Mobile Accessibility Options: Practical Methods for Designers and Developers

Mobile devices have become the primary way people experience the web — accounting for more than half of all global traffic. With this shift, it’s time for organizations to change how they think about accessibility. It’s no longer enough to have a website or desktop app that meets accessibility standards; accessibility must extend to every mobile interaction. 

Users with disabilities rely on mobile accessibility options, such as VoiceOver, TalkBack, Switch Control, and screen magnifiers, to navigate apps and websites. When web experiences aren’t designed or tested with accessibility in mind, users can quickly hit barriers that make them inaccessible, even with accessibility features enabled. 

So, how do you make your mobile content accessible? Especially to those who rely on assistive technologies? Below, we’ll explain how to make mobile experiences accessible, as well as which iOS and Android accessibility options matter most, how to design with them in mind, and how to ensure your digital content is accessible in the real world.

Essential Device-Level Mobile Accessibility Options

Both iOS and Android devices include built-in accessibility options designed to make mobile experiences usable for people with disabilities. As a designer or developer, understanding how these features work — and testing how your app or website responds — is essential to building accessible experiences that align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and those spelled out in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Below are a few of the most important mobile accessibility options across iPhone and Android devices — along with practical testing tips to help you identify and fix accessibility barriers early in your workflow. 

iOS Accessibility Options for Developers

When testing or developing for accessibility on Apple devices, make sure to consider the following features:

• VoiceOver: VoiceOver is a built-in screen reader that provides spoken feedback for everything on screen, helping users navigate without visual input. Be sure to enable VoiceOver settings (Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver) and navigate your app using only gestures. Check that all interactive elements are labeled with meaningful alt text, focus order is logical, and dynamic content updates are announced correctly. 

• Magnifier and Zoom: These features enable users to enlarge specific parts of the screen or use the camera to magnify real-world objects. Ensure your mobile app or website remains usable when zoomed in. Fixed elements and overlays should not overlap content or trap focus. 

• Display and text size/bold text: Users can adjust display settings to make text larger and bolder. Be sure to test text scaling up to 200%. Responsive layouts should reflow gracefully without cutting off labels, truncating buttons, or breaking alignment. Use dynamic type in iOS apps to automatically adapt to user settings. 

• AssistiveTouch and Switch Control: AssistiveTouch adds on-screen gestures and shortcuts for users with limited mobility, while Switch Control allows navigation using external adaptive devices. Verify that all actions — scrolling, form input, and navigation — can be completed without gestures like pinch or swipe. Maintain sufficient spacing between buttons and touch targets (aim for 44 x 44 pixels, which is the typical size of app icons).

• Reduce motion: This option minimizes animations and parallax effects that can cause motion sickness or distraction. Respect user preferences for reduced motion by offering simplified transitions or fades instead of dynamic effects. 

• Voice Control: Voice Control allows users to navigate and dictate hands-free using voice commands. Ensure all digital elements have clear, descriptive labels. Avoid generic text like “click here,” as it can make voice navigation ambiguous. Test using common commands like “tap [button name]” to verify expected behavior. 

Android Accessibility Options and Testing

Similar to iOS, Android also includes accessibility options, including:

• TalkBack: TalkBack is Android’s native screen reader, which describes on-screen elements and enables gesture-based navigation. Test your mobile content with TalkBack enabled. Verify that focus moves predictably between elements, all buttons and images have accessible names, and custom controls support the ‘contentDescription’ attribute.

• Select to Speak: This feature lets users tap items on the screen to have them read aloud. When building, confirm that text, buttons, and images with alt text are selectable and read in the correct order. Avoid using images of text wherever possible.

• Magnification gestures: Users can zoom in on parts of the screen with triple-tap gestures. Be sure that important elements aren’t anchored in fixed positions or overlapped by magnified areas. Test how your UI behaves when zoomed to 200-300% of its original size. 

• Color correction, contrast, and inversion: Android includes options for color filters, contrast adjustments, and high-contrast text. Test your app using different color settings to ensure sufficient contrast ratios and legibility. Avoid relying on color alone to communicate meaning.

• Accessibility menu and switch access: These tools allow users to control their devices using on-screen menus or adaptive switches. Confirm that all actions — navigation, form input, media playback — can be performed without gestures or precise touch. Ensure key functions are reachable through the Accessibility Menu.

Designing and Developing for Mobile Accessibility Options

Device-level accessibility settings don’t just help users — they also influence how your app or mobile site should be designed. Ignoring these options can result in layouts that break, buttons that are too small to tap, or gestures that some users can’t perform. 

