Quiet the Noise: Managing VoiceOver Sensory Overload on iOS

In this episode, Thomas Domville (also known as Not a Mouse) walks listeners through the new and customizable VoiceOver sounds and haptic feedback options introduced in iOS. Thomas highlights how these features can be especially helpful for users who experience sensory overload or prefer a more tailored accessibility experience.Listeners will learn how to access, adjust, and personalize VoiceOver sound effects and haptics, including how to change volumes, intensities, and even toggle individual sounds on or off.Key PointsIntroduction to VoiceOver soundsExplanation of different tones and sound effects (e.g., navigation into Touch Containers).Why customizing these effects can reduce sensory overload.Accessing the settingsStep-by-step navigation into Accessibility → VoiceOver → Audio → VoiceOver Sounds and Haptics.Customizing optionsTurn off VoiceOver sounds completely if preferred.Adjust sound volume separately from speech volume.Toggle haptics on or off, or fine-tune haptic intensity.Per-effect controlEach VoiceOver sound (such as “navigated inside touch container”) can be individually toggled on/off.Users can preview each sound before deciding to keep or disable it.Step-by-Step GuideOpen Settings → Double tap to enter.Navigate to Accessibility → Swipe right until Accessibility button is found.Go to VoiceOver → Double tap to open.Select Audio → Double tap.Open VoiceOver Sounds and Haptics.Customize options:Toggle all VoiceOver sounds on/off.Adjust sound volume independently from speech volume.Enable/disable haptics, and set haptic intensity.Explore individual sound effects:Find a specific sound (e.g., “Navigated inside touch container”).Preview the sound.Choose to turn it on or off.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas: Hello and welcome. My name is Thomas Donville, also known as Not a Mouse. Now, many of you may not know that you could do this, and that is being able to change how the voiceover tones or sounds in Haptic works. So, all the different variations of the voiceover sounds that you get, for example, in starting iOS 26, we had this new navigation into Touch Container. I'm going to use that as an example here.So I'll give you a little indicator of what we're looking for here and what I mean by voiceover sound. You heard that little subtle tone. And there's all sorts of variation of voiceover noise you can get. Just like that. When you hit the side, it goes thunk like that. So those are…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville walks through the redesigned Phone app in iOS 26. The episode explains the difference between the new Unified view and the legacy Classic view, shows how to switch between them, and highlights where previously familiar items—like Voicemail—now live. Throughout, Thomas shares VoiceOver-friendly steps and tips to make navigation faster and less confusing.Key PointsiOS 26 introduces a Unified layout for the Phone app; Classic is still available.You can switch views anytime via the Filter button (top-right).In Unified, Calls/Missed/Voicemail/Unknown Callers/Spam are grouped as options rather than bottom tabs.VoiceOver gestures used: one-finger double-tap, swipe right/left, four-finger tap to jump to top.What You’ll LearnHow to quickly toggle between Unified and Classic layouts.Where to find Voicemail and other categories in Unified.How the Calls screen combines Favorites and Recents in one layout.Why Unknown Callers and Spam are easier to separate from Missed.Step-by-Step: Switch Between Unified and ClassicOpen Phone.VoiceOver: one-finger double-tap on “Phone.”Open Filter.Navigate to the top-right and double-tap “Filter.”Choose a View.Classic: returns the familiar tabbed layout.Unified: uses a single screen with options like Calls/Missed/Voicemail/Unknown Callers/Spam.Confirm You Switched.In Classic, bottom tabs (e.g., Calls) appear.In Unified, you’ll see category buttons (Calls, Missed, Voicemail, etc.) in the main view.Step-by-Step: Find Voicemail in UnifiedFrom the Unified Phone screen, swipe right through options.Stop on “Voicemail” and double-tap to open.Use standard VoiceOver gestures to review messages.Quick Navigation Tips (VoiceOver)Four-finger tap (top half): Jump to the top of the screen (handy to reach Filter quickly).One-finger double-tap: Activate selected items (Filter, Voicemail, Calls, etc.).Swipe right/left: Move through available options like Calls, Missed, Voicemail, Unknown Callers, Spam.