Is there ANY way to turn off double-tap = zoom on iPad Safari?

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Level 1

5 points

Is there ANY way to turn off double-tap = zoom on iPad Safari?

My iPad is currently running iOS 9.2.1, and is a model ME406LL/A

I am having accessibility problems. I have very shaky hands. I am trying to use the iPad on web sites, and when I try to enter information, tapping on a button or a field, Safari interferes hugely by zooming the screen. I spend a very frustrating amount of time UN-zooming it and trying again.

I looked in the general settings accessibility, and in the Safari settings in the system settings, and I looked in Safari (which has almost no settings at all in the actual browser that I could find) and I was unable to find this capability. It seems like an obvious accessibility feature, OS X has it as far back as 10.6.8 for instance, you can completely control the double-click rate, so I know someone at Apple has thought this through... am I just missing something on the iPad? It sure wouldn't be the first time. 🙂

I do have an Android tablet that lets me use the web considerably more effectively until I can find an iPad solution, but I'd really just like to use my iPad sometimes. It's just so frustrating to use as it stands now.

Thanks for any pointers.

--Really hating on the zoom

--Ben

Macpro, MB Pro, various Minis, MB Air, iPods, Touches, iPads, Mac OS X (10.5.8), I also run linux, windows and android

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 11:11 PM

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Answer 1

bobseufert

Level 6

15,904 points

Feb 2, 2016 11:19 PM in response to fyngyrz

There is a new function in accessibility that might help. Go to settings> general> accessibilty> touch accomodations> on. Try ignore repeat, unfortunately I haven't been through all the choices to know what would work best for you.

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Answer 2

fyngyrz Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 4, 2016 6:12 AM in response to bobseufert

No, doesn't have any effect.

I think it's just something Apple failed to account for in terms of accessibility.

Too bad they don't participate in these threads. Be nice to get an "oh yeah" or even a "take a hike" from them.

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Answer 3

fyngyrz Author

Level 1

5 points

Feb 3, 2016 9:38 AM in response to bobseufert

That's definitely where such a thing ought to be, I suppose, but no. If I set it low, for instance .1 sec, it seems to act just as before. If I set it high, then instead of my shaky input being a double click, it's one, but it won't take another click from me for a while, but then when it does, it treats it as a double click and zooms the page again. I really need the whole double-click thing to go away. If I could set the double click time to be less than the touch accommodations time, I think that would work, but I don't see a way to set the double click time, either.

I would like to just use pinch / unpinch to control zooming.

Appreciate the idea.

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Answer 4

Oct 18, 2016 2:59 AM in response to bobseufert

I found the answer! The double-tap zoom applies in apps besides Safari (TextEdit, for one) and the place to turn it off is in System Preferences, not Safari:

System Preferences » Trackpad » Scroll & Zoom tab » uncheck Smart zoom.

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Answer 5

Jul 5, 2017 4:18 PM in response to bobseufert

I have the same question but for a particular website that needs a double tap of select options...the ipad interprets the double tap as a request to zoom in. This is a pain. The answer given above is for MacOSx like on a MacBook Pro...not the same as an iPad. This is a problem I am not sure apple anticipated in the UI for IOS.

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Answer 6

bobseufert

Level 6

15,904 points

Feb 3, 2016 6:11 PM in response to fyngyrz

You can adjust the home button click speed in settings> general> accessibility> home button.

I'm not sure if that will help with the double tapping of the screen.

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Answer 7

bobseufert

Level 6

15,904 points

Feb 4, 2016 2:46 PM in response to fyngyrz

Here's the closest to their participation as we can get.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

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Answer 8

bobseufert

Level 6

15,904 points

Oct 19, 2016 1:36 AM in response to Megijiisan

Sorry my delay in replying, I'm not getting all my email notifications. You'resolution is probably correct I have no way of checking. I'm not sure if it would work on a iPad though.

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Answer 9

omgoleus

Level 1

4 points

Dec 20, 2017 5:23 PM in response to Megijiisan

Uh, this isn't an answer to the question. The question is about iOS but your answer is about Mac OS.

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