Use a braille display with VoiceOver on iPhone
With VoiceOver, you can connect a Bluetooth® wireless refreshable braille display and use it to control and navigate iPhone and read what’s on the screen. The braille you type on the display is automatically translated into text, and the display shows what you’re typing in context. You can read and type using contracted or uncontracted braille, with support for many international braille tables.
For a list of supported braille displays, see the Apple Support article Braille displays supported by iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Connect a braille display and learn commands to control iPhone
Turn on the braille display.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth, turn on Bluetooth, then choose the display.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille, then choose the display.
To see the braille commands for controlling iPhone, tap More Info, then tap Braille Commands.
See the Apple Support article Common braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Change the braille display settings
On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille.
Set any of the following:
Setting
Description
Match Input and Output Tables
Set the braille display to use the same table for both the input and the output.
Output
Choose the braille table you want to use to read braille output. You can choose from tables for additional languages as well as six-dot or eight-dot and contracted or uncontracted braille.
Input
Choose the braille table you want to use to type braille input. You can choose from tables for additional languages as well as six-dot or eight-dot and contracted or uncontracted braille.
Braille Screen Input
Choose the input method for entering braille using the screen. See Type braille directly on the iPhone screen with VoiceOver.
Braille Tables
Add tables to the braille table rotors.
Automatic Translation
Turn this option on to automatically translate the braille you type into text soon after you stop typing.
Status Cells
Turn on the general and text status cells and choose their location.
Equations use Nemeth Code
Turn on Nemeth Code for mathematical equations.
Show On-screen Keyboard
Display the keyboard on the screen.
Turn Pages when Panning
Automatically turn pages when panning.
Word Wrap
Wrap words to the next line.
Braille Alert Messages
When turned on, your braille display shows an alert message for the specified duration.
Ignore Chord Duration
Adjust the amount of time required before subsequent key presses are recognized as braille chords.
Auto Advance Duration
Adjust this setting to your preferred reading speed.
Sound Curtain
When a braille display is connected to iPhone, mute most sounds. Emergency alerts will still play sounds.
Enable Bluetooth on Start
Automatically turn on Bluetooth when you turn on VoiceOver so that braille displays can connect to iPhone.
Output closed captions in braille during media playback
On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Verbosity.
Choose Braille or Speech and Braille.
Use a 2D braille display
If you use a supported 2D braille display, you can use the rotor to switch between different output modes, such as the mode for displaying images or the mode for reading text on multiple lines.
Connect your braille display to iPhone.
With VoiceOver turned on, use the Braille Text Mode rotor to switch between output modes. See Control VoiceOver using the rotor.