Just before WWDC 2025, Apple announced a long list of new accessibility features that will roll out later this year with iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3. These updates aim to make Apple devices more accessible to people with disabilities—and some features may benefit everyone. While the company says the features are coming “later this year,” they are clearly tied to the upcoming iOS 19 release expected in September.
Here’s a breakdown of everything Apple is bringing to its devices:
New Accessibility Nutrition Labels on the App Store
Apple is adding a new section to App Store pages called Accessibility Nutrition Labels. These labels will show which accessibility features an app supports—like VoiceOver, Voice Control, Larger Text, captions, and more—before users download it. It’s meant to help users decide if an app will work for their needs. Apple says developers will get clear guidance on how to qualify for the label, but it remains to be seen how strictly this will be enforced.
Magnifier App Comes to Mac
The Magnifier app, available on iPhones and iPads since 2016, is now coming to Mac. It lets users zoom in on real-world objects using a camera, such as a whiteboard or printed paper. It supports the iPhone’s Continuity Camera and USB webcams. Users can adjust brightness, contrast, and colors and save them for later. It also works with Accessibility Reader to make real-world text easier to read.
Accessibility Reader: A New Reading Mode
A systemwide reading tool called Accessibility Reader is coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. Designed for users with dyslexia, low vision, or reading difficulties, it offers customization for font, spacing, and color. It also supports Spoken Content and can be launched from any app.
Braille Access: A Full Braille Note Taker
Apple is making it easier for blind and low-vision users to take notes, read, and use apps through a new feature called Braille Access. This turns devices like the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro into powerful braille note takers. Users can connect a braille display or use Braille Screen Input to open apps, write notes, read special braille-format files (called BRF files), and even solve math problems using Nemeth Braille, a system used in schools. It also supports real-time captions during conversations, which appear directly on braille displays, making communication easier.
Live Captions on Apple Watch
Apple Watch will now support Live Captions during Live Listen sessions. Users can view real-time captions of what the iPhone hears—right on their wrist. The watch can also start or stop sessions remotely, useful during meetings or classes. This even works with AirPods, Beats, and MFi hearing aids.
Updates for Apple Vision Pro
Apple Vision Pro is getting smarter for people who are blind or have low vision. The built-in Zoom feature will now let you magnify whatever’s around you in real-time using the headset’s main camera. There’s also Live Recognition, which can use AI on the device to describe what’s in front of you—like reading signs, identifying objects, or describing people nearby. Apple is also opening up access to this camera for approved apps. This means apps like Be My Eyes will be able to provide live, hands-free assistance right through the headset.
Background Sounds Get Smarter
Background Sounds are built-in ambient noises that help users stay focused, relaxed, or calm. They’re especially useful who are easily distracted, have trouble sleeping, or suffer from tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears). In iOS 19, Apple is adding more control: users can now adjust the sound with EQ settings, set a timer to stop the sound after a certain period, and even automate it using the Shortcuts app.
Personal Voice: Faster and More Natural
Apple’s Personal Voice feature is designed for users who are at risk of losing their ability to speak, such as those with ALS or other conditions affecting speech. It now allows users to generate a realistic, custom voice in under a minute, using just 10 spoken phrases. The entire process happens on the device using AI and machine learning, protecting privacy and ensuring fast processing. Apple has also added Spanish (Mexico) to the list of supported languages, expanding access to more users.
Vehicle Motion Cues Expand to Mac
Previously available only on iPhone and iPad, Vehicle Motion Cues are now coming to Mac. These animated onscreen dots aim to reduce motion sickness when using devices during travel. Users can now customize how they appear.
Eye Tracking and Head Tracking Improvements
Apple is making it easier to use your iPhone or iPad without touching the screen—just by moving your eyes or head. This helps people with limited mobility use their devices more easily. You can now select items by simply staring at them for a short moment (called ‘dwell’) or by using an external switch. Typing has also been improved—fewer steps, better timing options, and support for QuickPath swipe typing make it faster and easier for users relying on these input methods.
Brain-Computer Interface Support
In a surprising move, Apple is adding support for Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs). iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS will support a new Switch Control protocol that allows users to control their devices without any physical movement. It’s unclear what hardware will be compatible or how this will be used in practice.
Assistive Access API and Apple TV App
Assistive Access will now include a simpler version of the Apple TV app, making it easier to watch shows and movies without complex menus. This is especially helpful for users with intellectual or developmental disabilities who may find regular interfaces confusing. Apple is also giving developers a new API, so they can build custom apps and features tailored for people who need more simplified and supportive digital experiences.
Music Haptics Get More Customizable
Apple’s Music Haptics feature, introduced in iOS 18, allows iPhone users to experience music through synchronized vibrations, enhancing accessibility for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. With iOS 19, you can now enable Vocals Only mode to receive haptics only for the vocal elements of a track and can adjust the strength and texture of those vibrations as well.
Sound and Name Recognition
Sound Recognition, which alerts users to important sounds like alarms, now includes Name Recognition. The device will notify users when their name is called—useful for deaf or hard-of-hearing users.
Voice Control Enhancements
Voice Control gets a dedicated programming mode in Xcode to assist developers with limited mobility. Vocabulary will now sync across devices. More languages are supported, including Korean, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, and more.
Live Captions in More Languages
Live Captions will now support more languages, including English (India, UK, Australia, Singapore), Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, and Korean.
CarPlay Improvements
CarPlay is getting two useful features: support for Large Text and enhanced Sound Recognition. Now it can alert drivers if it hears a baby crying inside the car or detect sirens and horns outside—especially helpful for those who are hard of hearing.
Share Accessibility Settings
iOS 19 adds a new feature to share your accessibility settings temporarily with another iPhone or iPad. This is useful when borrowing a friend’s device or using a public iPad at a kiosk.
Accessibility at the Core of Apple’s Ecosystem
With all these updates, Apple seems serious about making accessibility mainstream. But a few questions remain—how many developers will actually implement Accessibility Labels correctly? Will third-party apps fully embrace the new APIs? And will features like BCI control go beyond demo-stage use?
Still, it’s hard not to notice the scale of these changes. Apple is clearly betting on accessibility not as a niche feature but as a core part of its ecosystem, and that’s a big deal.
More details will likely follow at WWDC 2025 on June 9, where Apple is expected to unveil iOS 19 officially.
