How to Use the iPhone Magnifying Glass

Your iPhone makes it easy to read the fine print

magnifying glass on a book

Shih Wei Wang / EyeEm / Getty Images

by Jordan Baranowski
Jordan Baranowski is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and educator with experience writing for SVG, The Nerd Stash, and Feast Magazine.
Updated August 20, 2019

If you've ever been at a restaurant and had trouble seeing the descriptions of the different items you can order, then the iPhone Magnifier is just the fix you need. You just need to switch on a few accessibility options and you'll be able to activate it whenever you need. Here's how you access the iPhone's magnifying glass option.

How to Turn on the iPhone Magnifier?

Before you can start using the Magnifier, you need to adjust a few accessibility options on your phone.

  1. Tap Settings > General > Accessibility.

  2. Tap Magnifier.

    General, Accessibility, Magnifier buttons in iOS Settings

  3. Tap the Magnifier toggle to turn it on. This will add it as an option to open when you want to use it.

    Magnifier toggle in iOS Settings

How to Access the iPhone Magnifier Once Enabled

There are two different ways to start using Magnifier once you've switched it on.

Quick Access

The first is through quick access. If your iPhone or iPad has a Home Button, press it three times and the Magnifier slider will appear. Use this to adjust the magnification levels. If you have a newer device without a Home Button, press the Side Button three times, then tap Magnifier.

To turn the Magnifier off, simply press the same button you used to launch it.

Control Center

You can also add the magnifier to the Control Center and access it from there.

  1. Tap Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls.

  2. Tap the Green Plus next to the Magnifier to add it to the Control Center.

    Control Center, Customize Controls, Magnifier button in iOS Settings

  3. Open Control Center, then tap the Magnifier icon to open it.

    Magnifier icon in iOS Control Center

What Options Are Available in the iPhone Magnifier?

There are a few options you can use within the Magnifier.

  • Freeze, Zoom, and Save: Tap the icon in the bottom center of the screen to freeze the image. You can then use the slider to zoom in or out, or tap and hold on the screen, then tap either Save image or Share. Tap the same button again to unfreeze the image.
  • Filters: Tap the Filters icon in the bottom right corner to adjust the Magnifier's screen. You can swipe across the filters until you find one you like, adjust the brightness or contrast with the sliders, or tap the icon in the bottom left corner to invert the colors.