To create mobile experiences that work for everyone, developers and designers must adapt layouts, navigation patterns, and interactions based on the accessibility features that users rely on.

Testing Mobile Accessibility Options

Designing for mobile accessibility is only half the battle — testing is what ensures your app or website actually works for users relying on mobile accessibility features. Effective mobile testing combines device-level checks, automated tools, and real-user feedback to catch barriers that might otherwise go unnoticed.

1. Manual Testing with Device Settings

Testing ensures that your mobile design works effectively with accessibility features. Combining manual checks, automated tools, and real-user feedback gives the clearest picture of accessibility performance.

2. Automated Accessibility Testing Tools

Utilize automated tools to quickly and efficiently identify potential issues at scale. For example, AudioEye’s Digital Accessibility Platform finds and fixes common accessibility issues, streamlining your path to compliance and usability. AudioEye goes a step further — relying on accessibility experts and users with disabilities to test mobile content and identify more complex accessibility barriers.

Developer Tip:

Automated testing tools are excellent for baseline checks, but they cannot replace hands-on or real-user testing — some issues, like proper labeling or logical navigation, can only be caught by human interaction.

3. Real User Testing

Testing with actual users who rely on accessibility options is the gold standard for ensuring true accessibility. Observing users in real scenarios reveals pain points that automated tools can’t detect.

Integrating Device-Level Options with App and Web Accessibility

Device-level accessibility features like VoiceOver, TalkBack, dynamic text, and reduced motion don’t exist in isolation — they influence how users interact with your app or website at every level. Integrating these options in your design, development, and testing workflows ensures mobile experiences are inclusive, functional, and resilient. 

Below are key strategies for integration:

• Adapt layouts for dynamic text and scaling: Ensure UI elements remain readable and functional when text size is increased or magnified. 

• Design for high-contrast and color inversion methods: Confirm color palettes and visual elements remain clear and distinguishable. Consider using a color contrast checker to test for accessibility.

• Provide alternatives for motion-sensitive users: Offer simplified animations or fade-ins for users who have enabled reduced motion. 

• Optimize touch targets and gestures: Maintain minimum sizes, adequate spacing, and alternative navigation for users relying on voice control or other assistive technologies. 

• Incorporate accessibility into testing workflows: Combine expert checks with iOS/Android accessibility features, automated audits, and real-user feedback. 

• Document and iterate: Track findings from design and testing, implement fixes, and re-test regularly to ensure accessibility persists across updates. 

Following these strategies can help you connect device-level options with broader app and web accessibility goals, improving usability for everyone while conforming to WCAG guidelines and meeting key accessibility requirements.

Quick Checklist for Implementing Mobile Accessibility Options

Making your mobile app or website fully accessible can feel complex, but breaking it down into actionable steps makes the process more manageable. The checklist below can help ensure your design, development, and testing workflows account for the key mobile accessibility options that users rely on.

Following these steps not only helps you meet mobile accessibility requirements but also delivers a better experience for all users, including those relying on iPhone accessibility options and Android accessibility options. Taking this structured approach ensures your mobile experiences are accessible, usable, compliant, and future-proof.

Make Mobile Accessibility a Reality with AudioEye

Here’s the bottom line: Mobile accessibility is so much more than a checklist. It’s about making your apps and websites work for every user, regardless of how they navigate, see, or interact with content. Features like VoiceOver, TalkBack, dynamic text, and high-contrast modes can dramatically change how people experience your mobile content. Ignoring them risks frustrating users and limiting engagement — something no designer or developer wants. 

That’s where AudioEye comes in. Our Digital Accessibility Platform combines powerful automation with human-assisted AI technology to find and fix accessibility issues at scale. Additionally, with our Developer Tools, you can test for accessibility directly within CI/CD workflows, thereby minimizing the likelihood of accessibility barriers in live content. Active Monitoring capabilities monitor your content 24/7, flagging accessibility issues before they become a bigger problem and giving you peace of mind that your content is compliant and accessible to all. 

Integrating accessibility into design, development, and testing isn’t just about compliance — it’s about thoughtful, intentional design that improves usability for all users. With AudioEye, you can take a proactive approach: identify issues early, test across digital properties, and continuously optimize for ongoing accessibility and compliance. The result: mobile experiences that are accessible, intuitive, and built to last. 

Ready to see how AudioEye makes accessibility easier than ever? Schedule a demo today.