How to Use Mac's Built-In Accessibility Features

macOS includes powerful built-in tools to help with vision, hearing, and mobility — no extra software needed. Here's where to find them and how to use them.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Make text and everything on screen larger
2.Reduce eye strain with Display and Night Shift settings
3.Use VoiceOver or Spoken Content to hear text read aloud
4.Adjust keyboard and mouse settings for easier control

Make text and everything on screen larger

~38s

Go to the Apple menu (top left) → System SettingsDisplays → look for "Resolution" and click "More Space" vs. "Larger Text" — Larger Text makes everything bigger. Alternatively, go to System SettingsAccessibilityZoom → turn on "Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom" and press Control + Option + = to zoom in anywhere on screen. You can also increase the cursor size: System SettingsAccessibilityDisplayCursor Size — drag the slider to make the mouse pointer larger and easier to see.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Increasing cursor size is one of the most appreciated adjustments for Mac users. A larger cursor is much easier to track on screen, especially on large displays.

Reduce eye strain with Display and Night Shift settings

~36s

Go to System SettingsAccessibilityDisplay. Turn on "Reduce Motion" to minimize animated transitions. Turn on "Reduce Transparency" to make windows easier to read. For evening use: go to System SettingsDisplaysNight Shift. Set a schedule (Sunset to Sunrise is recommended) to automatically shift the display to warmer colors at night, which reduces eye strain and helps with sleep.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: If bright white backgrounds are tiring on your eyes, turn on "Color Filters" in System SettingsAccessibilityDisplayColor Filters. Try the "Grayscale" or "Color Tint" options to find a display that's more comfortable for long reading sessions.

Use VoiceOver or Spoken Content to hear text read aloud

~35s

If you want your Mac to read text aloud to you: go to System SettingsAccessibilitySpoken Content. Turn on "Speak selection" — now you can highlight any text anywhere on your Mac, press Option + Escape, and the Mac reads it aloud. Choose a voice and speaking rate that is comfortable. For full screen reading of webpages and documents, you can also enable VoiceOver: System SettingsAccessibilityVoiceOverEnable VoiceOver.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Spoken Content is great for reading long emails, news articles, or documents without straining your eyes. Many people use it while doing other tasks around the house.

Adjust keyboard and mouse settings for easier control

~28s

If you find clicking and tracking difficult: System SettingsAccessibilityPointer Control lets you adjust tracking speed (how fast the cursor moves with mouse movement) and enable options like "Shake mouse pointer to locate" (moving the cursor fast temporarily makes it larger — great for finding a lost cursor on screen). For keyboard: System SettingsAccessibilityKeyboard → turn on "Sticky Keys" if holding multiple keys at once is difficult, or "Slow Keys" if you accidentally press keys twice.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Use Mac's Built-In Accessibility Features

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Macs come with a comprehensive set of accessibility features built directly into the operating system — no additional software or subscriptions required. These tools are designed to help people with vision differences, hearing differences, or motor challenges, but many of them are genuinely useful for anyone who wants larger text, reduced eye strain, or easier navigation.

You can find all accessibility features in one place: System Settings → Accessibility (or System Preferences → Accessibility on older Macs). This guide covers the most practical features for everyday users, particularly those who want to make text bigger, reduce screen glare, or use the Mac more comfortably.

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