Accessibility Features To Consider When Developing Your App

Making apps more accessible to people with visual impairments, hearing difficulties, and other disabilities is extremely pressing for businesses in an age when everyone uses the Internet and justifiably expects the same level of access to content. By considering accessibility at the app design stage, you can overcome many common problems that some people have when accessing mobile apps, setting your brand apart as someone who cares about their customers. Here are six crucial accessibility features that should be considered for your app:

1. Text-To-Speak

This feature converts on-screen text into spoken words and benefits people with visual impairments or dyslexia, allowing them to access content without reading text on a screen. In-app text-to-speak tools can be activated through voice commands or a simple touch of a button and are often used by people who simply prefer an audio interface, as well as people with visual impairments.

2. Colour Blindness 

Colour blindness, or colour vision deficiency, affects around 3 million people in the UK. Colour blindness affects people differently, with the most common variant being red/green colour blindness. 

It’s important to be aware of this when developing an app, and this can involve labelling elements with names and symbols rather than solely with colours and giving users the option to change colour schemes to ones that are more visible to colour-blind users.

3. Adjustable Text

Adjustable text allows users to change the style and size of the text within your app according to their preferences and is particularly useful for users with reading difficulties or visual impairments. It’s also a big plus for users of small mobile devices, regardless of their accessibility needs, avoiding the issue of text being too small to read on some screens.

4. Predictive UX Tools

Predictive user experience (UX) tools make it easier for people with various physical conditions, such as dyspraxia, to access your app by anticipating what the user intends to do and thereby making the app simpler to navigate. A predictive UX also utilises familiar patterns and keeps important navigational elements consistent across your app, making the application more intuitive.

5. Captions For Videos

Providing multi-language captions for all videos featured on your app can help deaf or hard-of-hearing users access your content comfortably and allows them to understand what is being said, especially if it isn’t in their native language as well.

6. Native Controls

Implementing ‘native controls’ when designing your app is also important. These are controls already familiar to users through their daily use of their smart devices, making it easier for them to navigate your app without a learning curve. 

For instance, if you’re developing an iPhone app, you must use native iOS controls throughout your application so iPhone users can immediately find their way around it. The same applies to apps designed for Android devices. This simplifies the user experience and makes the app more accessible.

The Importance Of App Accessibility

Building accessibility into the fabric of your app makes good sense on plenty of levels, the first of which is ensuring that no one feels excluded from using it because of an accessibility issue. Beyond this, many of these features will make your application easier to use and more customisable for all users, and the more choices you give your customers, the more likely they’ll use your app regularly.

To find out more about accessibility and how to make your mobile apps more accessible to the widest possible range of customers, please get in touch with one of our app development team to talk to us about your project.

Image source: Canva