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville walks through Safari’s new Tabs layout options in iOS 26, explains the default Compact view, and shows how to switch between Compact, Bottom, and Top tab layouts. The demo is VoiceOver-centric, with practical navigation tips (rotor use, headings, and screen-edge gestures) to make changing this setting quick and repeatable.SummaryWhat changed: Safari now defaults to a Compact UI along the bottom: a single row with More, Tabs, the Address Bar, and a Page Menu. Traditional back/forward controls aren’t where long-time users expect.Why it matters: If Compact disrupts your muscle memory (or your VoiceOver workflow), iOS 26 lets you pick an alternate layout—Bottom (classic iOS) or Top (very old Safari style).Key Points & TakeawaysThree layouts available: Compact (default), Bottom (classic), Top (legacy-style).Settings location: You change this in Settings → Apps → Safari → Tabs.VoiceOver navigation pattern: Use headings to jump quickly through long Settings screens; the Apps button sits just left of the Search field at the bottom of Settings.Customization is back: Apple now lets you choose the tab bar placement instead of enforcing a single layout.Step-by-Step GuideFast PathOpen Settings.Go to Apps → Safari.Find the Tabs section.Choose one: Compact, Bottom, or Top.Detailed Instructions with VoiceOverOpen Settings.Four-finger single tap near the bottom to reach the footer controls.Navigate to Apps.You’ll encounter the Search field and a Dictate button; Apps is just to the left of Search. Double-tap Apps.Jump by Headings to the letter sections and flick to S; move right to Safari and double-tap.In Safari settings, use Headings to reach Tabs.Swipe right to the layout choices and double-tap your preference:Compact (default)Bottom (classic bottom bar)Top (tab controls at the top) VoiceOver will announce Selected: \—you’re done.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas: Hello and welcome. My name is Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse. I have a great battery…

In this episode, Levi Gobin demonstrates screen sharing with VoiceOver on macOS. Levi first shows us the Screen Sharing settings in VoiceOver Utility, then demonstrates controlling another Mac using the Screen Sharing app.Starting with macOS Tahoe 26, VoiceOver can be used to control another Mac remotely using the built-in Screen Sharing facility, either through FaceTime or Messages for controlling Macs over the Internet, or Finder or the Screen Sharing app (located in the Utilities folder) for controlling Macs on your local network. When controlling another Mac, VoiceOver can be configured to use a different voice or cursor color, in order to differentiate your Mac from the remote one.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Levi: Hello, everyone. And in this podcast, I'm going to demonstrate the newly introduced screen sharing feature that was introduced in Mac OS 26. This feature allows you to remotely control another Mac and hear VoiceOver through that Mac, as if you were at that Mac. You can even select a different voice, or if you have low vision, change the cursor color. I'm going to first talk about the settings for screen sharing, and you can get to those by going to VoiceOver Utility with Control Option Function F8, or just Control Option F8, depending on your keyboard.VoiceOver: Opening VoiceOver Utility. Voice over utility, voice over utility, utility categories, row 1 of 12, general, selected, has keyboard focus.Levi/VoiceOver: So now we're in voiceover utility, and as you hear, it says general. And the easiest way to get to this is to interact with the table. In utility categories. And then press control, option, function, right arrow, or control, option, end on a desktop keyboard. Screen sharing, row 12 of 12. And there you are. Out of utility categories. So here you have the following options. You can use voiceover to control another Mac using screen sharing. Open screen sharing button. And that's one way you could open the screen sharing app. When interacting with a shared screen, heading. When interacting with a shared screen. No change. Speech pitch. Pop-up button. So if you wanted to, you could raise or lower the pitch. Menu. Three items. Checkmark. No change. Lower pitch. Lower pitch. Checkmark. No change. Raise pitch. Raise pitch. Checkmark. No change. Closing menu.Levi: I like it set to no change. And that's what I have the voice set to for screen sharing. I have it set to something different usually, but that's... You can also... You can have a default or any voice in your voice router. And this is the color of the voiceover cursor if you have low vision. So this controls how you want to switch back to controlling your device. The options are... So you can stop interacting and depending on the setting that will either stay in the shared screen or that will exit.Levi/VoiceOver: Menu, two items, check marks, days, and shared screen. Check marks, leaves, shared screen. Check marks, days, and shared screen. Closing. I like I said to that, and the way you return to your local device is control option,…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville walks through Apple’s new Adaptive Power mode in iOS, explaining what it does, which devices support it, what trade-offs to expect, and how to turn it on. You’ll learn how the system uses