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Apple's new AI-powered accessibility features: What they mean for you
From wheelchair controls on Vision Pro to conversational Magnifier on iPhone, the tech giant is empowering users with disabilities through groundbreaking AI features
- PUBLISHED: Wed 20 May 2026, 12:14 PM
Ahead of WWDC 2026, Apple has unveiled a major wave of accessibility features powered by Apple Intelligence, introducing smarter tools for users across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Vision Pro devices.
The updates, set to roll out later this year, focus heavily on making Apple’s ecosystem easier to navigate for people with visual, hearing and mobility disabilities, while continuing the company’s push toward privacy-first AI.
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One of the biggest upgrades comes to VoiceOver and Magnifier. Using Apple Intelligence, VoiceOver can now provide more detailed image descriptions across apps, photos and documents, helping blind or low-vision users better understand visual content. Users can also point their iPhone camera at objects or surroundings and ask follow-up questions in natural language for more context.
Magnifier is also becoming more conversational. Users can issue spoken commands like “zoom in” or “turn on flashlight,” turning the feature into a more dynamic accessibility assistant.
Apple is also revamping Voice Control with natural language support. Instead of memorising exact labels or button names, users can now describe what they see on-screen with commands such as “tap the purple folder” or “open the restaurant guide.” The feature is designed to help users with physical disabilities navigate apps more naturally.
Another standout addition is AI-generated subtitles for videos without captions. Using on-device speech recognition, Apple devices will automatically create subtitles for personal videos, online clips and shared media, all processed privately without sending data externally.
For users with dyslexia or low vision, Accessibility Reader is getting smarter as well. The tool can now simplify complex articles, summarise content on demand and even translate text while preserving formatting and visual customisation.
Meanwhile, Apple Vision Pro is gaining a new wheelchair control feature that uses eye tracking to help users operate compatible power wheelchairs. Apple says the feature will initially support Tolt and LUCI systems in the US.
Additional updates include larger text support on tvOS, improved hearing aid pairing, face gesture controls for Vision Pro, and support for the Sony Access Controller on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
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