How to see what you type in larger text on an iPhone
2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 4 October 2026
Open Settings, tap Accessibility, then Keyboards & Typing, then Hover Typing, and switch it on. The iPhone then displays the words you type in larger text. On the same page you choose where the large text sits, its font, size and colours.
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 26.5 (iPhone 17)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Accessibility › Keyboards & Typing
- Real screenshots
- 6 of 6 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
The text field of a chat or a form can be small, and typing mistakes are easy to miss. Hover Typing repeats what you type in larger text. It is off at first.
The screenshots show iOS 26.5 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows have the same names, with a slightly different look.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap Accessibility
Accessibility is in the first group of the main Settings list, below General.
Scroll down and tap Keyboards & Typing
It is under the heading Accessories, near the bottom of the page.
Tap Hover Typing
It is the first row. The note below says what it does: display words in larger text while typing.
Switch on Hover Typing
The switch is at the top of the page. In the picture it is still off.
Choose position, font and size
Display Mode is set to Docked To Keyboard at first. Font and Size are set to Default. Tap a row to change it.
Choose the colours
Under Display Colors you set the colour of the text, the insertion point, the background and the border. Under Typing Colors, misspelled words and autocorrected words each get their own colour. In the picture these are red and blue.
Good to know
To hide the large text for a moment, swipe on it. It comes back when you start typing again.
Display Mode offers three places: inline near the cursor, at the top of the screen, or directly above the keyboard.
Apple's user guide reaches the same page by another way: Settings, Accessibility, Hover Text, Hover Typing. No mouse or trackpad is needed for Hover Typing.
To make all text on the iPhone larger, not only what you type: how to make text bigger on an iPhone.
The iPhone can also say each word aloud while you type: how to make an iPhone speak words as you type.
In short: Settings, Accessibility, Keyboards & Typing, Hover Typing on.
Links checked on 3 October 2026. Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.