Deaf and
hard-of-hearing

Make your Verizon mobile device or Fios TV services work better for you by taking advantage of accessible features and apps for customers who require additional auditory assistance or have difficulties with hearing.

Below are helpful links for customers with hearing-related issues on the Apple iOS Accessibility Support Website.

Accessibility Shortcut - Turn accessibility features on or off with Siri, triple-clicking the side or home button, or using the  Control Center.

Closed Captions - Provides subtitles and transcriptions to assist in following along more easily with audio and video.

Facetime - Video chat and stay connected with friends and family, whether they’re using an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or a Mac.

LED Flash Alerts -  Set the LED light (next to the camera lens on the back of the iPhone) to flash to announce incoming calls and other alerts.

Live Captions - Convert spoken dialogue or live conversation into text and display in real time on your device. 

Magnifier - Use the iOS device as a magnifying glass to zoom in on objects near you.

Motion - Stop or reduce motion for message effects and auto-play video previews. Helpful for users with sensitivity to motion effects or screen movement.

Mono Audio -Turn on to combine the left and right channels to play the same content.

Siri - Use this iOS personal assistant to open apps and turn many settings on or off. 

Sound Recognition - Set your device to listen for certain sounds—such as a crying baby, doorbell, smoke alarm, or siren—and notify you when it recognizes these sounds.

Switch Control - Use the screen, camera, microphone, or the back of the iPhone to select, tap, drag, type, select an item or location on the screen, or choose an action.

Voice Control - Use your voice to direct the phone to perform gestures, interact with screen elements, dictate and edit text, and more.

VoiceOver - Adjust the speaking rate and pitch to suit your needs to get audible descriptions of what’s on your screen—from battery level, to who’s calling, to which app your finger is on.

Zoom - Magnify the entire screen (Full-Screen Zoom) or magnify only part of the screen with a resizable lens no matter what you’re doing. 

Below are helpful links for customers with hearing-related issues on the Android Accessibility Support Website.

Accessibility Shortcut - Turn on accessibility apps or switch between apps by using shortcuts that you set to use.

Android Accessibility Suite - Customize your device with common accessibility settings and apps.

Action Blocks - Simplify your home screen by adding common actions with a name or an image.

Bixby (Samsung) - Configure your device to perform certain actions and work with your favorite apps and services to help you get more things done.

Live Caption -  Caption speech on your device for videos, podcasts, phone calls, video calls, and audio messages.

Live Transcribe  - Capture speech and sound and see them as text on your screen.

Magnification  - Zoom in to see your texts and emails better.

Quick Settings - Add favorite accessibility features to a swipe-down menu for easier access.

Sound Notifications - Set your device to listen for certain sounds—such as a crying baby, doorbell, a smoke alarm or siren—and notify you when it recognizes these sounds.

Switch Access - Interact with the device using the screen, camera, microphone, or the back of the device instead of the touchscreen. Helpful if you have difficulty interacting directly with your device.

Text and Display - Change text and content motion settings to suit your needs.

Text-to-speech -Convert text input and play audio aloud.

Touch & hold delay - Adjusts the amount of time before your tap on the screen triggers an action.

Voice Access - Control your device with spoken commands. Use your voice to open apps, navigate, and edit text hands-free.

Did you know Verizon offers interactive tutorials to troubleshoot simple device issues, learn essential tasks, and discover more about what your technology can do for you? Visit our main tutorials portal to learn more about your device or visit one of the manufacturers listed below.

• Apple (iOS) Device Tutorials 
• Google Device Tutorials 
• Samsung Device Tutorials
• Motorola Device Tutorials

Below is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 M-rating and T-rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards. Visit the Verizon Wireless store locator to find a store near you to try available in-store handsets.

Verizon also offers phones that are Cochlear Implant compatible (IOS 12 or later and Android 10 or later). Learn more about Cochlear Implant Compatibility.

• Note on new technologies 
• Additional resources on wireless phone ratings.
• Basic Phone vs. Smartphone

Updated: 10/30/24

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible Apple phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible Google phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible Samsung phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible Motorola phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible Palm, HMD Global Nokia, Kyocera and TCL Communications phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Here is a list of Verizon Wireless' hearing-aid compatible basic phones along with their HAC ratings. These phones all meet the FCC’s 2011 “M” and “T” rating standards, or indicate that they meet the updated 2019 standards.

