iOS accessibility cheatsheet

1. Why it matters

Better UX for everyone: larger text, clearer focus, less motion sickness.
App Store and Apple HIG expect solid accessibility basics.
Many fixes are small API choices: labels, traits, and Dynamic Type.

2. Core APIs (UIKit + SwiftUI)

Need	UIKit	SwiftUI
Accessible name	`accessibilityLabel`	`.accessibilityLabel()`
Hint / how to use	`accessibilityHint`	`.accessibilityHint()`
Value (slider, switch)	`accessibilityValue`	`.accessibilityValue()`
Role / behavior	`accessibilityTraits`	`.accessibilityAddTraits()`
Hide decoration	`isAccessibilityElement = false`	`.accessibilityHidden(true)`
Group children	container + combined elements	`.accessibilityElement(children: .combine)`
Custom actions	`UIAccessibilityCustomAction`	`.accessibilityAction()`

3. VoiceOver labels that work

Describe the control, not the visual style: "Delete message", not "Red trash icon".
Keep labels short; put extra guidance in the hint.
Do not hardcode visible text into the label if the UI label already speaks it - avoid double reading.
For icons-only buttons, a label is mandatory.
Update labels when state changes (Playing / Paused, Selected / Not selected).

// SwiftUI
Button(action: delete) {
  Image(systemName: "trash")
}
.accessibilityLabel("Delete message")
.accessibilityHint("Removes this message from the chat")

// UIKit
button.accessibilityLabel = "Delete message"
button.accessibilityHint = "Removes this message from the chat"
button.accessibilityTraits = .button

4. Traits and roles

Trait	Use when
`.button`	Tappable action control
`.link`	Opens another screen / URL
`.header`	Section title for rotor navigation
`.selected`	Current tab, chip, or selected cell
`.adjustable`	Slider / stepper with swipe up-down
`.image`	Meaningful image (not decorative)
`.updatesFrequently`	Live values (timer, download %)

Pick one clear role. Conflicting traits confuse VoiceOver.

5. Dynamic Type

Use text styles (body, headline, footnote), not fixed point sizes only.
In UIKit: label.adjustsFontForContentSizeCategory = true with a text style font.
In SwiftUI: prefer .font(.body) / semantic styles; test largest Accessibility sizes.
Layouts must not clip or overlap at XXXL.
Prefer wrapping over truncating critical text.

// UIKit
label.font = .preferredFont(forTextStyle: .body)
label.adjustsFontForContentSizeCategory = true
label.numberOfLines = 0

// SwiftUI
Text("Account settings")
  .font(.title2)
  .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)

6. Motion, contrast, and system settings

Setting	What to do
Reduce Motion	Replace large parallax/zooms with fades or no animation
Increase Contrast	Strengthen borders and text/background contrast
Bold Text	Do not rely on hairline fonts only
Differentiate Without Color	Do not use color alone for errors/states
Button Shapes	Ensure tappable text still looks actionable

// SwiftUI Reduce Motion example
@Environment(\.accessibilityReduceMotion) var reduceMotion

withAnimation(reduceMotion ? nil : .easeInOut) {
  isExpanded.toggle()
}

7. Focus order and grouping

Reading order should match visual order (top-left to bottom-right in LTR).
Group title + subtitle + meta into one element when they form one card.
Hide decorative images and separators from VoiceOver.
After modal dismiss / navigation, move focus to a sensible element.
Custom components need a clear accessibility frame (hit target roughly 44x44 pt).

8. Quick checklist before release

#	Check
1	Every icon button has a label
2	Forms announce errors, not only red color
3	Dynamic Type at largest sizes does not break UI
4	VoiceOver can complete main user flows
5	Reduce Motion has a calm alternative
6	Images that matter have descriptions; decorative ones are hidden
7	Selected states are exposed with traits/values
8	Sheet/dialog titles are announced as headers

9. How to test on device

Settings - Accessibility - VoiceOver - turn on (or use Accessibility Inspector on Mac).
Practice gestures: swipe to move, double-tap to activate, two-finger scrub to go back.
Settings - Display and Text Size - Larger Text - test max sizes.
Enable Reduce Motion and Increase Contrast, then re-check key screens.
For automation: XCTest accessibility audits / Accessibility Inspector warnings.