The A11y Path

Today, I gave Voice Control on iOS a try.

After learning more on the WCAG principles, I've been trying to apply the principles in real life. One way I do this is by writing more intentional, accessible code. I've also been practicing keyboard navigation and using VoiceOver on my MacBook more often. VoiceOver is still a bit tricky for me the constant system voice can be overwhelming, but I'm slowly getting used to it.

Today, I decided to try something new: Apple's Voice Control. It's a speech input tool designed to help people with motor impairments control their device using their voice. It was surprisingly easy to use aside from the fact that I had to repeat myself sometimes

One interesting thing I noticed is how WCAG 2.5.3: Label in Name really shows up here. When using Voice Control, users should be able to say something like “Tap Search” and it works just like that. This only works well if the visible label and accessible name match.

For example:

• A button that says “Search” should have the accessible name “Search”.
• A multi-word label like "Search App" should also respond to “Tap Search if that's how users naturally refer to it.
• If the button is just an icon (like a magnifying glass used for search), the accessible name still needs to be “Search” so the voice command works as expected.

This made me realize how important it is to name things properly, in this case, for speech input users.

I found Voice Control on iOS easier to use than VoiceOver on iOS, but both gave me a better understanding of how different assistive tools work.

Voice Control isn't one of the assistive technologies listed in the IAAP Body of Knowledge for WAS certification, but I think it's worth exploring. Understanding how it works helps us design and build with more users in mind.

How to use Voice Control on iOS

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to Accessibility > Voice Control.
3. Toggle Voice Control on.

You can also start with the built-in tutorial—it does a great job explaining the basics and most common commands.

Here are some Voice Control commands you might use:

• "Show Numbers" - Adds numbered labels to every interactive element on the screen.
• "Tap [label]" - Activates an element by name, like "Tap Search".
• "Stop Listening" / "Start Listening" - Pauses or resumes voice control.
• Stop/Start listening - will toggle listening
• "Scroll Up" / "Scroll Down"
• "Swipe Up/Down/Right/Left"
• "Two Fingers Swipe Up/Down/Left/Right" - For multi-touch gestures.t

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Resources

• Use Voice Control commands to interact with iPhone
• Use Voice Control on your Mac
• WCAG 2.5.3: Label in Name