Personalize Your Smartphone with Accessibility Features, Part 1

I’m happy to say that the smartphone experience for more mature users, like me, keeps getting better. With every new release, manufacturers offer more customizable options that help make navigating our phones a bit more convenient.

In my next pair of blog posts, I’ll offer a look at a few simple steps you can take to accomplish this, first for Android smartphones and then for iPhone models. For anyone with vision or hearing challenges, or for those who just prefer a simplified user experience, these small adjustments can make a big difference.

One of the handiest adjustments you can make on an Android smartphone is to change the font size. Choosing a larger font makes it so much easier to read phone numbers, text messages, map directions, website articles, and more. The process can be slightly different, depending on your phone, but on most, go to “Settings”; then “Accessibility”. Next, tap “Vision” and scroll to “Screen zoom and font”, or look for the specific font and display size options. Here, you can adjust both of these items to make everything appear the size you’re comfortable with. You can even choose a jazzy new font type if you wish, or increase the size of your text message bubbles and their content.

If you need help reading content on your mobile device, or prefer to multi-task while catching up on an interesting article or email, scroll further down the “Accessibility” menu and explore the “Text-to-speech” option. It powers applications to read aloud the text that is appearing on your screen. You can select the language, speed (speech rate), and service. Depending on your setup, this will be a choice of Google (the most common choice), your cellphone manufacturer, or a third party app you’ve downloaded.

For a truly streamlined experience, the Samsung devices carried by Consumer Cellular all come equipped with “Easy Mode”. Found in the “Settings” menu under “Personal”, this option allows you to simplify your home screen and see bigger on-screen icons. It’s a great way to save time by keeping only those things most important on display, and by being able to access them quickly and easily.

Imagine not having to squint at your screen to find that restaurant address—or fumble to locate your camera for that important picture! It only takes a few minutes to change your settings. Save time, and hassles, by fine-tuning your Android smartphone to meet your personal needs.

19 Thoughts on "Personalize Your Smartphone with Accessibility Features, Part 1"

  1. Nancy says

    Thanks for the info. I have changed my phone and really like it. Keep up the good work.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We’re glad to hear that you were able to personalize your phone, Nancy. Thank you for posting!

  2. Ray says

    Tell me how to block annoying calls from direct marketers & so-called credit card companies,

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Ray. Receiving unwanted calls can certainly be frustrating, but there are a few steps you can take. First, we encourage you to register your phone number with the Do Not Call registry. If you have a smartphone, there are also a variety of call blocking apps that can help screen known scam numbers. If you have any questions about unwanted calls or about your phone, we’re happy to assist you at 888-345-5509. Thanks again for taking the time to reach out to us today!

  3. Esther James says

    Not sure why your response time is now over 25 minutes but this is a problem. I used to enjoy your service now considering canceling.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      We appreciate your feedback, Esther, and we apologize for the wait you experienced. Please know that we are hiring and training more account advisors so that we can assist you quickly. I reviewed your account, and I see that we tried to call you back, but missed you. We can help you at 888-345-5509 now, and look forward to answering any questions you may have or making any necessary adjustments. Thank you again for reaching out to us today!

  4. JOHN RUSSELL says

    Help! I do not have a cell phone; I am a senior. I want a very inexpensive phone that some people call a “smart phone.” What is that? I only want one that comes with a gps (whatever that is); e-mail, a camera that I can see and can e-mail the pictures with, and a bus info. app (whatever that is.) I notice in the comments that such a phone can have large font (whatever that is), and be “personalized.” What does that mean? Thank you for your recommendation and price. Could you e-mail me info., price, suggestion or recommendation for such a cell phone? I shall appreciate it. Thank you.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for reaching out to us, John! We have a variety of smartphones available that have all of the features you’re looking for. There are generally two types of smartphones, those offered by Apple and those that use the Android operating system. It really comes down to a matter of preference. If you’re looking to try one for the first time, the Moto G LTE is an easy-to-use Android option that is available for just $50. You can learn more about it here. If you’re someone who is already familiar with Apple products, the iPhone SE is available for $10 down and $25 per month with our convenient EasyPay payment plans. You can learn more here. If you like, we can speak with you over the phone at 888-345-5509 and ask you a few questions, then make a recommendation for the perfect fit. We appreciate you posting, and we’re sure you’ll find that having a smartphone opens up a new world of technology!

  5. Brent Lee Mancini says

    I agree with that complaint about long wait times! I have been attempting to reach you for over two weeks both in the mornings and afternoons but get the message about extensive wait times of more than 15 minutes. I leave my number for a call back, but I can’t wait for a return call as I am very busy.
    I do feel that every competitor CC has, has the same problem! So it isn’t worth switching because everything about CC is better than your competition!

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for posting, Brent, and please know that we appreciate your patience. We apologize for the wait you experienced, and please know that we are currently hiring and training more representatives so that we can assist you quickly. In the meantime, I’ve passed your feedback on to our management team. Thanks again for reaching out to us, and we hope you have a great day!

  6. Raymond says

    I want to change my voicemail password, call your 800 number it is hopeless, put on hold for who knows how long, I just join you guys yesterday and I am upset already.Looks like the relation going to be a short one.

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for taking the time to post, Raymond. If you would like to change your password, you can press 4 for Personal Options once you’ve entered your voicemail inbox. From there, press 2 for Administrative Options, then press 1 for Passwords. Next, press 2 to toggle between Password On and Password Off. If you don’t recall your password and need that to be reset, we’ll need to help you over the phone at 888-345-5509. We apologize for the time you spent on hold, and I’ve passed your feedback on to our management team. We’re glad you reached out to us today, and we’re happy to assist you further if needed!

    • Eleanor says

      They give you the option to call you back and it works so much better than hanging on “hold”…

      • Seretha Brooks says

        Need to change phone number from old phone number to new phone number to get into voicemail. Also reset password. Thanks

        • Hi Seretha, thanks for taking the time to reach out. We’d be happy to assist with changing your number and getting a password changed. In order to assist you further with both of these, we will need to have you give us a call at 800-686-4460.

  7. Ron Milam says

    I have an Huawei Android Model MT2L03 Android 4.3. I continually get cut off on my phone calls by the phone switching to Airline Mode during the conversation. Is there a fix for this problem?

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for reaching out to us, Ron. That certainly sounds frustrating! We can help you troubleshoot this issue if you like at 888-345-5509. Just give us a call at your convenience and we will be happy to work with you to get this resolved. We appreciate you posting, and look forward to speaking with you soon!

  8. Richard Leach says

    My Google emails addresses are not on my Moto g4. How do I get them on the phone

    • Ashley at Consumer Cellular says

      Great question, Richard. You can add multiple email addresses to your inbox if you like. Just start by opening your Gmail app. Tap the menu in the top left corner, then tap the small arrow next to your email address. Tap the option to “Add account”, then just follow the steps to add your email addresses and password. That way, you’ll only need to check one inbox to see all of your messages! We’re happy to walk you through this if you like at 888-345-5509. Thank you for taking the time to post, and we hope you have a great day!