Mobile Accessibility: Practical Techniques for Designers and Developers
Think about how often we use our phones every day. We order food, read news, book rides, shop, and chat, all from small screens. Now imagine trying to do all of that if you can’t see clearly, can’t tap tiny buttons, or rely on a screen reader to understand what’s on the screen.
That’s where mobile accessibility comes in.
Mobile accessibility means making sure your mobile website or app works for everyone, including people with disabilities. It’s not about doing something extra or fancy. It’s about designing and building things in a way that doesn’t leave people out.
The good news? When you design for accessibility, you usually end up creating a better experience for all users — not just those with disabilities.
What Does Mobile Accessibility Mean?
In simple terms, mobile accessibility means creating experiences that people can use easily, no matter their abilities or limitations. When accessibility is done right, users don’t need instructions or extra help to get things done.
It focuses on clarity, comfort, and ease of use across different devices, settings, and ways of interacting.
Mobile accessibility includes things like:
Text is easy to read
Buttons are easy to tap
Content makes sense when read out loud
Users don’t get stuck or confused
The app or site works on different screen sizes and settings
Some users rely on screen readers. Some have shaky hands. Others may be distracted, tired, or using one hand. Some Essential Accessibility Features supports all of these situations.
Make Text Easy to Read
Reading on a phone is already harder than on a desktop. When text is too small or crowded, users quickly lose focus or give up.
Readable text helps users scan content faster and understand information without effort. It also reduces eye strain and improves overall comfort.
What you should do:
Use big enough text so people don’t have to zoom in
Keep lines short and spacing comfortable
Avoid fancy fonts that are hard to read
Make sure text stands out clearly from the background
Clear text benefits everyone, whether someone has low vision or is reading outdoors in bright light.
Keep Layouts Clean and Simple
Mobile screens have limited space, so clutter becomes overwhelming very fast. A clean layout helps users understand what’s important and what to do next.
Simple designs reduce mental effort and make navigation feel natural. Users shouldn’t have to guess where things are.
Helpful tips:
Stick to simple layouts
Use clear headings so users know what’s coming next
Group related content together
Don’t overload one screen with too much information
A clean design helps everyone, especially users who get overwhelmed easily.
Make Buttons Easy to Tap
Tiny buttons are one of the biggest mobile problems.
Some users may have shaky hands, limited movement, or large fingers. If buttons are too close or too small, they tap the wrong thing.
Best practices:
Make buttons big enough
Leave space between buttons
Don’t place important buttons too close to screen edges
Make clickable areas obvious
If someone has to tap three times to get it right, something’s wrong.
Don’t Rely Only on Swipes or Gestures
Swiping, pinching, and dragging are common on mobile, but not everyone can do them easily.
A better approach:
Always give a simple option, like buttons
If something works by swiping, also allow tapping
Avoid actions that need two fingers unless necessary
Everyone should be able to use your app or site in the easiest way possible.
Make Sure Screen Readers Can Understand Your Content
Some users don’t see the screen, they hear it. Screen readers read out content aloud, button by button.
To support this:
Every button should have a clear name
Icons should explain what they do, not just look nice
Content should follow a logical order
If a screen reader reads “button, button, button” with no meaning, the experience becomes frustrating very fast.
Let Content Adjust to Different Screens
Phones come in many sizes. Users also change text size in their settings.
What helps:
Let text grow without breaking the layout
Avoid fixed-size boxes that cut off content
Make sure the site works in both portrait and landscape
If text gets bigger and things overlap or disappear, users won’t stay.
Don’t Use Color Alone to Explain Things
Color is helpful, but not everyone sees color the same way.
Better ways to show information:
Use text + color, not color alone
Show error messages clearly with words
Use icons or symbols along with color
For example, don’t just show an error in red, also explain what went wrong.
Give Clear Feedback
Users should always know what’s happening.
Did their form submit?
Did the button work?
Did something fail?
Good feedback includes:
Clear messages
Simple language
No confusing alerts
This reduces frustration and builds trust.
Support Different Ways of Using a Phone
Not everyone uses a phone the same way.
Some use:
Voice commands
External keyboards
Assistive tools
Your design should not block these methods.
If someone prefers voice or keyboard navigation, your site or app should still work smoothly.
Test with Real People
Tools can catch mistakes, but real users catch real problems.
What you can do:
Test on actual phones, not just simulators
Try screen readers yourself
Ask people to complete tasks and watch where they struggle
You’ll learn Reasons to include disabled users more in one real test than from ten assumptions.
Make Accessibility Part of Everyday Work
Accessibility works best when it’s not an afterthought.
Designers and developers should:
Talk about accessibility early
Use simple rules again and again
Learn from feedback and improve
It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being thoughtful.
Final Thoughts
Next time you’re on your phone, just notice how often you zoom in, miss a button, or have to tap twice because nothing happened. It’s annoying, right? For many people, that’s not an occasional thing, it’s every single interaction.
Mobile accessibility is really just about fixing those everyday annoyances. Bigger text, clearer buttons, simple messages. When things work the way people expect, using your product feels easy instead of frustrating.
You don’t have to change everything at once. Pick one small problem and fix it. Do that regularly, and you’ll end up with something people actually enjoy using — without even thinking about accessibility.
If you’re unsure where to start or want a fresh set of eyes on your mobile experience, Inclusive Web can help you spot issues and improve accessibility step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to follow accessibility rules if my app or site is small?
Yes, size doesn’t really matter here. Even small websites and apps can create big frustrations if they’re hard to use. Starting with accessibility early is actually easier than fixing problems later, especially as your product grows.
How do I know if my mobile experience has accessibility issues?
A good sign is when users struggle or ask the same questions repeatedly. You can also try using your site with a screen reader or increasing text size on your phone. If things feel confusing or broken, users are likely experiencing the same issues.
Can accessibility be added later, or should it be planned from the start?
You can add it later, but it’s much easier when accessibility is part of the plan from the beginning. Small choices made early, like button size or text spacing, save a lot of time and rework later.
Have Questions?
We Are Inclusive Web
We work with our clients to simplify digital accessibility to ensure your web and digital applications are ADA compliant and accessible to all your users. If you’d like to talk about your digital accessibility, you can email us at matthew@inclusiveweb.co, leave us a note here, or schedule a call here to discuss. Let’s make the web inclusive to all!