Verizon Wireless’ digital network supports TTY-compatible devices. For information on how to use TTY service on your device, visit Verizon Support.

Please note that not all wireless phones are TTY compatible. To verify that your device is TTY compatible, please refer to its user guide. 

Real-time text (RTT) is a feature that can make it easier for customers with hearing or speech impairments to carry on a conversation through text.

With standard text messaging, you have to compose an entire message, hit Send and then wait for a reply. But with real-time text, each character is transmitted immediately as it’s typed. So it’s as if you’re having a conversation “in real-time.” Since there’s no delay between sending and receiving messages, and because you can talk and text simultaneously over the same connection, RTT can feel like a more natural form of communication than TTY or text messaging.

Unlike TTY, there’s no need for a separate device. As long as your Verizon Wireless phone supports RTT, you can send and receive real-time text using only your smartphone. (Note: If the person you’re calling does not have RTT or TTY enabled on their device, the call will be voice only.)

Can I use RTT on my Verizon phone?

How do I use RTT?

How is RTT different from text messaging?

Is RTT better than TTY?

Who can I call using RTT?

If you choose to install your Fios service yourself, we want to make sure you have all the tools at your disposal to ensure a successful installation.

We’ve created easy-to-read self-installation guides to help you self-install new Fios TV and Internet equipment. These guides can be downloaded via the following links:

• Self-install guide - Fios TV+ equipment (PDF)

• Self-install guide - Fios TV One equipment (PDF)

• Self-install guide - Fios TV/VMS 1100 and Internet (PDF)

You can also sign into the My Fios app to access the self-installation tool from your dashboard. This tool can help with both the installation and activation process. 

Verizon also offers a Fios TV channel lineup in large print format. 

View large-print Fios TV channel lineup (PDF)

Would you prefer to receive printed large print or braille copies of these materials?

Verizon can ship you a Fios TV channel line-up or printed versions of these guides in either large print or braille. To request a printed brochure, visit verizon.com/AccessibleMaterials. Please note that fulfillment of these materials may take up to 10 business days.

Text to Speech functionality is standard on most Fios TV set-top boxes. It can enhance accessibility for customers by providing an audible readout of on-screen text, such as menu and guide data. This feature can easily be enabled or disabled using your Fios remote.

Most Fios TV remote control models let you turn Closed Captioning on or off by pressing the cc button. Otherwise, you can always use the Media Guide to turn Closed Captioning on or off.

Descriptive Video Service (DVS) provides an audible narrative description of key visual elements to aid blind viewers.

Please visit the Resources & Support page for more detailed information on Text to Speech functionality, Closed Caption for Fios TV and Descriptive Video Service.

You can also sign into the My Fios app to access our troubleshooting guide, visit Fios Customer Support or call 800-974-6006 (Voice or TTY) 508-251-5301 (Videophone) 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday for help.

For more information on closed captioning, visit the Fios Support Section.

How to make video calls on Android:

Before you begin, make sure all devices in the phone call either have built-in Video Calling or have downloaded an app that supports Video Calling and have it turned on in order for Video Calling to be enabled in a phone call. To learn how to do this on your phone, please visit the Android Device simulator for your specific device and search for Video Call.

From within a call:

If the person you're calling can accept a video call, you'll see a video camera icon on your phone’s screen. You can then tap that icon to upgrade the current call to a video call. 

From within your contacts:

If you notice a video icon within one of your contacts, that person’s device will be able to accept your video call. Simply tap the icon to begin a video call with that person.

For detailed step-by-step instructions, go to your phone device simulator page and search Video Call in the Search bar.

Note: The voice portion of a video call is billed as a standard voice call, according to your plan. The video portion is billed as data, according to your data plan. No data charges apply to video calls transmitted over Wi-Fi.

How to make video calls on iPhone using Facetime:

iPhone users can make video calls using FaceTime, Apple’s video calling application. 

For detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use FaceTime on your iPhone, please visit the Apple’s support site. Then select the Communications and contacts Tutorial > Video Calls > Placing a Video Call or search Facetime in the Search bar.

Visit Verizon support for more information on home and mobile support such as troubleshooting your device, managing your account, or to find out more about what other services Verizon offers.