Make your iPhone and iPad perfect for reading
Save money on e-readers by transforming your device into a distraction-free reading environment.
Jul 17, 2025, 10:09 AM
Thinking about buying a separate device like a Kindle to help you focus on reading?
Hold off and think about using your existing iPhone, iPad, or an old device instead.
Or if you're already using them for reading, you can learn how to make the experience better for your eyes and more distraction-free.
In this article, we have compiled 7 iOS tips and tricks that every reader should know.
Reduce White Point
Add Accessibility Shortcut
Switch to grayscale
Turn on Night Shift
Set up Guided Access
Disable installing apps
Hide Safari web browser
1. Reduce White Point
Go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size, then scroll all the way down till you see the option for Reduce White Point.
By toggling it on, you can reduce the intensity of bright colors. This reduction can be further customized using the slider.
2. Add Accessibility Shortcut
You might not want to reduce bright colors all day long, especially when you’re photo editing or watching a show.
Accessibility Shortcuts allow you to add a shortcut to easily turn the feature on and off by simply triple-clicking the side button.
Go back to Accessibility and scroll all the way to the bottom till you see Accessibility Shortcut.
On this page, you’ll find a list of accessibility settings that you can toggle. Simply look for the “Reduce White Point” option.
3. Switch to grayscale
Going grayscale has been long suggested as a method to combat the addictive nature of technology, as seen on the Lifehacker website.
Most people would agree that scrolling through social media is more enticing than reading. By switching our devices to grayscale, we can make apps like Instagram and YouTube less appealing.
To enable grayscale, navigate to Accessibility > Display & Text Size and scroll down to locate the Color Filters option. Then toggle it on and ensure the Grayscale option is selected.
You can also add Color Filters to the Accessibility Shortcut, allowing you to quickly switch between grayscale and color.
Turn on Night Shift
Most of our devices today come with the option to reduce blue light and shift to warmer colors.
On iPhone and iPad, this feature is called Night Shift. You can easily toggle it on by holding down the brightness control in the control center.
You can also adjust the color temperature to your personal preference by navigating to Display & Brightness > Night Shift in your device settings.
5. Set up Guided Access
Guided Access is a built-in iOS feature that can lock your device to a single app.
To enable it, go to Accessibility > Guided Access and turn on the toggle.
On the same page, enable Accessibility Shortcut, which will allow you to start a Guided Access session in an app by triple-clicking the side button.
More importantly, set a passcode that will be required to exit Guided Access.
Consider disabling the Touch ID or Face ID options to make it more difficult and intentional to exit Guided Access.
6. Disable installing apps
This tip is for those using an older or secondary device for reading.
It’s a lesser-known setting that removes the App Store from your device.
This setting is ideal for devices dedicated to a specific purpose, such as reading, especially when you’ve already installed all the necessary apps.
Open Settings and navigate to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Toggle the setting on and under iTunes & App Store Purchases, set Installing Apps to Don’t Allow.
7. Hide Safari web browser
Similar to why you might want to disable app installations, you can also hide the Safari web browser.
In Settings, go to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and ensure the toggle is enabled.
Then click on Allowed Apps & Features and look for the Safari app to toggle it off, which will remove it from your Home Screen.
This setup eliminates the possibility of getting distracted or sidetracked from browsing online.
Now it’s your turn to transform your iPhone or iPad into a better e-reader.
It doesn’t mean you have to implement all the tips and settings at once, just starting somewhere can make a difference.
