Best Phones for Poor Eyesight in Australia: Simple Buying Guide
When eyesight is not what it was, a phone can go from useful to frustrating very quickly. Small text, dim screens and tiny buttons make simple things hard. The good news is that the right phone, set up well, can be a pleasure to use again. For many people that is a normal smartphone with its built-in tools switched on, not a special device at all. If an even larger screen would help, also compare the best tablets for seniors in Australia.
This guide explains what makes a phone easy to see, the options that work well in Australia, and where to get help. It covers everything from a large-screen smartphone to a talking phone for someone with very little sight. We do not quote exact prices, since they move around. We point you to where to check the current price instead.
Quick answer
For most people with poor but workable eyesight, a large-screen smartphone with its accessibility tools turned on is the best answer. An iPhone has the most complete tools for low vision, including very large text and a built-in Magnifier. A Samsung Galaxy with Easy Mode and high contrast is an excellent, more affordable alternative. For someone with very little or no sight, a BlindShell talking phone, available through Vision Australia, speaks everything on screen. Whatever you choose, the setup is what makes the difference.
How the main options compare
The right phone depends on how much sight the person has and how comfortable they are with a touchscreen.
| Their eyesight and needs | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Reduced sight but can read large text, wants a full smartphone | iPhone, or a large-screen Samsung Galaxy in Easy Mode |
| Wants the simplest large-text menu and does not need many apps | Doro easy smartphone |
| Very low vision or blind, needs the phone to speak everything | BlindShell Classic 2 talking phone |
| Mainly uses the home phone and struggles to see the handset | A big-button home phone alongside a mobile |
What makes a phone easy to see
A large, bright screen
Screen size is the first thing that matters. A phone around six and a half inches or larger gives you room to make text big without it feeling squeezed. Brightness counts too, especially outdoors. Most current phones are bright enough, but turn the brightness up and read a line of text before you commit.
Text you can make really large
Every modern smartphone lets you make the text bigger, but they do not all go equally far. iPhones and Samsung phones can make text very large indeed, far past the standard setting, which is exactly what poor eyesight needs. This is the single most useful setting on the phone, and it takes less than a minute to change.
High contrast and bold
Pale grey text on a white background is hard work for tired eyes. Both iPhone and Samsung let you turn on bold text and increase the contrast, so letters stand out sharply. Some people find a dark background with light text easier again. It is worth trying both.
A magnifier and a voice
Two features help when the eyes are really struggling. A magnifier turns the phone into a digital magnifying glass for reading labels, letters and menus out in the world. A screen reader speaks aloud whatever is on the screen, so the phone can be used by ear as much as by eye. iPhones have both built in, called Magnifier and VoiceOver, and they are genuinely good.
The best phones for poor eyesight
iPhone, for the most complete vision tools
If eyesight is the main concern, an iPhone is hard to beat. Apple has built its accessibility tools in carefully, and they all sit together under Settings then Accessibility. You can make text very large, turn on bold and high contrast, use the Magnifier to read print in the real world, and have the phone speak the screen aloud with VoiceOver. A larger model such as a recent iPhone Plus gives you the biggest screen to work with. iPhones are sold at Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and the telcos, and any Apple-using family member can help.
May suit someone who
Wants a full smartphone, has some usable sight, and values the strongest built-in tools for reading, magnifying and listening.
Things to check
During setup, go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Display and Text Size, and turn on Larger Text and Bold Text. Add the Magnifier to the Control Centre so it is quick to reach. Our guide on making an iPhone easier for seniors walks through each step.
Plain-English verdict
The best all-round phone for poor eyesight if a smartphone is wanted. Costs more than a budget Android, but the tools are the most complete you will find.
Samsung Galaxy, the easier-on-the-pocket smartphone
A large-screen Samsung Galaxy does almost everything an iPhone does for less money. Easy Mode makes the text and icons bigger across the whole phone with one setting, and you can push the font size up further, turn on bold, and switch on a high contrast keyboard that is much easier to see. The Galaxy A-series is the affordable choice and the S-series the premium one, but both have the same vision tools. They are stocked everywhere here.
May suit someone who
Wants a clear, large-text smartphone without paying iPhone prices, or whose family already uses Samsung or Android.
Things to check
Turn on Easy Mode under Settings then Display, then raise the font size and turn on bold. A six and a half inch screen or larger gives the most room. If budget is tight, our budget phones guide covers the A-series in more detail.
Plain-English verdict
Excellent value for poor eyesight. Not quite as polished as the iPhone for magnifying and voice, but very close, and far kinder to the budget.
Doro, for a simple large-text menu
Doro makes phones specifically for older users, with large text and a clear, stripped-back menu built in rather than switched on afterwards. Its easy smartphones suit someone who finds a normal phone’s busy screen overwhelming as much as hard to see. In Australia they are sold online, through Doro Australia (doroaustralia.com.au) and retailers like Amazon Australia, so you usually cannot try one in a shop first.
