For Seniors: Add VoiceOver to iPad 2

If you're visually impaired, add VoiceOver to your iPad. When you have trouble seeing what's onscreen, VoiceOver can read the names of screen elements and settings to you.

VoiceOver also changes the way you provide input to the iPad. In Notes, for example, you can have VoiceOver read the name of the Notes buttons to you and, when you enter notes, read words or characters you’ve entered. VoiceOver can also tell you whether features such as AutoCorrect are on.

Turn VoiceOver on your iPad 2

Turn on VoiceOver when you need its help to figure out what's on-screen.

1. To turn on this feature, tap the Settings icon on the Home screen. Tap General and then Accessibility.

   The Accessibility options appear.

2. Tap the VoiceOver button.

   

   The VoiceOver options appear.

3. Tap the VoiceOver On/Off button at the top to turn on this feature.

   

   You see a reminder that VoiceOver changes gestures that you use to interact with the iPad. Tap OK once to select the button, and then tap OK twice to proceed.

4. Tap the VoiceOver Practice button to select it, and then double-tap the button to open VoiceOver.

   With VoiceOver on you must first single-tap to select an item such as a button, which causes VoiceOver to read the name of the button to you. Then you double-tap the button to activate its function.

   When you're done practicing, tap the Done button and then double-tap it to return to the VoiceOver options.

5. Tap the Speak Hints field to turn that feature on.

   With Speak Hints, VoiceOver speaks the name of the item when you tap it. This is helpful when you first use VoiceOver, but may become annoying.)

6. If you want VoiceOver to read words or characters to you (for example, in the Notes app), double-tap Typing Feedback.

   The Typing Feedback options appear.

7. Tap to select the option you prefer.

   The Words option causes VoiceOver to reads words to you, but not characters, such as “dollar sign” ($). The Characters and Words option causes VoiceOver to read both.

8. Tap the Home button.

   You're returned to the Home screen.

Use VoiceOver on an iPad 2

After VoiceOver is turned on, you need to figure out how to use it.

• Tap an item to select it. VoiceOver then speaks its name

• Double-tap the selected item. This action activates the item

• Flick three fingers. It takes three fingers to scroll around a page with VoiceOver turned on

• Flick right or left. Select the next or preceding item

• Tap with two fingers. Stop speaking the current item

• Flick two fingers up. Read everything from the top of the screen

• Flick two fingers down. Read everything from the current position

• Flick three fingers up or down. Scroll one page at a time

• Flick three fingers right or left. Go to the next or preceding page

• Tap three fingers. Speak the scroll status (for example, line 20 of 100)

• Flick four fingers up or down. Go to the first or last element on a page

• Flick four fingers right or left. Go to the next or preceding section (as on a web page)

If tapping with two or three fingers seems difficult for you, try tapping with one finger from one hand and one or two from the other. When double- or triple-tapping, perform these gestures as quickly as you can for them to work.