on-device intelligence to detect unusually power-hungry apps or tasks and gently throttle performance to extend battery life—plus how this differs from the traditional Low Power Mode.What is Adaptive Power?An AI-assisted battery feature that watches for apps or tasks using more CPU/battery than usual and automatically makes performance adjustments (e.g., slightly dimming the display or allowing some activities to take longer) to reduce drain.It’s conservative compared to Low Power Mode—only intervenes when something is actually hogging resources, so the phone behaves normally most of the time.Trade-offs: When Adaptive Power kicks in, you may notice subtle slowdowns (emails/messages can arrive a bit slower; animations feel slightly less snappy; display may dim a touch).Device support: Requires newer, AI-capable iPhone models (as referenced in the show).Key points & takeawaysSet-and-forget: Once enabled, it only activates when needed—otherwise your phone runs as usual.Notifications available: You can enable an Adaptive Power notification so you know when it’s actively managing performance.Works alongside Low Power Mode: Low Power Mode remains the more aggressive option; Adaptive Power is a lighter-touch, smarter layer for everyday use.How to enable Adaptive PowerOpen Settings.Double Tap Battery.Double Tap Power Mode (near the bottom of the screen).Toggle Adaptive PowerOn.(Optional) Turn on Adaptive Power Notifications to be alerted when it activates.(Optional) Use Low Power Mode when you want a stronger, system-wide battery-saving profile (iOS will typically prompt you around 20% battery).VoiceOver tips (from the demo)In Settings, navigate by swiping right until you reach Battery, then double-tap.On the Battery screen, you can four-finger tap near the bottom to quickly reach elements closer to the end of the list, then flick left/right to Power Mode.Toggle Adaptive Power and Adaptive Power Notifications with a double-tap.When to use whichAdaptive Power: Daily driver—great for automatic, gentle savings without constantly changing how your phone feels.Low Power Mode: Use when you need maximum battery conservation (travel days, long events, low-battery emergencies).TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville demonstrates a new iOS feature that lets you reset VoiceOver settings back to factory defaults—useful when settings have become confusing or inconsistent. He walks through where the option lives, how to activate it, and the consequences (you’ll lose all customizations).Key Points & TakeawaysPurpose: Quickly restore VoiceOver to a clean, default state when troubleshooting is too time-consuming.Where to find it: Inside Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver.Irreversible action: Resetting wipes all VoiceOver customizations (voices, rotor options, verbosity, speech settings, etc.). There’s no “undo.”When to use: After lots of experimentation or when helping someone whose device has settings “buried” or misconfigured.After the reset: You’ll need to reconfigure your preferred voice and options.Step-by-Step: Reset VoiceOver Settings (iPhone)Open Settings.Navigate to Accessibility.Select VoiceOver.(If using VoiceOver: one-finger double-tap to open items, swipe right/left to move focus.)Scroll to the bottom of the VoiceOver screen.(Tip: A four-finger tap near the bottom half of the screen jumps focus near the bottom.)Choose Reset VoiceOver Settings.Confirm the reset.You’ll return to factory defaults for VoiceOver.What Resets?Voices & speech (e.g., your selected voice like Samantha)Rotor configurationVerbosity & audio settingsOther VoiceOver-specific preferencesTranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas: Hello and welcome. My name is Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse. Now, this is kind of a cool new feature that I would like to introduce to you, and that is being able to reset your voiceover settings. Yes. In the previous past iOS, you were not able to specifically reset the voiceover settings. I mean, you probably have known and tried to reset different types of settings. And all they give you is just like all or nothing. It's just like, wow, I don't want to reset all my settings.I just want to reset the voiceover settings. And this might occur for one reason or another. Now, in my case, I will visit some of my clients from time to time. And I noticed that it's just really, really messed up. Or I should say, sometimes it's just easier to reset the voiceover settings than to try to figure out what they have done and what needs to be changed. So there could be a number of things. And you know as well as I do, everything is buried, right? And there could be multiple things.I need to go find, turn this off, turn this on, put this back in…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville explains how to stop the two-finger Magic Tap gesture from unexpectedly starting or pausing media playback. If you hang up a