Did you know that the iPhone has a magnifying feature many people don’t know about? The Magnifier tool makes use of your camera to magnify objects. The focus quality on objects when using the Magnifier varies based on your iPhone’s camera quality. So the question now is how does one use the Magnifier on iPhones?
To use the Magnifier on iPhone, first, you want to head to Settings > Accessibility and add the Magnifier as an accessibility shortcut. Then from the shortcut, you can open the Magnifier tool and use it to zoom in on objects at any time.
Note that the Magnifier tool is built-in and free to use on iPhones. This tool is handy when you find yourself in a dark restaurant and forget your glasses but want to read a text. Although the tool is hidden in your iPhone, you can turn it on using the steps we will elaborate on in this guide.
Steps to Using Magnifier on Your iPhone
With the Magnifier tool, you can zoom in and magnify your surroundings using your iPhone’s camera. But unlike other tools on your iPhone, like the flashlight or calculator, you must first enable the Magnifier tool. The iPhone Magnifier tool is easy to activate, and it’s a neat trick to have in case you find yourself in a situation where you need to zoom in on objects.
The best part about using the Magnifier tool is that you can do more than just zoom in on your surroundings. With this tool, you can save the zoomed image, apply filters, and much more. Below we elaborate on four easy steps to take to get started using the Magnifier tool.
Step #1: Open the Settings App
The first thing you want to do is to open the Settings app. To do this, tap on the Settings icon on the homepage of your iPhone. If the Settings app is not on the homepage of your iPhone, then swipe down from the top of your iPhone and type in Settings in the search dialog to find the Settings app. Or better still, you can ask Siri to open the Settings app for you.
Step #2: Enable Magnifier as an Accessibility Shortcut
In the Settings app, you want to scroll down to the “General” option and tap on it to open it. In the General menu, look for the option “Accessibility” and tap on it. Under the Accessibility menu, select the “Magnifier” option and toggle the switch “On” to add Magnifier as an accessibility shortcut. When you turn on the Magnifier tool feature in accessibility, you give the tool permission to overwrite system files.
In other words, the Magnifier tool can access certain parts of your iPhone that ordinary apps normally wouldn’t, including access to your iPhone’s camera, flashlight, etc.
Step #3: Open the Magnifier Tool
To open the Magnifier tool, there are two ways you can do it. The first is the most popular option, which involves using the power button or home button, depending on the version of iOS your iPhone uses. In comparison, the other method involves adding the Magnifier tool to the control center of your device.
To open the Magnifier tool with buttons, especially if you are using the iPhone X or later, just triple tap on the side button of your iPhone, and it will automatically launch the Magnifier tool. And if you use the iPhone 8 or earlier, triple tap on the home button to launch the Magnifier tool.
Suppose you don’t want to use buttons, head to the Settings app on your iPhone again. But this time, scroll down and tap on the “Control Center” option to open it. In this menu, look for the Magnifier tool and tap on the “Add” option close to the Magnifier tool. By doing this, the Magnifier tool will appear in the control option, and you can open the tool by entering the control center on your iPhone.
Step #4: Using Its Features
When you open the Magnifier tool, you can then start using it. To use the Magnifier tool, you must use the slider to zoom in or out of objects. If you want to lock the focus, tap on the lock button. If you tap the center button, you can take a picture of whatever is on your screen. Play around with the tool to discover more about how its feature works to get the hang of it.
If you find the default setup of the Magnifier tool not up to your needs, you can customize it to include whatever feature you find more useful.
Summary
In summary, activating the Magnifier tool is a great feature that comes in handy in various scenarios. Be aware that when you turn on the magnifier tool, you will not find it in your iPhone’s home screen or app library. However, you can always add your device control center or use your iPhone’s side or home button.
