somebody just sent me a text that included a picture of a poster. My SE 2022 read the whole poster beautifully. Just a few months ago, I wouldn’t have gotten the laugh that this poster created. Thanks, Apple.
Yeah, don't know when things changed, but I've noticed descriptions being a lot better lately. It's rather nice. I find the iOS photo descriptions a lot better than the ones generated by apps like facebook, and would honestly prefer to skip the fb ones entirely and just get the ones generated by Voiceover.
Go to VoiceOver settings > Commands and assign a gesture to Describe Image. Now, when you perform that gesture, it’ll interrupt speech and give you an image description of the currently VoiceOver-focused item. You can also use this on non image items in any app.
I posted this a while back, but there is a pretty neat trick with the three finger single tap gesture on iOS. By default, three finger single tap will tell you where voiceover is relative to your screen. Interestingly enough, this is hardcoded into iOS, so you can change that and make the three finger single tap image description. However, if you tap and hold three fingers on the screen, you will still get the location info of voiceover focus.
For example, if I am on my first home screen, and I focus on the camera app:
1. A three finger tap will give me, "an illustration of a cassette tape above text".
2. A three finger tap and hold ,will give me, "Group Camera row 2, column 3, Home, Page 1 of 2 Top of screen, Double tap to open".
I just wish the 4 finger single tap was the same way. I would love the 4 finger single tap at the top and bottom of the screen to be hard coded into iOS, so I could remap the 4 finger single tap gesture from the custom/touch gesture option, and still be able to jump to the top or bottom of the screen when needed.
Go to Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Commands, Touch.
Next, navigate by heading until you find Tap: THREE FINGERS.
Then, swipe to the right until you find three finger single tap.
Double tap here, and change this to describe images. By default, it should be set to something like read item summary.
That should do it. Now, whenever you want to describe images, just tap your screen one time with three fingers, and it should trigger the image description, if there is an image description to be found. If not, you might get a donk sound. If you tap and hold with three fingers, you will still get the item summary information.
Well I already had this set up but it doesn't work. Simply goes quiet. So tried describe item and that oddly does work. No idea what the difference is between item and image nor why image isn't working.
I have been using this same gesture for getting descriptions ever since i got my iPhone about a year ago. I have also assigned the same thing on Android Talkback.
Voiceover's descriptions are a bit brief, up to the point. At the same time, if the image has text, it will fully read it.
Talkback's descriptions are always a bit long and a bit opiniated. Looks like they need some prompt engineering for whatever LLM they are using. Still, I like the details it goes in to sometimes, specially for social media posts, whatsapp status messages etc.
Text Recognition usually gets and reads all the text out to me in a image, especially from those What's app. messages but if I want something to be really described I use Be My Eyes by sharing the image
Well it was bugging me as to why this wasn't working. So, as I only had 3 command gestures set up I reset them all and started again. and it works perfectly. So I can now leave it alone.
Comments
Yeah, don't know when things…
Yeah, don't know when things changed, but I've noticed descriptions being a lot better lately. It's rather nice. I find the iOS photo descriptions a lot better than the ones generated by apps like facebook, and would honestly prefer to skip the fb ones entirely and just get the ones generated by Voiceover.
You can skip them
Go to VoiceOver settings > Commands and assign a gesture to Describe Image. Now, when you perform that gesture, it’ll interrupt speech and give you an image description of the currently VoiceOver-focused item. You can also use this on non image items in any app.
Ah, good to know. Thanks. :)
Ah, good to know. Thanks. :)
Dual use for three finger tap
I posted this a while back, but there is a pretty neat trick with the three finger single tap gesture on iOS. By default, three finger single tap will tell you where voiceover is relative to your screen. Interestingly enough, this is hardcoded into iOS, so you can change that and make the three finger single tap image description. However, if you tap and hold three fingers on the screen, you will still get the location info of voiceover focus.
For example, if I am on my first home screen, and I focus on the camera app:
1. A three finger tap will give me, "an illustration of a cassette tape above text".
2. A three finger tap and hold ,will give me, "Group Camera row 2, column 3, Home, Page 1 of 2 Top of screen, Double tap to open".
Just thought I would share that with the class. 🙂
Dude, I'm making that change…
Dude, I'm making that change seriously as soon as I hit submit on this message. Thanks professor. :)
Sure, no problem
I just wish the 4 finger single tap was the same way. I would love the 4 finger single tap at the top and bottom of the screen to be hard coded into iOS, so I could remap the 4 finger single tap gesture from the custom/touch gesture option, and still be able to jump to the top or bottom of the screen when needed.
How do I achieve the same?…
How do I achieve the same? This seems to be really really useful. I have image description turned on.
Steps
Go to Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Commands, Touch.
Next, navigate by heading until you find Tap: THREE FINGERS.
Then, swipe to the right until you find three finger single tap.
Double tap here, and change this to describe images. By default, it should be set to something like read item summary.
That should do it. Now, whenever you want to describe images, just tap your screen one time with three fingers, and it should trigger the image description, if there is an image description to be found. If not, you might get a donk sound. If you tap and hold with three fingers, you will still get the item summary information.
HTH.
Hmm
Well I already had this set up but it doesn't work. Simply goes quiet. So tried describe item and that oddly does work. No idea what the difference is between item and image nor why image isn't working.
Odd
That is odd. Forgive me for asking, but do you have image descriptions enabled under the VoiceOver/VoiceOver Recognition settings?
Delighting
I have been using this same gesture for getting descriptions ever since i got my iPhone about a year ago. I have also assigned the same thing on Android Talkback.
Voiceover's descriptions are a bit brief, up to the point. At the same time, if the image has text, it will fully read it.
Talkback's descriptions are always a bit long and a bit opiniated. Looks like they need some prompt engineering for whatever LLM they are using. Still, I like the details it goes in to sometimes, specially for social media posts, whatsapp status messages etc.
Yes
Brian assuming the odd comment was replying to me yes I do. As I say describe item works fine so I just go with that. iPhone 15 pro.
Usually share images
Text Recognition usually gets and reads all the text out to me in a image, especially from those What's app. messages but if I want something to be really described I use Be My Eyes by sharing the image
Ok sorted
Well it was bugging me as to why this wasn't working. So, as I only had 3 command gestures set up I reset them all and started again. and it works perfectly. So I can now leave it alone.
Glad to hear you got it…
Glad to hear you got it sorted. 😎