If you’re looking for a magnifying glass app to help you read small text or explore little things, you’ve certainly come across many apps. The problem, however, is that not all of these apps are good at magnifying things.
We’ve compiled the best apps that turn your iPhone into a magnifying glass on the go. Check them out below.
1. Magnifying glass + flashlight
Topping our list of the best-magnifying glass on iPhone is Magnifying glass + flashlight. This is a simple, easy-to-use app with many beneficial features. You can use it as a magnifier, restaurant menu, or prescription bottle reader. It comes complete with a flashlight to help you see in low lighting.
Once you launch the app, it autofocuses on whatever you want to magnify and allows you to zoom from 1.0x to 5.0x. You then have the high contrast feature to make things clearer. Also, you can capture images of the zoomed content and save them in your photo app library.
Your device must have iOS and iPadOS 10.0 or later to install and use this app. The app is free but offers in-app purchases.
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2. SuperVision + magnifier
SuperVision + magnifier is a free magnifying glass app for iPhone. It can help you read small print nearby and see far-off signs. It has several top-quality features that make the images clear and better.
They include:
- A simple user-oriented interface with large and highly visible buttons. You can double-tap the screen to hide buttons and maximize the screen.
- Built-in flashlight support to use in low lighting.
- Allows focus locking.
- Stabilization feature that’s activated when you press and hold the screen. You have the option only to stabilize vertically while allowing horizontal reading movement.
- Freeze the screen at high resolution to examine the details.
- Ability to select a target for focus and exposure control.
- Inverted black-and-white image mode.
- Ability to take snapshots and save them in your camera roll library or recall them.
Your device only needs iOS or iPadOS 8.0 or later to run this app.
3. Magnifying glass with light
The Magnifying glass with the light app will save you from squinting at the tiny print on menus, prescription bottles, or even books.
It allows you to use an iPhone camera as a magnifying glass on the go. It’s free and comes with the following features:
- Support for both portrait and landscape orientation.
- Light level control.
- You can check out the image capture later in your camera roll library.
- Autofocus lock to help you analyze a specific area.
- Pinch to zoom in and out of a view.
- Auto-turn on built-in light to help you see in low lighting conditions.
- Shake to hide/show the app’s control buttons.
- A full-screen user interface.
- Front camera support.
- Magnification power from 1.0x – 5.0x.
Read: The best apps to read manga on iOS
If you upgrade to the pro version via in-app purchase, you’ll enjoy the following additional features:
- A high contrast mode.
- A crystal clear mode.
- Save your captures to an entire photo album.
- Tap the center to freeze/unfreeze an image.
- Enhanced freeze allows you to move, drag, and photograph the frozen image.
Your device must have iOS/iPadOS 9.3 or later to run this application.
4. Glasses
Did you forget your reading glasses at home? No problem! The Glasses app on iPhone will help you see fine prints and tiny objects up to 12x magnification. It has some of the best, most functional, and easy-to-use features.
To start with, it utilizes the flashlight to help you see in low-lighting environments. Next, you can tap and hold to freeze the image if your hands are shaky. Then, there’s the zoom-in and out-of-the-image feature that you can activate by swiping sideways continuously or double-tapping the screen. Lastly, you can capture and store the images in your camera roll.
You’ll need iOS 10.0 or later to download the app on your iPhone. It’s free, but you can upgrade its features with in-app purchases.
5. BigMagnify
BigMagnify completes our list of the best free magnifying apps on iPhone. It’s a highly advanced app with cutting-edge features like:
- A locked-focus mode, auto-focus mode, and manual focus mode.
- Image stabilization.
- Tap and hold to focus.
- Magnifying levels from 1x-8x.
- Adjustable flashlight for viewing in low lighting.
- Image filters like invert, sharpen, and mono to improve visibility and readability.
- A single tap on the screen freezes an image.
- Full-screen viewing.
- Intuitive gestures that help you zoom and focus.
- Use the front-facing camera and turn your iPhone into a magnified mirror.
You need iOS/iPadOS 10.3 or later to download and use the app. It’s free, but you must pay to get the ads-free version.
With these apps, you’ll never struggle to read small print or see minute objects. Considering people rarely forget their phones, it’ll be like having your reading glasses everywhere.
If you want a much stronger 100x magnifying glass app, check out Magnifying glass from I-Beam, with its infinite digital zoom and other great features.
Read: How to open a PDF on an iPhone
Alex is an IT technician who shares his experiences with Apple devices occasionally. He has a collection of Apple devices (from iPhone 4) and has recently started trying out Android.
IG: @I M_Alex