About the VoiceOver rotor on iPhone or iPad
You can use the VoiceOver rotor to change how VoiceOver works. You can change the VoiceOver volume or speaking rate, move from one item to the next on the screen, and more.
Use the VoiceOver rotor
First, if you haven't turned on VoiceOver, turn it on:
Go Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver.
Turn on VoiceOver.
To use the rotor:
Rotate two fingers on your iOS or iPadOS device's screen as if you're turning a dial. VoiceOver will say the first rotor option.
Keep rotating your fingers to hear more options.
Lift your fingers to choose an option.
After you choose an option, flick your finger up or down on the screen to use it. For example, if you choose Words when a document is open, a flick down or up will move VoiceOver to the next or previous word.
Options for navigating
With all of these options, you can move from one item to the next by flicking on the screen from top to bottom with one finger. You can move VoiceOver to the previous item by flicking from bottom to top.
Review text as you type with Characters, Words, and Lines
Characters: Reads one character at a time.
Words: Reads one word at a time.
Lines: Reads one line at a time.
Move through the organization of a page or screen
Containers: Moves from one onscreen container to the next. The Dock and Home screen, for example, are containers.
Headings: Moves from one heading to the next. Try using this rotor in Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
Landmarks: Moves between banners, navigation, and buttons in HTML content (such as a webpage or HTML email).
Same Item: Moves from one item to the next item of the same kind. Try this with the links in the results of a Safari web search.
Vertical Navigation: Moves up or down with one-finger vertical flicks. Try this on the Home screen.
Static Text: Moves from one line of static HTML text to the next. Static text is the main text on the page—not links or button names, for example.
Move from link to link
Links: Moves from one link to the next.
Visited Links: Moves from one link to the next, but only those that you've already clicked.
Non-visited Links: Moves from one link to the next, but only those that you haven't clicked yet.
In-Page Links: Moves from one in-page link to the next on a webpage.
More ways to move through a page
Tables: Moves the VoiceOver cursor to the start of a table on a webpage.
Lists: Moves the VoiceOver cursor to the start of a list on a webpage.
Buttons: Moves from one button to the next in HTML content.
Form Controls: Moves between buttons and menus when using a form.
Text Fields: Moves from one text field to the next in HTML content.
Search Fields: Moves from one search field to the next in HTML content.
Images: Moves to images.
Change how you type
Use the Typing Mode option to switch between Standard Typing, Touch Typing, and Direct Touch typing modes. Flick up or down with one finger to switch between modes.
Instead of using the rotor, you can go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Typing > Typing Style to choose a typing mode.
Standard Typing
Select a key on the keyboard by swiping left or right, then double-tap to enter the character. Or move your finger around the keyboard to select a key and, while continuing to touch the key with one finger, tap the screen with another finger.
VoiceOver speaks the key when you select it and again when you enter the character.
Touch Typing
Touch a key on the keyboard to select it, then lift your finger to enter the character. If you touch the wrong key, slide your finger to the key you want.
VoiceOver speaks the character for each key when you touch it. VoiceOver enters a character when you lift your finger.
Direct Touch Typing
Type the same as when VoiceOver is off. This mode turns off VoiceOver for typing only.
Change how VoiceOver sounds
There are several rotor options that change how VoiceOver sounds. Flick up or down with one finger to adjust each setting.
Voices: Switches between different VoiceOver voices and languages.
Speaking Rate: Speeds up or slows down the VoiceOver speaking rate.
Volume: Makes the VoiceOver volume louder or softer.
Get live descriptions of visual information around you
Use the Live Recognition rotor option to scan your surroundings and get live descriptions of the scenes detected in the camera view. You can also get descriptions of onscreen images and user interface elements, even in apps and on webpages that don't provide accessibility information.
Learn more about using Live Recognition
Important: VoiceOver Recognition should not be relied upon in circumstances where you could be harmed or injured, in high-risk situations, for navigation, or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.
Choose your rotor options
Some of the options above are on the rotor by default, and some are optional. You can see the full list of available rotor options at Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Rotor > Rotor Items.
To choose your rotor options:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Rotor > Rotor Items.
Select the options you want to show up in the rotor.
To change the order in which items appear on the rotor:
Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Rotor > Rotor Items.
Drag the Reorder [Item] button on an item to rearrange it.
Some options aren't always on the rotor. For example, Typing Mode is on the rotor only when there's a keyboard.
