gift you can see the wrinkles on a bees kneecaps.

 

[2013.1]

Magnifier opens on triple clicking my home button.

What replaced triple click on iPhones without home button?

 

[MacCheetah3]

Magnifier opens on triple clicking my home button.

What replaced triple click on iPhones without home button?

Side button triple press.