Smartphones are an essential part of our lives, constantly evolving to help make our lives easier. Whether navigating cognitive or mobility challenges or looking for more innovative ways to use your device, Consumer Reports reveals the top accessibility tools that can make a big difference in your life.

For Consumer Reports research specialist Karla Noboa, everyday tasks haven’t always been easy due to physical and cognitive disabilities. But unexpectedly, Karla’s smartphone has become more than just a device; it’s a powerful tool that helps her navigate daily life with greater ease and independence.

Karl says using the smartphone features has definitely improved accessibility for her because she didn’t know how to use her phone in a way that would be helpful to her.

If you need some hands-free help, the digital assistant on your phone, like Apple’s Siri or Samsung’s Bixby, can text, make calls, or set alarms and timers for you.

If you have hearing loss or are in a noisy environment, phones offer real-time captioning, whether watching videos or on videochat. Another option allows your phone to read aloud the text on the screen.

Screen magnification is great for those with vision issues or those who might find tiny text hard to read. Both iPhones and Android phones let you zoom in on text or images.

Motion settings can help with dizziness or motion sickness. Karla uses her iPhone’s Reduce Motion feature, which slows the speed of on-screen scrolling, to alleviate her dizziness. And Apple’s new Vehicle Motion Cues feature is the first solution that’s helped ease her motion sickness. She would often have to ask someone to pull over so that she could look at her phone.

These features can make life more convenient; for some, they do even more. And having those accessibility features available makes Karla feel more secure as she goes about her day.

Also, update your phone’s operating system to take advantage of all the latest accessibility features.