How to Control Your iPhone with Your Eyes? Introducing Eye Tracking in iOS 18

Have you ever wanted to operate your smartphone without using your hands, just by looking at it? Good news: Apple devices now have this feature! It’s called Eye Tracking. Designed primarily to help individuals with motor impairments, this feature is sure to impress other Apple users as well. Let’s explore how you can use your iPhone hands-free.

A New Feature for Smartphones and Tablets

Eye Tracking works on both iPhone and iPad. To activate it, all you need is to update your operating system to iOS 18/iPadOS 18 and configure your device following a specific process. This feature is available for iPhone 12 and later models (excluding the iPhone SE).

Eye Tracking comes in handy if you (or someone close to you) cannot or prefer not to use the touchscreen. The functionality relies on the front camera module, which tracks your eye movements to determine the direction of your gaze. Machine learning ensures your data remains secure.

With Eye Tracking, you can perform everyday tasks such as scrolling pages, selecting items, answering calls, and more. Activation is done using Dwell Control—just focus your gaze on an app icon to open it.

Did you know Apple smartphones are considered among the most inclusive devices? The company is proud of this reputation and is constantly innovating.

How to Activate Eye Tracking

Here’s how to enable the feature:

1.     Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.

2.     Go to Accessibility, find Eye Tracking, and turn it on.

3.     Complete the calibration process.

For calibration, you’ll need to focus on specific points displayed on the screen for a few seconds each. Try not to blink during this process for the most accurate results.

Using Eye Tracking

After calibration, a cursor will appear on the screen to track your gaze. When you focus on an icon, a contour will form around the cursor. Once it fills (taking between 0.1 to 4 seconds), the system registers it as a tap (this default action can be changed). And that’s it—your app is open!

To configure additional gestures or use physical buttons, go to the AssistiveTouch section.

Adjusting the Feature to Your Preferences

You can fine-tune Eye Tracking to make it more comfortable for you:

1.     Navigate to Settings → Accessibility → Eye Tracking.

2.     Explore the available options:

·       Smoothing: Higher values make the cursor move more smoothly, while lower values make it more responsive.

·       Object Snap: The cursor automatically snaps to the closest icon to your gaze.

·       Keyboard Magnification: The virtual keyboard enlarges, making it easier to use. Focus on the section with the desired symbols, then gaze at a key to select it.

·       Auto Hide: The cursor appears only when you focus on an icon. It disappears when it detects your eye movement.

·       Dwell Duration Control: Adjust the timer duration for focusing on an icon before an action is performed.

If you have questions about setting up or using Eye Tracking, visit iSpace stores. The staff will guide you through the process and introduce you to Apple’s latest innovations.