call or use Magic Tap in other contexts and your audiobook or music begins playing when you didn’t intend it to, this setting lets you turn that behavior off (and back on later if needed).What You’ll LearnWhat the Magic Tap gesture does by default.Why media sometimes starts playing after ending a call.Where Apple tucked away the control to disable Magic Tap’s media action.How to toggle the option quickly and safely.Key Points & HighlightsProblem addressed: Unwanted media playback triggered by Magic Tap (e.g., when ending calls).Solution: Disable Magic Tap’s Media Playback action in VoiceOver Commands.Reversible: You can re-enable the option anytime if you miss the convenience.Scope: Applies when no other action is available—preventing the “surprise” play/pause behavior.Step-by-Step Guide: Turn Off Magic Tap Media PlaybackOpen Settings.Go to Accessibility → VoiceOver.Enter Commands.Choose Magic Tap.Toggle Media PlaybackOff.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas: Hello and welcome. My name is Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse. If MagicTab has been kind of a pest for you, sometimes things can get frustrating for those that use a MagicTab. For example, if you're on a phone, you're calling somebody, sometimes you do a MagicTab to hang up on a phone call, right? Only to find out or to end up having the media being playing or the last audiobook's been playing, whatever this might be in the background, things like that. If that's been occurring quite a bit for you and it's something that frustrates you and wish you could be able to turn that option off, you can. So starting in iOS 26, you're now able to disable the magic tab when it comes to media playing. So this is not going to be for everyone, but I want to at least make this aware for everybody. So if this is one of those things that annoys you and you would like to have that option turned off because it occurs to you each and every time you don't want it to happen, have no fear. I'm going to show you how to turn that magic tap off. We're going to head over to the native settings.VoiceOver: Settings. Double tap to open.Thomas: One finger double tap to open settings.VoiceOver: Settings.Thomas: Now swipe to the right until you find the Accessibility button.VoiceOver: Accessibility button.Thomas: One finger double tap that.VoiceOver: Personalize iPhone in ways that work best for you with accessibility features for vision, mobility,…

In this podcast, Thomas Domville explains that, prior to iOS 26, the default alarm snooze was fixed at 9 minutes with no way to change it. In iOS 26, you can set a custom snooze duration directly in the Clock app when creating or editing an alarm. The episode walks through the exact steps with VoiceOver cues so screen-reader users can follow along comfortably.---## Key Points & TakeawaysSnooze is now adjustable in iOS 26. You’re no longer stuck with 9 minutes.You can edit an existing alarm or create a new one to set snooze duration.The snooze duration control appears once Snooze is toggled on.The host demonstrates VoiceOver navigation, including where to find Edit, Add, Repeat, Label, and the Snooze options.Maximum snooze duration cited is 15 minutes. (Choose what works for your routine.)---## Step-by-Step: Set a Custom Snooze (iOS 26)Open the Clock app.Select the Alarms tab (bottom; to the right of World Clock).Choose one:Edit an existing alarm: Find your alarm in the list and double-tap to open it.Create a new alarm:Add (top-right), then set your time. (Optional) Adjust Repeat and Label as desired.Ensure “Snooze” is On. You will then see the snooze duration control.Open the duration control and adjust to your desired minutes (up to 15 minutes).Finish by activating Done (top-right).(Optional) If you don’t want snooze at all, turn SnoozeOff.Tip: If you already have alarms set up, you don’t have to recreate them. Just open an existing alarm, locate Snooze, and adjust the duration there.---## VoiceOver-Specific Notes (from the walkthrough)Open Clock: “Clock, … Double tap to open.”Navigate to Alarms: Tab bar shows “World Clock,” then “Alarms.” Select “Alarms.”Find Edit/Add: “Edit button” appears near the top; “Add button” is at the top-right.Time Pickers: The hour/minute pickers are adjustable; swipe up/down to change values.Snooze Toggle & Duration: After Snooze is On, a duration picker becomes available; swipe to your preferred minutes.Confirmation: Use Done to save changes.---## Why It MattersPersonalized wake-ups: Choose a snooze interval that fits your sleep pattern.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by…

