What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-change-display-zoom-on-an-iphone/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1

In this guide

Open Settings and tap Appearance
Scroll down and tap Display Zoom
Choose Larger Text
Or choose Default
Tap the tick to apply it
If you do not see this option
If this does not work
Good to know
Video demo
Sources

Quick answer

On iOS 27, open Settings, tap Appearance, scroll down and tap Display Zoom. Choose Larger Text for bigger buttons, icons and text, or Default to fit more on the screen, then tap the tick at the top right and, as Apple describes, Use Zoomed. On iOS 26 it is under Display & Brightness.

5 of 5 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device: iPhone
Shown on: iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
App: Settings
Path: Settings › Appearance › Display Zoom › Larger Text or Default
Real screenshots: 5 of 5 steps
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 1 official, linked below

Step by step

Open Settings and tap Appearance
On iOS 27 Appearance is in the main Settings list. On our iPhone 17e it is in the group that starts with General, below Accessibility and Action Button.
Watch these steps Done
Scroll down and tap Display Zoom
It is below Text Size and Bold Text. The row shows the current view, Default on our iPhone 17e with iOS 27.
Done
Choose Larger Text
The left preview shows bigger controls and text, with less on the screen at once. In the picture Default is still selected; tap Larger Text to select it. Nothing changes until you tap the tick.
Done
Or choose Default
The right preview is the normal view, which shows more content. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 Default was ticked.
Done
Tap the tick to apply it
The blue tick is at the top right of the Display Zoom page. Apple says to tap Use Zoomed next. We did not apply it on our iPhone 17e, so Default stayed ticked.
Done

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens and Apple's iOS 27 guide.

Watch these steps

The video loads from YouTube when you press play.

Subscribe to Fix It Simply on YouTube

If you do not see this option

Your iPhone runs iOS 26 or earlier. There is no Appearance page yet. The same setting is under Settings, Display & Brightness.
No Display Zoom on the Appearance page On iOS 26 Apple puts it under Settings, Display & Brightness, Display Zoom. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 it is the last row on Appearance, below Text Size and Bold Text. Sources: Adjust iPhone display and text settings (iOS 26), Adjust iPhone display and text settings (iOS 27)
No Display Zoom row under Display & Brightness On iOS 27 Apple lists it under Appearance. Our iPhone 17e's Display & Brightness page had no Display Zoom row. Source: Adjust iPhone display and text settings (iOS 27)

If this does not work

Nothing changed after choosing Larger Text Apple says to tap the tick, then Use Zoomed. On our iPhone 17e the tick is the blue button at the top right of Display Zoom. Source: Adjust iPhone display and text settings (iOS 27)
Text is still too small Apple points to Settings, Accessibility, Display & Text Size: tap Larger Text and drag the slider, or turn on Bold Text. Source: Make text easier to read on iPhone

About this guide

Text Size only makes letters bigger. Apple says Display Zoom also increases the size of interface elements like icons and buttons.

The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 17e running iOS 27.0.1. On iOS 27 Display Zoom moved to the new Appearance page. The Appearance page on our phone showed Default.