How to control VoiceOver using the rotor on iPhone

You can use the VoiceOver rotor on iPhone to change volume and speaking rate, move between items, and choose input methods like Braille Screen Input.

By Kevin Shaw - Editor
1 Min Read

On iPhone, you can use the onscreen VoiceOver rotor to change how VoiceOver works. You can adjust the VoiceOver volume or speaking rate, move from one item to the next on the screen, select special input methods such as Braille Screen Input or Handwriting, and more.

When you use Magic Keyboard to control VoiceOver, use the rotor to adjust settings such as volume, speech rate, use of pitch or phonetics, typing echo, and reading of punctuation. On the screen, you use the rotor by rotating two fingers as if you’re turning a dial.

Use the VoiceOver rotor

  1. When VoiceOver is turned on, rotate two fingers on your screen as if you’re turning a dial. If you prefer to use one finger on each hand, simultaneously drag up with one finger and drag down with the other.

    VoiceOver speaks the rotor setting. Keep rotating your fingers to hear more settings. Stop rotating your fingers when you hear the setting you want.

  2. Swipe your finger up or down on the screen to use the setting.

    The available rotor settings and their effects depend on what you’re doing. For example, if you choose Headings when you’re browsing a webpage, swipe down or up to move the VoiceOver cursor to the next or previous heading.

Customize the VoiceOver rotor

  1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, and then tap VoiceOver.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • Add or reorder the rotor settings: Tap Rotor. Then choose the settings you want, or drag the Reorder button to reorder settings.
    • Add another voice to the rotor:
    • Have VoiceOver confirm rotor actions: Tap Verbosity, then turn on Speak Confirmation.
Editor
Follow:
Kevin Shaw is a seasoned tech journalist based in Los Angeles with a penchant for all things Apple. He started writing about Apple products in 2007 and it's been a love affair ever since. He has spent over a decade testing and writing about iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple products. In his spare time, he likes nothing more than catching up with the latest news and sports podcasts on the beach.
Leave a Comment