In this episode, Thomas Domville demos the new Copied Speech rotor option in iOS 26 for VoiceOver. Think of it as a lightweight clipboard history: it remembers what you copied with VoiceOver and lets you paste from the last ten copied items directly via the rotor, making multi-item copy/paste (like app titles and release notes) fast and accessible. What’s covered / why it mattersWhat Copied Speech is: a new rotor item in iOS 26 that surfaces your recent VoiceOver copies (described as a “clipboard history”). How much it stores: the last 10 clipboard items. The workflow boost: copy multiple elements (e.g., an App Store title and its version notes) and paste them into a text field without bouncing back and forth. Gesture requirement (important): items only appear in Copied Speech if you copy using VoiceOver’s three-finger quadruple-tap; standard Edit > Copy or Select All → Copy won’t show up. Real-world demo context: App Store → Mail compose; selecting “Copied speech” in the rotor, navigating items, and inserting them. Step-by-step: Using Copied Speech with VoiceOverCopy with VoiceOver: On any selectable text, perform a three-finger quadruple tap. You’ll hear confirmation that it was copied. (This is required for Copied Speech.) Open a text field: For example, compose an email in Mail (or use Messages/Notes). Place the insertion point where you want to paste. Turn the rotor to “Copied speech”: Rotate counterclockwise through rotor items until you hear “Copied speech.”Choose the item: Swipe up/down to move through your recent copied entries (up to ten). Paste it: One-finger double-tap to insert the selected item at the cursor. Repeat as needed: Switch items and insert again to build your note or message from multiple copies. Tips & caveatsOnly VoiceOver copies appear: Copies made via text selection + Edit > Copy won’t show up in Copied Speech (even though they’re on the system clipboard). Use the three-finger quadruple-tap to capture items for the rotor. Great for research/notes: Thomas’s example pulls an app title and its version notes from the App Store into Mail in seconds. TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.Thomas: Hello and welcome. My name is Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse. There is a new feature in iOS 26 that I'm just very excited that they introduced for us to use. There is a new rotor option called Copy Speech. Essentially, in a nutshell, I kind of refer to that as a clipboard history. Yeah, so in the past, in the older version of iOS, one annoying thing that I found that is just completely frustrating is that I am only able…

In this episode, Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse) dives deep into the exciting new accessibility features in iOS 26. From improved VoiceOver experiences to powerful tools for customization and ease of use, this update offers meaningful improvements for blind, low-vision, and accessibility-focused users.Whether you’re a long-time VoiceOver user or just curious about Apple’s accessibility innovations, this episode guides you through the highlights with real examples, demonstrations, and practical insights.Key HighlightsNew VoiceOver Tone for Touch Containers A subtle sound now plays when entering a new container, making navigation clearer without extra speech.Copied Speech Rotor Option A three-finger quadruple-tap saves text to a clipboard history, accessible via the rotor for quick pasting.Accessibility Nutrition Labels on the App Store Developers can now declare supported accessibility features (VoiceOver, Captions, Larger Text, etc.) directly on app pages.Customizable Magic Tap Gesture Prevent media from accidentally playing when ending a call by disabling Magic Tap’s default play/pause function.Custom Labels Management See and manage all custom labels you’ve created in one place under VoiceOver > Verbosity.Always Use Siri Sounds Replace VoiceOver’s audio tones with Siri’s system sounds for a more familiar experience.Reset VoiceOver Settings Easily A new reset option restores VoiceOver to factory defaults without affecting other system settings.Share Accessibility Settings Between Devices Transfer or sync your preferences seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices.Reduce Transparency for a Cleaner Look Turn off translucent “liquid glass” UI elements for a more legible and distraction-free display.Expanded Background Sounds Library New sounds include airplane cabin noise, rain, night ambiance, and crackling fire for relaxation or focus.Faster Personal Voice Creation Create a natural-sounding personal voice with just 10 phrases instead of 100—done in minutes.Name Recognition Improve clarity with personalized pronunciation for names in contacts, photos, and text.Accessible Reader A new clutter-free reading view with customizable layout, font, and background options.New Live Listen Features Pair Live Listen with captions and rewind missed audio for more flexible conversations.Head Tracking Use subtle head movements to control audio, highlight menus, or enhance spatial listening.This episode is perfect for anyone eager to explore iOS 26’s most impactful accessibility features. Tune in to discover how Apple continues to lead in inclusive design.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers…