Most smartwatch brands are stuffing their devices with features. On the other hand, Apple decided to keep the features minimal but useful. One of them is the accessibility shortcut on the Apple Watch. With watchOS 9, Apple introduced several new features to the legacy accessibility shortcut.
Accessibility is a useful feature that can improve the lifestyle of its users. It can be activated by triple-pressing the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch. Want to know how to enable and use the accessibility shortcut? We have you covered. Here’s a guide to using the new accessibility shortcut features on Apple Watch.
- How to Enable the Accessibility Shortcut on Apple Watch and iPhone
- What features can I access using the accessibility shortcut on Apple Watch?
How to Install an Accessibility Shortcut on Apple Watch and iPhone
You can enable and customize the accessibility shortcut on Apple Watch and in the Apple Watch app on iPhone; here’s how:
Enable via Apple Watch
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and click Accessibility.
- Now scroll down and click on Accessibility Shortcut.
- Click on the desired accessibility settings to activate them (you can select more than one option). Note. A checkmark will appear next to it.
- To disable it, simply uncheck the box in the same menu.
Enable from iPhone
- Open the Clock app.
- Go to the “My Watch”tab.
- Scroll down to “Accessibility”and click on it.
- Next, scroll down and click Accessibility Shortcut.
- Check any of the accessibility options to enable it.
- To disable it, click to uncheck the box.
Activate the accessibility shortcut on your Apple Watch.
Once you have activated the desired accessibility shortcut on your watch,
- Activate it by continuously pressing the Digital Crown three times.
- If you have selected multiple options, select the feature you want to enable and click Done.
- To turn it off, quickly triple-tap the Apple Watch’s crown or turn off the option.
Follow the same steps to set up and use the accessibility shortcut on your Apple Watch Ultra.
What features can I access using the accessibility shortcut on Apple Watch?
1. Assistive touch
AssistiveTouch helps you use your Apple Watch if you’re having trouble touching the screen or pressing buttons. Apple Watch’s built-in sensors help you answer calls, control the on-screen pointer, and launch action menus, all with hand gestures.
For more information about this feature and the hand gestures it supports, check out our guide to AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch.
2. Manage nearby devices
Notably, this feature allows you to access and control a nearby paired device or iPad with your Apple Watch. It helps users with different abilities access their iPhones and iPads through their Apple Watch. It allows you to access controls such as the home button, app switcher, notification center, control center, Siri, and options (including media playback controls and custom hand gestures).
What’s more, if VoiceOver is also turned on with this feature on your Apple Watch, VoiceOver will be automatically turned on on your iPhone and iPad. Allows you to control this device using VoiceOver gestures. Similarly, if you enable Switch Control, the watch will show you the Switch Control buttons (Move, Next, Select, etc. buttons).
3. Left/right balance
This option is for those with hearing problems in one ear. This shortcut can balance the sensitivity of one side of your headphones, AirPods, etc. To change the mono sound and balance settings:
- Go to the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap Accessibility → Hearing.
- To switch between stereo and mono sound, turn mono sound on or off.
- To adjust the sound balance, press the L or R button under Mono Audio.
Alternatively, you can launch the Apple Watch app on iPhone, tap My Watch → tap Accessibility → turn monaural sound on or off, or adjust the sound balance.
4. Reduce movement
This feature is designed for you if you are sensitive to motion effects, fast-paced graphics or screen movement. The Reduce Motion option limits the motion you see on the home screen and when you open and close apps. Plus, it helps extend battery life.
5. Reduce transparency
This shortcut reduces the transparency of the background and some animations, thereby increasing the contrast between text and background and improving the visual experience for visually impaired users. As you might expect, this also saves the Apple Watch’s battery life.
6. Touch Placement
Activating touch adaptation lets you control how your watch screen reacts to taps, swipes, and other gestures. You can customize the Apple Watch way
- Respond to touches of a certain duration
- Performing swipe gestures
- Ignore multiple touches
- React to the first or last place you touch
7. Voiceover
With the built-in screen reader, you can listen to what’s happening on your Apple Watch screen. It announces every touch input on your display. When you activate VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader will tell you loudly what’s happening on the screen. For example, when you place your finger on an app, you hear its name.
8. Scale
Zoom in on objects on your watch for better visibility. This helps users with visibility issues zoom in and see better what’s happening on their Apple Watch. To zoom in, double-tap with two fingers. Repeat the same to zoom out.
Conclusion
I hope this has helped you better understand Accessibility Shortcuts. While VoiceOver, Zoom, AssistiveTouch, or Touch Accommodation were part of watchOS 8, the rest joined watchOS 9. Have you ever tried accessibility features on your Apple Watch? If yes, tell us about your experience in the comments.