One of the iPhone’s many accessibility features is what Apple calls “Magnifier,” which uses the smartphone’s cameras to magnify and identify objects in the world around you. For Global Accessibility Awareness Day in May this year, Apple brought Magnifier to the Mac, allowing the assistive tool to be used in even more places, like classroom or work environments where you might already have a MacBook pulled out.
Magnifier requires macOS 26 Tahoe and can work with the iPhone via the built-in webcam, connected third-party cameras, or Apple’s Continuity feature. Provided your MacBook can run Apple’s latest software updates, it’s a natural fit for zooming in on a whiteboard in the back of a large lecture hall or getting a closer look at documents on a desk in front of you. You can use the app to capture an individual image you want to refer to later, or to analyze text in a live video feed. But where to start? Here’s how to set up and use Magnifier on your Mac.
How to Use the Magnifier to Recognize and Display Text
Magnifier’s most powerful feature uses MacBook’s machine learning capabilities to recognize, display, and format text captured by your camera. It works with text that your camera can see in the room around you, and it captures it through macOS’s Desk View feature. For example, to view documents on your desk:
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click on camera section in the menu bar of the Magnifier and then select your desk view camera From the dropdown menu.
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click on reader icon (a simplified illustration of the document) at the top-right of your Magnifier window.
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click on sidebar menu icon To access settings for formatting text.
Apple gives you options to change the color, font, and background of the text the Magnifier recognizes, among other customization options. If you prefer to capture distant texts, you can point a webcam or iPhone camera away from you and swap through camera section in the Magnifier’s menu bar.
You can also listen to any text identified by Magnifier by clicking play button In the top-right corner of the magnifier’s reader mode. clicking stop button Playback will pause when clicked. Skip forward Or skip backward button Skip lines of text, and if you want to adjust the playback speed, you can click 1x button And choose speed from the dropdown menu.
How to use the magnifier to zoom in on yourself
The magnifier can identify text, but it also serves as a way to zoom in on your face. (Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget)
By default, Magnifier uses your MacBook’s built-in webcam, which means if you haven’t selected another camera, you’ll be able to see a view of yourself and whatever is behind you. This may not be common for seeing distant text, but it’s useful if you’re applying makeup, putting in contacts, or doing anything else where you need a detailed view of your face.
In my tests, using the Magnifier works best with my MacBook’s built-in webcam or the iPhone. When I tried to use Logitech’s third-party webcam, my live camera feed was noticeably slow. Your mileage may vary, but if you experience any issues with your own webcam, it’s worth trying out its built-in webcam to see if that helps. You can swap between cameras and zoom in on your camera feed inside the Magnifier app:
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In the top menu bar, select camera And then click on the camera you want to use in the dropdown menu.
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Use slider At the top center of the magnifier window to zoom in on yourself.
You can see a live feed of your zoomed view in the Magnifier’s main window. If you click on camera button In the bottom-left corner of the app, you can also take a photo to review later. Any photo you take will appear in the Magnifier’s left sidebar menu. Clicking on them lets you view them, zoom in on them, and adjust their visual appearance (brightness, contrast, and other visual settings) image section in the Magnifier’s menu bar.
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