Learn to master your iPhone using VoiceOver! From awkward default settings to voice tweaks worthy of a fashion show, this episode is your backstage pass to customizing VoiceOver like never before. Join Amelia, Jerry, and the ever-dramatic Deiter as they explore how to personalize gestures, sounds, and speech settings—minus the industrial concrete auger. Whether you’re new to iPhone accessibility or a VoiceOver veteran ready to streamline your setup, this lesson will show you how to make your device feel like it was designed just for you. What You’ll Learn: • How to remap gestures (including Back Tap) to suit your habits and increase efficiency. • How to explore and modify VoiceOver’s sound feedback and haptics for faster, clearer navigation. • How to customize speech settings, including voice selection, pitch, and language. • How to fine-tune verbosity, punctuation levels, and typing feedback. • How to set up the Accessibility Shortcut for quick toggles. Pro Tips Shared: • Assign rotor actions (like navigating by headings) to easier gestures to speed up browsing. • Back Tap lets you trigger VoiceOver commands—or even launch apps—by tapping the back of your phone. • Learn and leverage VoiceOver sound cues for fast, non-verbal navigation. • Use the “Reset VoiceOver Commands” button as a safety net when testing new gestures. • Set up the Accessibility Shortcut (triple-click) to instantly toggle VoiceOver or other tools. Apps used in this lesson include: • Settings (Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands, Audio, and Speech sections) • Touch settings (for enabling Back Tap) Learn More & Connect I’m Brian Clark, Lead Trainer at First Aid for the Blind, where we help people confidently learn non-visual tech skills and regain independence. My life without sight began in 2014, and it is now with great joy that I help others adapt to successful lives without useable vision. https://faftb.com

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VoiceOver Tutorial: VOT 17 – Voices Beyond the Page: The BARD Mobile Experience Learn to master your iPhone using VoiceOver! Hope, Amelia, Junie, and a surprise guest from Chatbot Chronicles (hello, VGER) explore the BARD Mobile app and the powerful story behind it. From a historic letter by Helen Keller to the app that now puts thousands of audiobooks at your fingertips, this episode is a celebration of access, literacy, and legacy. Whether you’re new to BARD or just want to get more out of it, we’ll guide you through everything from searching and downloading to playback and settings—all with the wit, warmth, and weirdness you’ve come to expect from the VOT crew. June 2025, iOS 18 What You’ll Learn: • How the National Library Service and BARD Mobile came to be, thanks to Helen Keller’s advocacy • How to log in, browse, and download books with BARD Mobile • How to use the app’s four main tabs: Bookshelf, Get Books, Settings, and Now Reading • Tips for managing your Wishlist, checking recent downloads, and syncing across devices • How to control playback, create bookmarks, and adjust reading speed and tone Pro Tips Shared: • Use the Search field to find books by narrator as well as author or title • Try the Wishlist feature to queue up books for future reading or other NLS-supported devices • Adjust tone and speed together for a more natural listening experience • Use the sleep timer for cozy bedtime reading—and avoid waking up to chapter 47 Learn More & Connect I’m Brian Clark, Lead Trainer at First Aid for the Blind, where we help people confidently learn non-visual tech skills and regain independence. My life without sight began in 2014, and it is now with great joy that I help others adapt to successful lives without usable vision. https://faftb.com brian@faftb.com

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VoiceOver Tutorial 16: 1-Finger Triple Tap – The Forgotten Soldier Learn to master your iPhone using VoiceOver! Junie, Deiter, and Hope return to uncover one of the most underappreciated yet powerful gestures in the VoiceOver arsenal: the 1-finger triple tap. Whether you’ve never used it or just assumed it was a glitch in your tapping rhythm, this “forgotten soldier” is here to serve. From Home Screen shortcuts to fast message replies, this episode breaks down how the triple tap opens up the VoiceOver Actions Menu—saving time, simplifying your workflow, and making navigation smoother than ever. June 2025, iOS 18 What You’ll Learn: • What the 1-finger triple tap does and how it triggers the VoiceOver Actions Menu • How it works on the Home Screen to reveal app-specific shortcuts • How to use it in Mail, Messages, Safari, and more to quickly reply, delete, share, or react • Why it’s often faster than using the rotor • When and why the gesture doesn’t work—and why that’s still useful Pro Tips Shared: • Use the triple tap on app icons to access Compose buttons, searches, and shortcuts without opening the app • In Mail and Messages, triple tap on individual items to access context-sensitive actions instantly • Triple tap is a great fallback when rotor switching feels slow or inconsistent • Even when nothing happens, the gesture is a quick way to check for hidden options Learn More & Connect I’m Brian Clark, Lead Trainer at First Aid for the Blind, where we help people confidently learn non-visual tech skills and regain independence. My life without sight began in 2014, and it is now with great joy that I help others adapt to successful lives without usable vision. https://faftb.com

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