Although Android’s accessibility features are designed with specific needs in mind, some of these features can benefit everyone. From simple adjustments like screen magnification and flash notifications to more advanced options like live captions, here are many useful accessibility features that will change how you use your Android phone.

1

Zoom In With Magnification Features

While zooming in on webpages and photos is easy on your phone, there are times when you need the same flexibility for reading text in an app or navigating through menus. That’s where the Magnification feature on Android comes in. It lets you zoom in on specific areas of your screen, making it easier to read text or interact with app content that might otherwise be difficult to see.

You can enable the magnification feature by heading to the Vision enhancements menu in the Accessibility settings. You can then perform the set gesture to access the magnification window and move it around to zoom in on any part of the screen.

But that’s not all—you can also enable the Magnifier option to turn your phone’s camera into a magnifier. This allows you to use the camera’s live view to zoom in on objects, documents, or anything else in the world around you that may need a closer look.

2

Adjust the Size of Text and Icons

If you prefer not to rely on the magnification feature or deal with tiny fonts, you can easily increase the text size and zoom in your entire Android display to make everything appear larger.

To do this, head to Settings > Vision Enhancements > Font Size and Style. Here, you’ll find a slider that lets you increase the font size to your liking. Further, you can toggle on the Bold font option for added clarity.

If you want to go a step further and make everything on your screen larger (not just the text) navigate to the Screen zoom menu. Adjusting the zoom level increases the size of icons, buttons, and other elements, making them easier to tap and read.

3

Live Captions

With the Live Caption feature enabled, your Android phone will automatically display video captions on-screen, making it easy to follow along. It’s perfect for watching videos in a noisy environment, or when you don’t want to disturb others.

These captions appear in real-time, with minimal lag. You can even adjust the size and color of the text to make it easier to read. Toggle the feature by going to Settings > Hearing enhancements > Live Caption.

4

Camera Flash Notifications

Remember the notification LED light? This was once a staple on nearly every Android device, but is now a rarity since most modern smartphones have minimal or no bezels. However, you can still get a visual cue for alerts by enabling camera flash notifications in the Accessibility > Advanced settings menu.

Once enabled, your Android phone’s camera flash will blink to alert you of incoming notifications, calls, or messages. This way, even if your phone is in silent mode or turned upside down, you won’t miss important updates. You can activate this feature for all notifications or limit it to specific apps.

5

Dimming the Screen Beyond Minimum Brightness

Sometimes, even the lowest screen brightness can feel glaringly bright. Thankfully, Android’s accessibility settings offer a feature called Extra dim that allows you to reduce your screen brightness beyond the default minimum level.

Whether you’re reading on your phone in a dark room or simply trying to give your eyes a break, dimming your screen further can make a world of difference. To enable the feature, go to Settings > Vision enhancements > Extra dim, and use the Intensity slider to adjust the dimming level to your liking. You can even add a shortcut to your Quick Settings panel for easy toggling.

You’ve probably seen iPhone users with AssistiveTouch—a small white circle that hovers on the screen—providing quick access to frequently used functions. Your Android phone offers a similar feature called the Accessibility menu, which you can enable from the Accessibility > Advanced Settings menu.

This floating shortcut lets you control volume and brightness, lock the screen, or capture a screenshot with ease. If you prefer not to have a floating icon on your screen, you can also set up a gesture to access this menu.

7

Reduce Animations

While animations on Android are designed to make your device feel smooth and visually appealing, they can sometimes slow things down—especially on older or less powerful devices. Fortunately, you can disable most of these animations by heading to Settings > Accessibility > Vision enhancements and enabling the Reduce animation toggle.

This simple change can make your phone feel faster and more responsive, as it eliminates the time spent loading visual effects between actions. Additionally, it can reduce battery drain, or help with feelings of motion sickness, caused by these animations.

8

Hear Caller Names Out Loud

Why bother setting a unique ringtone for your favorite contacts when you can simply hear their names spoken aloud? Android’s Read caller names aloud feature makes it easy to know exactly who’s calling without having to look at your phone screen.

This way, you won’t have to scramble to find your phone in your bag or pocket every time it rings. You can hear the caller’s name and decide whether it’s worth picking up or someone you’d prefer to call back later.

You can enable it by heading to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Answering and ending calls > Read caller names aloud.

9

Answer and End Calls With Physical Buttons

Interacting with your phone via touch isn’t always feasible, especially when you’re wearing gloves or have wet/dirty hands from cooking or working outdoors. Thankfully, Android offers an accessibility feature that lets you use the physical volume buttons to answer and end calls.

Simply go to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Answering and ending calls, then enable the Press Volume up to answer calls and Press Side button to end calls options. This allows you to answer calls with buttons when touch controls won’t do.

Android’s accessibility menu offers several useful features that enhance convenience, efficiency, and ease of use. Be sure to explore these settings and try them out for yourself—you might be surprised to discover that many of Android’s most helpful features are tucked away in the accessibility menu.