There is a new VoiceOver Recognition feature for images in iOS 14 and it’s accurate in describing what’s in a picture for blind and visually impaired users.
The feature is worth trying out as it demonstrates Apple’s advancements in machine learning when it comes to examining the details in a photo. The handling of descriptions is on your device as you need to download an Image Descriptions file to your iPhone or iPad.
“Using on-device intelligence, your iPhone will automatically improve the accessibility of apps, images, and text,” describes Apple’s VoiceOver Recognition setting. For Image Descriptions, “Your iPhone will speak descriptions of images in apps and on the web.”
VoiceOver Recognition offers the following features:
VoiceOver Recognition: Image descriptions
VoiceOver reads complete-sentence descriptions of images and photos within apps and on the web.
VoiceOver Recognition: Text recognition
VoiceOver speaks the text it identifies within images and photos.
VoiceOver Recognition: Screen recognition
VoiceOver automatically detects interface controls to aid in navigating your apps, making them more accessible.
Here’s how to enable Image Descriptions in VoiceOver:
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > VoiceOver Recognition > Image Descriptions > ON and wait for the download to complete. Do not turn it on yet.
Navigate to the Photos app. If you don’t already have VoiceOver turned on, say, “Hey Siri turn on VoiceOver”.
Select a photo and Siri will describe the image with impressive accuracy. If nothing happens after you enable VoiceOver when tapping a picture, say “Siri, describe photos.” This should then allow you to select thumbnails.
Image Descriptions in iOS 14 will detail if it’s a Live Photo, the date the picture was taken and then the image itself. If there are saved faces, it will even mention the person’s name.
