iPhone User Switching to Display Zoom Feature
Khamosh Pathak

Want to give your eyes a break? You can try increasing the text size on your iPhone, but that doesn't help with the UI. Here's how to use the Display Zoom feature to magnify the entire interface on your iPhone.

Display Zoom vs. Text Size

Increasing the text size on your iPhone or making the text bold is the usual go-to when a user is having difficulty viewing content on the iPhone. But the problem is that this solution doesn't scale well.

RELATED: How to Make Text Larger and More Readable on iPhone or iPad

Increasing the font size after a couple of notches messes up some UI elements (and looks rather ugly). A classic example is the button's text size increases, but the button itself stays the same size. (Notice the "1" button in the following right screenshot).

Content with Display Zoom, vs Large and Bold Text
Left: Display Zoom. Right: Standard mode with large and bold text.

Display Zoom solves this problem. This feature essentially emulates a lower resolution screen on your iPhone (as you can see in the following screenshot.) For example, on an iPhone 11 Pro Max, you'll see the resolution of an iPhone 11 instead.

Settings App in Standard and Zoomed Mode
Left: Standard mode. Right: Display Zoom.

This means that all the UI elements are bigger on your iPhone, including the textand the buttons. And this feature works natively, across the entire operating system.

The Display Zoom feature works on all iPhones released after the iPhone 6s (including the second-Generation iPhone SE and the iPhones with Face ID). Note that Display Zoom is also different from Accessibility Zoom, which allows you to magnify either part of your screen or all of your screen.

RELATED: How to Magnify Any App on Your iPhone or iPad

How to Enable Display Zoom on iPhone

Enabling Display Zoom on the iPhone is quite easy. First, open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.

Visit Settings on iPhone

Next, go to the "Display & Brightness" section.

Select Display and Brightness in Settings

Here, from the "Display Zoom" section, tap the "View" button.

Select View in Display Zoom

Choose the "Zoomed" option.

Select Zoomed

From the top, tap the "Set" button.

Tap Set Button

From the pop-up, select the "Use Zoomed" option.

Tap Use Zoomed

Your iPhone will restart in a couple of seconds.

Now, when you unlock your iPhone, you'll see that the interface and the text are now bigger.

Display Zoom Enabled on iPhone X

If you want to switch to the default mode, go back to the "Display Zoom" settings menu and switch to the "Standard" mode.

Want to make the text even more legible? Try using the bold text feature on your iPhone!

RELATED: How to Enable Bold Text on Your iPhone or iPad

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