GUIDE
My parents finally have a smartphone, but the text and buttons are so small they struggle to open and enlarge the grandkids' photos. What can we change?
By the seenow! teamLast updated:
Change the phone, not the grandparents. On iPhone, turn up Text Size and switch on Display Zoom; on Android, raise Font size and Display size. Then teach one way to enlarge a photo. If that is still too much, iPhone's Assistive Access offers a simpler layout with bigger buttons.
WHY
Why this happens
A new smartphone comes set up for someone with sharp eyes and quick fingers. The labels are small, the icons sit close together, and a photo opens at a size that suits a 30-year-old. For a grandparent moving up from a basic phone, that is a lot at once. They tap the wrong thing, a menu opens, and the photo they wanted is gone.
Many older adults will not say the screen is hard to see. They say the phone is "complicated," or that they will look at the pictures later on the computer. It is worth assuming the size is part of the problem, because it is the easiest part to fix. Both iPhone and Android phones have built-in settings for larger text, a larger layout and on-screen magnification, and none of them require a new app or a new phone.
| What it changes | iPhone | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Size of text | Settings > Appearance > Text Size (slider) | Settings > search Font size (slider, up to 200%) |
| Size of everything, including icons and buttons | Settings > Appearance > Display Zoom > Larger Text | Settings > search Display size (slider) |
| Magnify part of the screen | Pinch to zoom in Photos | Accessibility > Magnification (up to 8x) |
| A simpler layout | Assistive Access (Grid layout, bigger items) | Depends on the phone maker |
Source: Apple iPhone User Guide: Adjust iPhone display and text settings / Android Accessibility Help: Change text and display settings / Android Accessibility Help: Use magnification on your screen / Apple Assistive Access User Guide: Set up Assistive Access and Photos on iPhone / Apple Assistive Access User Guide: Set up and use Photos with Assistive Access on iPhone
HOW TO
What you can do starting today
Turn up the text size firstNo app needed
On a recent iPhone, Apple's guide says to open Settings, tap Appearance, then Text Size, and drag the slider. On Android, Google's help says to open Settings, search for Font size and move the slider; it goes up to 200%. If a menu is named differently on their phone, type "text size" or "font size" into the search bar at the top of Settings. Google notes that some apps ignore this setting, which is why the next step matters too.
Source: Apple iPhone User Guide: Adjust iPhone display and text settings / Android Accessibility Help: Change text and display settings
Make the buttons bigger, not just the wordsNo app needed
Larger text alone can leave tiny buttons. On iPhone, Display Zoom magnifies the whole screen: Settings, then Appearance, Display Zoom, Larger Text, then Use Zoomed. On Android, search Settings for Display size and move that slider. Icons and buttons grow along with the text, so there is more room for a finger to land.
Source: Apple iPhone User Guide: Adjust iPhone display and text settings / Android Accessibility Help: Change text and display settings
Teach one way to enlarge a photo, and only oneNo app needed
Most photo apps let you spread two fingers apart to zoom, and turning the phone sideways fills the screen with a wide photo or video. Practice just that together. If pinching is hard, Android's Magnification can zoom up to 8x. Google warns that with the triple-tap shortcut, every single tap becomes slightly slower, so try it for a few days and switch it off if it gets in the way.
Source: Android Accessibility Help: Use magnification on your screen
Try Assistive Access if the regular screen is still too busyNo app needed
On iPhone, Assistive Access replaces the usual Home Screen with a simpler one. Apple's guide says the Grid layout makes items bigger, and Photos can be set to include Shared Albums and to allow Pinch to Zoom. It changes how the whole phone works and needs a passcode to leave, and Apple says it may be easiest to set up with a trusted supporter. Do it together on a visit, not as a surprise.
Source: Apple Assistive Access User Guide: Set up Assistive Access and Photos on iPhone / Apple Assistive Access User Guide: Set up and use Photos with Assistive Access on iPhone
WITH SEENOW!
Doing it with seenow!
seenow! is a family app for short videos, about 2 seconds a day, shared in a private group. It will not change the phone's settings, but it keeps the number of things to learn small.
- The app is built around two actions, taking and watching, so there are fewer buttons to find.
- When someone in the family posts, a notification arrives, so grandparents do not have to go looking for new videos.
- To join, they open an invite link you send by text message.
What seenow! can’t do
- seenow! does not enlarge text or buttons on the phone. Set up the built-in size settings above first.
Core features are free.
POINT
Things to watch for in this situation
Change one setting at a time
If text, display size and magnification all change in one afternoon, the phone suddenly looks unfamiliar. Make one change, let them use it for a few days, then ask whether it helped before adding the next.
Ask before you change their phone
Some people feel embarrassed about needing larger text. Frame it as a setting many people use, show the preview, and let them choose the size that looks comfortable to them.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Will larger text make the photos smaller?
No. Text size affects words, not the photos themselves. Display Zoom and Display size make the whole layout bigger, so fewer items fit on the screen at once, but a photo opened full screen still fills it.
Does Android have the same simple layout as Assistive Access?
Android's built-in settings cover font size, display size and magnification. A simplified home screen depends on the phone maker, so look in that phone's Settings or the maker's help pages.
My parent has a tablet too. Would that be easier?
A larger screen helps with photos and videos, and the same text and display settings exist on tablets. Some grandparents keep the phone for calls and use a tablet for looking at the grandkids.