How to Read Small Print with Your Phone’s Magnifier

What this helps with: Using your phone’s camera like a magnifying glass to read tiny words on medicine labels, menus, bills, and packages.

This guide shows how to use the app. If you’re not sure what a medicine label says, ask your pharmacist. Don’t guess. Many pharmacies can also print labels in larger type if you ask.

Before you start

• Find a spot with good light. Or plan to use your phone’s flashlight.
• Hold the phone a few inches (about 10 cm) above the words. Then zoom in.
• The Magnifier makes things around you look bigger. To make the words on your phone’s screen bigger, see our guide to making text bigger.

iPhone: the Magnifier app

1. Open the Magnifier app.
   • What you’ll tap: A dark icon with a magnifying glass.
   • Can’t find it? Swipe down in the middle of the Home Screen and type Magnifier.
2. Point the camera at the words.
3. Drag the slider to zoom in or out.
4. Need more light? Tap Flashlight. If you don’t see it, swipe up on the buttons at the bottom of the screen.
5. To hold the picture still, tap the big round Capture button. Now you can read it without keeping your hand steady.
6. Want the words read out loud? After you capture, tap Reader, then tap Play. (This needs a recent iPhone update.)
7. Tap Close to go back to the live view.

Quick way to open it: Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then tap Accessibility Shortcut. Choose Magnifier. Now you can press the side button three times fast to open Magnifier. (On an iPhone with a Home button, press the Home button three times.)

Don’t see Flashlight or other buttons? In Magnifier, tap the Settings button. Then tap the + next to a control, like Flashlight, Brightness, or Contrast, to add it.

Google Pixel: the Magnifier app

This free app works on a Pixel 5 or newer.

1. Open the Magnifier app. Don’t have it? Open the Play Store, search for Magnifier, and install the one from Google LLC.
2. Point the camera at the words.
3. Zoom in or out. Tap + or – at the bottom. Or spread two fingers apart on the screen.
4. Need more light? Tap Flashlight. Drag the slider to make it brighter.
5. To hold the picture still, tap Capture. Then zoom in on the part you want to read.
6. Looking for one word, like on a menu? Tap Search, type the word, and tap Enter. Magnifier highlights it.

Make the words stand out: Tap Show controls at the bottom left. Then tap Filters, Brightness, or Contrast and drag the slider.

The picture is deleted when you close the app. To keep it, tap Download before you close.

Samsung Galaxy: Magnifier

1. Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then tap Vision enhancements.
2. Tap Magnifier, then tap Magnifier shortcut.
3. Turn it on and choose how you want to open it. The Accessibility button puts a small button on your screen.
4. Use that shortcut to open Magnifier. Point the camera at the words.
5. Drag the zoom slider, or spread two fingers apart to zoom in.
6. Need more light? Tap the flashlight button.
7. Tap the big round Capture button to take a picture. You can save it or share it.

Tip: You can also add a Magnifier widget to your Home screen. Touch and hold an empty spot on the Home screen, tap Widgets, and look for Magnifier.

Any phone: use the camera

No Magnifier on your phone? The camera works too.

1. Open the Camera app and point it at the words.
2. Spread two fingers apart on the screen to zoom in.
3. Take a photo.
4. Open the photo. Spread two fingers apart to zoom in on the words.

Privacy tip: If you take a photo of a bill, bank letter, or medicine label, delete it when you’re done.

If something goes wrong

• The picture is blurry. Move the phone a little farther away, then zoom in. Or tap Capture so the picture holds still. Wipe the camera lens with a soft cloth.
• It’s too dark. Turn on the flashlight, or move closer to a window or lamp.
• I see a shiny glare. Tilt the label or the phone a little until the glare goes away.
• My Android phone has no Magnifier. Use the camera steps above. To zoom in on your screen instead, open Settings, tap Accessibility, then tap Magnification.
• My phone offers to describe what it sees. Some newer phones can read or explain what the camera sees. These tools can make mistakes. For medicines, always check with your pharmacist.

Official sources

• Apple: Magnify or get information about things around you with Magnifier on iPhone
• Apple: Customize controls in Magnifier on iPhone
• Apple: Quickly turn accessibility features on or off on iPhone
• Google: Use Pixel’s Magnifier
• Google: Use magnification on your screen
• Samsung: Galaxy device Vision enhancement features
• Samsung: Accessibility on Galaxy phones: Magnifier

Last checked: Oct 19, 2026

This is general help, not medical advice or personalized tech support. Always check medicine details with your pharmacist or doctor. Features vary by phone, app version, and country.