Detect furniture around you using Magnifier on iPad
If you’re blind or have low vision, you can use the Magnifier app on iPad to detect furniture around you. You can get information about how far you are from furniture, and when chairs or sofas are detected, find out if they’re occupied.
Important: Detection Mode should not be relied on in high-risk or emergency situations, in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, or for navigation. Detection of furniture is only available on supported iPad models.
Detect furniture near you
Go to the Magnifier app on your iPad.
Tap to start Detection Mode.
If you don’t see , you can add it. See Customize controls.
Touch and hold , then make sure Furniture is selected.
Position iPad so the rear camera can detect furniture around you. When furniture is detected nearby, you’re notified with sounds or speech feedback. The feedback becomes more frequent as you get closer to the furniture.
If you don’t hear sound or speech feedback, make sure Silent mode isn’t on. See Adjust the volume.
To temporarily pause detection, double-tap the screen with two fingers. Double-tap again with two fingers to resume detection. To stop Detection Mode, tap .
Customize the settings for detecting furniture
Go to the Magnifier app on your iPad.
Tap , then tap Detect.
Tap Furniture, then customize any of the following:
Units: Choose Meters or Feet.
Sound pitch distance: Tap or to adjust the distance for sound feedback. When furniture is detected within this distance, the pitch of the sound feedback increases.
Feedback: Turn on any combination of Labels, Sounds, and Speech. If you turn on Speech, iPad speaks the distance between you and the furniture.
Announce Seat Occupancy: Turn on Announce Seat Occupancy to get information about the number of people occupying chairs and sofas.
To return to the live Magnifier lens, tap , tap it again, then tap Done.