If you’ve spent time fine-tuning VoiceOver speech rate, Display & Text Size, Reduce Motion, or Touch accommodations on your iPhone, rebuilding all of that on a new device by hand is nobody’s idea of fun. The good news: iOS 26 adds a built-in way to transfer Accessibility settings directly from one iPhone to another — no cable, no backup, no computer required.
The feature uses AirDrop, so your settings travel wirelessly and securely between devices that are sitting next to each other. Whether you’re helping a family member match your setup or moving to a brand-new iPhone, here’s exactly how it works.
What you need before you start
The transfer only works when a few basics are in place:
- Both devices must be running iOS 26 (or iPadOS 26 for iPads).
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be turned on on both devices.
- Keep the two devices close together during the transfer.
- AirDrop must be set to Contacts or Everyone. You’ll find it under Settings > General > AirDrop.
How to share Accessibility settings with AirDrop
- On both iPhones, confirm Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are switched on, then place the devices near each other.
- On both devices, open Settings > General > AirDrop and make sure it is set to Contacts or Everyone — not Receiving Off.
- On the source iPhone (the one whose settings you want to copy), open Settings > Accessibility.
- Scroll down and tap the share-accessibility-settings option.
- Choose the receiving device from the AirDrop list that appears.
- On the receiving device, accept the incoming transfer and wait for it to complete.
That’s it — the receiver’s matching Accessibility options are updated in seconds. To keep your Apple ecosystem consistent, you may also want to set up message sync between your iPhone and Mac.
Accessibility settings also carry over during setup
Setting up a brand-new iPhone? You may not need the manual method at all. When you use Quick Start — holding your old iPhone next to the new one — your Accessibility settings transfer as part of the process. Likewise, restoring from an iCloud backup brings your accessibility customizations along with everything else.
The AirDrop sharing method is most useful when both devices are already set up — for example, matching a second iPhone or iPad you already use. Speaking of new-system tweaks, if the iOS 26 look isn’t for you, here’s how to turn off the Liquid Glass effect in iOS 26.
If it still doesn’t work
- Double-check both devices are on iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 under Settings > General > About.
- Toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off and back on, then retry the share.
- Move the devices closer together — AirDrop works best within a few meters.
- Verify AirDrop is set to Contacts or Everyone on both devices.
- Restart both iPhones and run through the steps once more.
FAQ
Do Accessibility settings sync through iCloud on their own?
Not as a live sync between devices you already use — but they are included in full device transfers. Use the AirDrop sharing option in Settings > Accessibility for a direct copy, and rely on Quick Start or an iCloud restore when setting up a new iPhone. If you use accessibility alerts, also see our guide on how to set an alarm for urgent reminders in iOS 26.
Will the transfer erase the settings on the receiving device?
The incoming settings replace the matching Accessibility options on the receiver. If you’ve already customized the second device, give your key settings a quick review afterward.
Conclusion
Transferring Accessibility settings in iOS 26 is a small feature with a big quality-of-life payoff: one AirDrop share and your carefully tuned setup lives on both devices. For the official documentation, Apple covers it in the iPhone User Guide on sharing Accessibility settings with another device. Set it once, share it everywhere.
