Things your iPhone can already do: 15 free features for an older parent

Larger Text and Bold Text

One slider makes the words bigger in Messages, Mail, Settings, Calendar and other apps that support it, and a switch makes them heavier.

Good for: anyone who reaches for reading glasses to check a text.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Display & Text Size.
2. Tap Larger Text and drag the slider. For even bigger sizes, turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes.
3. Go back and turn on Bold Text.

Good to know: Display Zoom makes icons and buttons bigger too, not only the words. Apple lists it on the same help page.

Our step-by-step help:

• Words too small on iPhone or iPad (iPhone or iPad)

Sources: Apple: Make text easier to read on iPhone

Magnifier

The Magnifier app turns the camera into a magnifying glass for menus, pill bottles and price tags, with a button to freeze the picture so you can read it.

Good for: reading fine print when glasses aren't handy.

How to turn it on

1. Open the Magnifier app.
2. Point the camera at the text and drag the slider to zoom in or out.
3. Tap the freeze button to hold the picture still while you read.

Good to know: On an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max or any iPhone 16 or later with Apple Intelligence, Ask Magnifier can answer a question about what the camera sees, like the total on a bill. Apple says usage limits may apply.

Sources: Apple: Magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier

Back Tap

Tapping the back of the iPhone two or three times can open a feature, like Magnifier, or take a screenshot.

Good for: a parent who uses Magnifier often and wants it one gesture away.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Touch, then Back Tap.
2. Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap, then pick an action.
3. To turn it off, pick None.

Sources: Apple: Tap the back of iPhone to perform actions or shortcuts; Apple: Magnifier (shortcut tip)

Live Captions

The iPhone shows a running transcript of speech from calls, FaceTime, videos, or a conversation in the room.

Good for: a parent with hearing loss who misses words on the phone or at the dinner table.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Live Captions, and turn it on.
2. Tap Appearance to make the caption text bigger.
3. To caption people in the room, tap the Live Captions window, then tap Microphone.

Good to know: Live Captions needs an iPhone 11 or later. Apple says the captions can be wrong and shouldn't be relied on in an emergency.

Sources: Apple: Get live captions of spoken audio on iPhone

Live Listen

The iPhone works as a remote microphone: set it near the person talking and their voice goes straight to AirPods or Made for iPhone hearing aids.

Good for: conversations in a noisy restaurant or at a family gathering.

How to turn it on

1. Put in the AirPods or hearing aids and make sure they're connected.
2. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Audio & Visual, then Live Listen, and tap Start Live Listen. With hearing aids, the switch is in Settings, Accessibility, Hearing Devices.
3. Set the iPhone near the person who's talking.

Good to know: Apple lists AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and some Beats models. On iOS 26 or later, Live Listen can show captions too.

Sources: Apple: Use iPhone as a remote microphone with Live Listen

Hearing aid pairing and Headphone Accommodations

Made for iPhone hearing aids pair in Settings so calls and videos play in them, and Headphone Accommodations boosts soft sounds and certain pitches in supported Apple and Beats headphones.

Good for: a parent with hearing aids, or one who uses AirPods and finds speech muffled.

How to turn it on

1. Hearing aids: open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Hearing Devices, and pair them there.
2. Headphones: connect the AirPods, then open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Audio & Visual, then Headphone Accommodations, and turn it on.
3. Tap Customize Audio and follow the steps. Do it somewhere quiet.

Our step-by-step help:

• Hearing aids with iPhone or iPad (iPhone or iPad)

Sources: Apple: Use Made for iPhone hearing devices; Apple: Adjust audio settings on iPhone (Headphone Accommodations)

Call Screening for unknown numbers

When a number that isn't in Contacts calls, the iPhone can answer for you, ask the caller's name and reason, and only then ring with their answer on screen.

Good for: a parent who gets daily robocalls but doesn't want to miss the pharmacy or a new doctor.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Apps, then Phone.
2. Under Screen Unknown Callers, choose Ask Reason for Calling. Or choose Silence to send those calls straight to voicemail.
3. On the same screen, turn on Spam under call filtering to silence calls your carrier flags.

Good to know: Save the doctor, pharmacy and family in Contacts first so their calls ring through as usual.

Our step-by-step help:

• Stop spam calls on iPhone (iPhone)
• Block a number on iPhone (iPhone)

Sources: Apple: Screen and block calls on iPhone

Emergency SOS

Holding two buttons, or pressing the side button five times, calls 911, then texts your emergency contacts your location.

Good for: every iPhone owner. Show your parent how it works before they need it.

