Telstra
Home phones and teletypewriters
We have a range of products with features to support you if you're having difficulty accessing standard telephone services.
Accessible mobile features
Keeping you in touch with the latest accessible features
When you're looking for an accessible device, it would be helpful to know what accessible features are available.
Accessibility features on mobile phones and other smart devices
Most smart devices today have built-in accessibility features to help make them more accessible for everyone. This page focuses on the accessibility features on some Apple, Android and Samsung mobile phones available in our store.
Accessible features on Apple devices
Apple devices have a range of accessibility options that you can turn on right from the start using the accessibility button on the Quick Start screen.
Visit Apple Accessibility to learn more about these accessible features. The assistive technology on your Apple device can help if you experience difficulties with:
Speech
- Live Speech – turns your typed text into spoken words
- Personal Voice – creates a voice that sounds like you
- Scribble – handwrite everything you want to say
Vision
- VoiceOver + braille – describes what's on your screen also in braille
- Magnifier – your camera acts like a digital magnifying glass
- Spoken Content – changes the written word to spoken word
Hearing
- Personalised Audio for Airpods – fine-tunes audio experience
- Hearing devices for iPhone – enhance your audio experience
- Sensory Alerts – your phone vibrates or flashes for an alert
Mobility
- Voice Control – uses your voice to navigate your apps
- AssistiveTouch – adapts your touchscreen to your physical needs
- Alternative input – navigates device with head or eye tracking
Cognitive
- Assistive Access – customises your apps to lighten cognitive load
- Pause Animated Images – stops the motion in video content
- Live Speech – says out loud what you type
iPhones - designed to make a difference
Accessible features on Android devices
Android is the operating system used by a range of popular mobile phone brands including Samsung and Google. Android devices are built with accessibility in mind – making them more inclusive for everyone to experience the world.
Visit Android Accessibility Help to find more accessible features and how to set them up. The built-in assistive technology can help if you’re experiencing difficulties with:
Vision
- Talkback – allows you to hear what's on screen
- Lookout – your camera can you help identify what’s nearby
- Magnification – enlarges text and icons so easier to see
- Colour correction – calibrates colours so easier to distinguish
Hearing
- Live Transcribe – words appear on your phone as they're spoken
- Live Caption – captions almost everything on your phone
- Sound Amplifier – boosts sounds and filters background noises
- Hearing aid support – streams media and calls to hearing aids
Mobility
- Switch Access – hook up a physical switch or external keyboard
- Voice Access – uses your voice to navigate your phone
- Accessibility menu – simple tap for the features you use the most
Accessible features on Samsung (Galaxy) devices
Samsung provides accessibility features designed for various needs, including vision, hearing, mobility, and cognition.
Visit Samsung Accessibility Mobile Help to find more accessible features and how to set them up. The built-in assistive technology can help if you’re experiencing difficulties with:
Vision
- TalkBack: Speaks screen content aloud
- Display mode: Increases contrast or enlarges content
- High contrast theme: Light text on a dark background
- High contrast fonts: Adjusts font colour and outline for clarity
- Relumino outline: Highlights object boundaries
- Quick typing: Reads out keys as you touch them
Hearing
- TalkBack: Speaks screen content aloud
- Display mode: Increases contrast or enlarges content
- High contrast theme: Light text on a dark background
- High contrast fonts: Adjusts font colour and outline for clarity
- Relumino outline: Highlights object boundaries
- Quick typing: Reads out keys as you touch them
Mobility
- Universal switch: Control phone with switches or gestures
- Assistant menu: Quick access to controls and apps
- Voice Access: Control phone using your voice
- Answering and ending calls: Use Volume or Power key to answer/end calls
- Tap duration: Sets how long to hold for a tap
- Ignore repeated touches: Filters unintentional taps
- Easy screen turn on: Wave hand to wake screen
- Mouse and physical keyboard: Use physical devices, such as a keyboard, for input
Cognitive
- Interaction control: Limits touch while using apps
Other settings
- Power and Volume up keys: Press the Power key and the Volume up key at the same time to turn accessibility features on and off
- Flash notification: Flashes light or screen for alerts
- Notification reminders: Alerts for missed notifications
- Voice label: NFC tags to distinguish objects of similar shape by attaching labels to them. You can record and assign a voice recording to an NFC tag. The voice recording is played back when you place your phone near the NFC tag
- Speak keyboard input aloud: Reads typed text aloud
Related links
Telstra
Screen reader for email
Find out how to set up the screen reader accessibility tool for email. It varies depending on the device you're using to access your emails. Check our help and support pages to find the right one for you.
External
Latest guide to accessible communication devices
Visit Accessible Telecoms to get an up-to-date guide to mainstream and assistive communication products to help you.
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