May suit someone who
Wants the menu kept very simple and the text large from the start, and does not need a wide choice of apps.
Things to check
Confirm the model is a current 4G phone, and check the return policy with the online seller since you cannot visit a store.
Plain-English verdict
A gentle middle ground between a full smartphone and a talking phone. Good for low vision combined with a wish for simplicity.
BlindShell Classic 2, for very low or no vision
When there is very little usable sight, a talking phone designed for blindness is the right tool. The BlindShell Classic 2 has large physical buttons you can feel, and it speaks every menu item and keystroke aloud, so the phone is used entirely by touch and sound. It still does calls, texts, messaging, a reader and an emergency button, without needing to see the screen. In Australia, the best place to start is Vision Australia, which can assess what suits and sells the BlindShell Classic 2 through its own shop. The specialist retailer See Differently stocks it too. You can reach Vision Australia on 1300 847 466, and funding through the NDIS or My Aged Care may help with the cost.
May suit someone who
Has very low vision or is blind, prefers buttons they can feel, and needs the phone to speak rather than show.
Things to check
Talk to Vision Australia first. They can match the phone to the person’s sight and help with training, which matters far more than buying the device alone.
Plain-English verdict
The right answer for serious sight loss. Not a mainstream phone, but a thoughtfully made one, and best bought with proper local advice.
Do not forget the home phone
For many older Australians the phone they use most still sits on the bench at home. A big-button home phone with large, high-contrast numbers can be far easier to see than any mobile, and it pairs well with a mobile kept for going out. Our guide to the best home phones for seniors covers the clearest options.
Getting help and funding in Australia
You do not have to work this out alone. Vision Australia is the national service for people who are blind or have low vision, and its access technology specialists can assess what suits, set up the right tools, and sell equipment such as the BlindShell Classic 2 through its shop. See Differently is another specialist low-vision retailer. You can reach Vision Australia on 1300 847 466, Monday to Friday.
The cost may be covered. If the person is under 65 and on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, assistive technology can be funded through their NDIS plan. If they are over 65, My Aged Care can fund equipment and supports through a Home Care Package or the Commonwealth Home Support Programme. It is always worth asking about this before paying out of pocket, since the right help is often subsidised.
Buying checklist for poor eyesight
- The screen is large, around six and a half inches or more, and bright.
- The text can be made very large, not just a little bigger.
- Bold text and high contrast are available and turned on.
- For low vision, it has a magnifier and can speak the screen.
- For very low vision, you have spoken to Vision Australia first.
- It is a current 4G phone bought from a retailer with a warranty.
Setting up a phone for poor eyesight
The phone you buy matters less than how you set it up. Ten minutes here changes everything.
- Make the text large and bold, and turn the brightness and contrast up.
- On an iPhone, add the Magnifier to the Control Centre.
- On a Samsung, turn on Easy Mode and the high contrast keyboard.
- Put a few large contact photos of family on the front screen.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
Best overall for poor eyesight
If a smartphone is wanted, an iPhone with its accessibility tools turned on is the best all-rounder for poor eyesight, with a large-screen Samsung Galaxy a close and cheaper second. For someone who wants simplicity as well as large text, a Doro easy smartphone fits well. And for serious sight loss, a BlindShell talking phone bought with advice from Vision Australia is the right path.
Our recommendation
For workable but reduced sight, choose a large-screen iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, then spend ten minutes turning on large text, bold and high contrast, and adding the magnifier. For very low vision, call Vision Australia on 1300 847 466 before buying anything. They can match a phone to the person’s sight and help with training, which is the part that really matters, and can point you to NDIS or My Aged Care funding.
Next steps
To get the most out of a phone you have chosen, see our guides on making an iPhone easier and choosing a phone for an older parent. For the wider range, our best smartphones for seniors guide compares the main models. You will find all of our phone advice on the phones for seniors hub.
FAQ: phones for poor eyesight
Do I need a special phone, or will a normal one do?
For most people with reduced sight, a normal iPhone or Samsung with large text and high contrast turned on works beautifully. A special phone is mainly for very low vision, where a talking phone like a BlindShell makes sense.
Which is better for low vision, iPhone or Samsung?
The iPhone has the most complete tools, including the Magnifier and VoiceOver. A Samsung Galaxy comes very close for less money, with Easy Mode and high contrast. Either is a good choice, so match whichever brand the family helper already uses.
What is a talking phone?
It is a phone that speaks every menu and button aloud, so it can be used by touch and sound rather than sight. The BlindShell Classic 2 is the best known. Vision Australia can advise on whether one suits.
Can I get help with the cost?
Vision Australia sells low-vision equipment through its shop, and See Differently is another specialist retailer. If the person is on the NDIS or My Aged Care, assistive technology funding may cover part or all of the cost. Call Vision Australia on 1300 847 466 to talk it through.
How big should the screen be?
Aim for around six and a half inches or larger. A bigger screen lets you make the text large while still showing enough on the page, which is exactly what poor eyesight needs.