How to turn it on

1. To call: press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear and the countdown ends.
2. To check the settings, open Settings and tap Emergency SOS. Turn on Call with 5 Presses if your parent would rather press one button.
3. Add emergency contacts in the Health app's Medical ID (next feature).

Good to know: If it calls 911 by mistake, Apple says not to hang up. Wait for the dispatcher and explain that you don't need help.

Sources: Apple: Use SOS to contact emergency services on your iPhone

Medical ID

Allergies, conditions, medications and emergency contacts that a first responder can open from the Lock Screen.

Good for: a parent with health conditions, allergies or several prescriptions.

How to turn it on

1. Open the Health app, tap your picture, then tap Medical ID.
2. Tap Get Started or Edit and fill it in. Under Emergency Contacts, add family.
3. Scroll to the bottom and turn on Show When Locked and Emergency Call.

Good to know: In the US and Canada, Apple says the iPhone can share the Medical ID automatically during a 911 call.

Sources: Apple: Set up and view your Medical ID

Fall Detection (needs an Apple Watch)

After a hard fall, the watch taps the wrist and sounds an alarm. If your parent doesn't move for about a minute, it calls 911 and texts their emergency contacts.

Good for: a parent who lives alone or has fallen before.

How to turn it on

1. On the iPhone, open the Watch app and tap My Watch.
2. Tap Emergency SOS, then turn on Fall Detection. Choose Always on.
3. Make sure the age in Medical ID is right. Apple turns Fall Detection on by itself for people 55 and over.

Good to know: It needs Apple Watch SE, Series 4 or later, or Ultra, with Wrist Detection on. Apple says the watch can't detect every fall. Our gift guide has watch prices.

Sources: Apple: Use Fall Detection with Apple Watch

Check In

Before a drive or a walk, your parent can send you a Check In in Messages, and you get a notice when they arrive. If they don't arrive as expected, you can see the details they chose to share, like location and battery level.

Good for: a parent who still drives alone, and the family who worries.

How to turn it on

1. Open Messages and open a conversation with a family member.
2. Tap the plus button, tap More, tap Check In, then tap Edit.
3. Choose When I Arrive and enter the destination, or choose After a Timer. Then send it.

Good to know: Both phones need iOS 17 or later.

Sources: Apple: Use Check In on iPhone

Share location in Find My

Your parent can let you see where their iPhone is in the Find My app, for an hour, a day, or until they stop.

Good for: families who'd like to know Mom got home, or need to find a lost iPhone.

How to turn it on

1. Open Find My, tap Me, and turn on Share My Location.
2. Tap People, tap the plus button, then choose Share My Location.
3. Pick the family member and choose how long to share.

Good to know: In a Family Sharing group, location sharing with family is set up there instead.

Our step-by-step help:

• Set up Family Sharing (iPhone)

Sources: Apple: Share your location in Find My on iPhone

Assistive Access

A pared-down iPhone with bigger buttons and only the apps you choose, such as Calls, Messages, Camera and Photos.

Good for: a parent with memory loss or one who gets lost in the regular Home Screen.

How to turn it on

1. Set it up together. Apple suggests a family member or caregiver help.
2. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Assistive Access, then Set Up Assistive Access, and tap Continue.
3. Follow the screens to pick the apps, then set the Assistive Access passcode and add a recovery Apple Account when it offers.

Good to know: Write down the Assistive Access passcode. Apple says that if it's forgotten and no recovery Apple Account was added, the iPhone has to be reset.

Sources: Apple: Set up Assistive Access on iPhone

Touch Accommodations

The screen can ignore quick accidental touches and repeated taps, which helps when hands shake.

Good for: a parent with a tremor, arthritis or stiff fingers who keeps opening the wrong thing.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Touch, then Touch Accommodations.
2. Tap Set Up Touch Accommodations and follow the steps.
3. Try Hold Duration or Ignore Repeat and adjust the timing.

Good to know: Turn off Shake to Undo on the same Touch screen if the phone keeps asking to undo typing.

Sources: Apple: Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch

Siri for reminders and alarms

Your parent can say a reminder out loud instead of typing it, like Apple's example "Remind me to pack an umbrella when I get home."

Good for: medication times, appointments, and anyone who finds typing slow.

How to turn it on

1. Open Settings, tap Siri, then Turn On Siri if it isn't on.
2. Press and hold the side button (or the Home button), or say "Siri".
3. Say the reminder, or "Set an alarm for 7 a.m."

Good to know: Siri needs an internet connection.

Sources: Apple: Use Siri to find information and get things done; Apple: Turn on and activate Siri on iPhone