Screen recording and start broadcast - improve accessibility for the elderly?

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Screen recording and start broadcast - improve accessibility for the elderly?

My 92-yro mother calls me regularly that 'her ipad is completely messed up'. Since she's a 90-minute drive away, the only way to keep her going is by having some form of remote support. Surely, many of you must recognize this.

Unfortunately, every form of remote support requires for her to jump through an incredibly difficult (for her!) series of hoops: pull down a menu, click screen sharing with long press (!!), click on screen broadcast, pick the right app from a list... Impossible for anyone with even the mildest cognitive impairment.

Has anyone found a useful way around this? If not, is there any place I can petition Apple to PLEASE provide the option of having ONE icon to press to enable simple screen sharing? Even if only Apple-to-Apple, ipad-to-ipad -- based on pre-established and preconfigured trust.

Imho, Apple is really dropping the ball here. The elderly deserve some consideration in the design process too.

iPad (6th gen) WiFi

Posted on Dec 14, 2021 1:40 PM

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LotusPilot

Community+ 2025

Level 10

301,658 points

Dec 15, 2021 6:22 AM in response to pkleynjan

iOS/iPadOS does not support remote control or remote access to iPad or iPhone.

As you are aware, FaceTime has recently introduced Screen Sharing - which often provides a viable method of helping with “support issues” remotely. While you would need to explore the capabilities in greater detail, you may be able to at least partially automate the call setup and screen sharing using the native Shortcuts App - and install a trigger icon on a Home Screen. The Shortcuts User Guide can be found here:

Shortcuts User Guide – Apple Support

Apple do invite submission of constructive comment and feature requests via their Product Feedback pages. For iPad:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

It may also be worthwhile directly contacting Apple Support - and ask to speak with an Accessibility Specialist. Apple have a team dedicated to offering support for accessibility and disability - perhaps including cognition issues.

You can contact Apple Support using the Get Support link at top-right of this page. Alternatively, you can initiate contact, or open a support case, using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/apple-support/id1130498044

I hope this information is helpful in providing some ideas - and guides you to potential specialist help.

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