Make Everything Bigger With iPhone Display Zoom
iPhone's Display Zoom feature enlarges the entire interface — text, icons, and buttons — so your phone is more comfortable to use without squinting.
4 min read · 5 steps · Checked April 2026
Step 1. Open Settings
Tap the Settings app on your iPhone. It looks like a gray square with gears on it. You'll find it on your home screen or by swiping down and searching for "Settings."
Step 2. Go to Display & Brightness
In Settings, scroll down a bit and tap "Display & Brightness." This section controls everything related to how your screen looks — brightness, night mode, text size, and Display Zoom.
Step 3. Tap Display Zoom
Scroll down within Display & Brightness until you see "Display Zoom." Tap on it. You'll see two view options: "Default" (standard size) and "Larger Text" (zoomed mode). A preview image shows roughly what each looks like.
Step 4. Select Larger Text and confirm
Tap "Larger Text" to select it. It will have a checkmark next to it. Then tap "Set" in the top right corner of the screen. A prompt will appear warning you that your iPhone needs to restart. Tap "Use Zoomed" to confirm. Your phone will turn off and back on in about 15 seconds.
Warning
Your phone will restart automatically. This is normal and takes about 15 seconds. You will not lose anything.
Step 5. Check the result and adjust if needed
After your phone restarts, look at your home screen. The icons and text should be noticeably larger. Open a few apps to see how they look. If you'd like it even larger, go back to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and drag the slider to the right for bigger text on top of the Display Zoom setting.
Quick Tip
Turning on Bold Text at Settings > Display & Brightness > Bold Text makes all text darker and easier to read. This pairs well with Display Zoom.
If you find yourself squinting at your iPhone's screen, holding it at arm's length, or wishing the icons and text were bigger, iPhone has a built-in feature that can help: Display Zoom.
Display Zoom makes the entire iPhone interface larger — icons, text, buttons, everything. It's different from only increasing the text size. Think of it as zooming in on the whole phone experience. Your home screen will show fewer icons at once (because each one is larger), but everything will be much easier to see and tap.
To turn on Display Zoom, go to:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom
You'll see two options: Default (the normal size) and Larger Text (the zoomed-in mode). Tap "Larger Text" and then tap "Set" in the top right corner. Your iPhone will restart briefly to apply the change.
After the change, you'll right away notice:
- App icons are noticeably larger
- Text in menus and apps is bigger
- Buttons and controls are easier to tap accurately
- The keyboard letters are larger
- Your home screen fits fewer icons per row (4 across instead of 6 on some models)
If you decide you prefer the original size, you can go back to Settings > Display & Brightness > Display Zoom and switch back to "Default." The change is always reversible.
Display Zoom is separate from Text Size. If you want to go even bigger, you can combine Display Zoom with a larger text size. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and drag the slider to the right to increase text size further, even after Display Zoom is on.
Also check Accessibility > Display & Text Size for additional options like Bold Text, which makes all text appear bolder and easier to read on top of everything else.
Official sources
- Apple Support — support.apple.com
- iPhone User Guide — support.apple.com
- AppleCare contact options — support.apple.com
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