iPhones have a built in function that allows the back facing camera to enlarge the area it sees, and to display this enlargement on the screen. This is very useful when items are small and difficult to see. Magnification is the functionality. This post will show you how to use your iPhone as a magnifying glass.
Turn on the magnifying glass:
- Open the Settings app (a grey cogwheel)
- Click on Accessibility (this may be within General in older versions of iOS)
- Then Click on Magnifier
- Finally Click on the slider to the right of the word Magnifier to turn it on – it will turn green once it is on.
Use the magnifying glass:
- triple click on the circular home button, if your phone has one – or –
- triple click the power button on the right side of the phone
Once magnification is turned on, your phone screen will look like this.
We have identified the controls you are now provided, which should make viewing the camera image better.
To turn off the iPhone magnifying glass:
- click once on the circular home button, if your phone has one – or –
- click the power button on the right side side of the phone
Here is Apple’s video of using the magnifier.