Button shapes is an Accessibility feature that re-creates the outlines found around tappable interface elements in previous versions of iOS. While the new "naked" style button — plain text that more closely resembles a web link than a traditional faux-3D button treatment — maintains the same tap target size, it does make it harder to know exactly where that target is and where it ends. For anyone with eye-hand coordination impairment, button shapes can help increase accuracy and reduce frustration.
How to enable button shapes on iPhone and iPad
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Accessibility.
- Turn On the option for Button Shapes — it's about half way down the page.
That's it. You should instantly notice that interactive menu items now are highlighted gray. Actionable items such as send buttons and menus will also display an underline indicating that you can tap on certain options to perform an action. Button shapes and underlines should work for all built-in apps and some third party apps, but be aware that not all of them will.
How to get more help with accessibility for iPhone and iPad
- How to use voice control with Siri for iPhone and iPad
- How to have your screen read with VoiceOver for iPhone and iPad
- How to magnify your screen with zoom on your iPhone or iPad
- How to invert screen colors on iPhone and iPad
- How to have text read with speak selection on your iPhone and iPad
- How to hear your corrections with speak auto-text for visual accessibility on iPhone and iPad
- How to increase legibility with large and bold text on iPhone and iPad
- How to make buttons more tappable by enabling shape outlines on iPhone and iPad
- How to increase contrast on iPhone and iPad
- How to prevent vertigo by reducing motion on your iPhone and iPad
- How to make toggles more visible by enabling on/off button labels on iPhone and iPad
- How to use FaceTime to make video calls on your iPhone or iPad
- How to connect to hearing aids on your iPhone or iPad
- How to use the LED flash as a visible notification light on your iPhone
- How to enable mono audio on iPhone or iPad
- How to enable subtitles and captioning on iPhone or iPad
- How to lock attention to a specific app with Guided Access for iPhone and iPad
- How to enable AssistiveTouch on iPhone or iPad
- How to enable switch control on iPhone and iPad
- How to adjust Home-click speed on iPhone and iPad
- How to set the triple-click Home button shortcut on iPhone and iPad
- Accessibility help and discussion forum
Reader comments
How to enable button shapes for visual accessibility on iPhone and iPad
I really feel like this should be on by default for new users. But it does look cleaner with it turned off.
I don't like the inconsistency though that you get with the camera app vs other apps. On most of them you press the word as a button, but on the camera app, to change from picture to video requires you to slide it. I still sometimes tap the word video instead of sliding it.
As per usual, good useful tips Allison
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