Best Free Apps to Help You Read Small Menus
We have all been there: sitting in a dimly lit restaurant, squinting at a menu where the font seems to have shrunk to the size of an ant. You hold the candle closer, pull out your reading glasses, and still struggle to tell the difference between the chicken and the fish.
You don't need to struggle or rely on your dining companions to read for you. Your smartphone has powerful "computer vision" tools built right in—and they are free. These tools use AI to see the world through your camera, magnify text, and even read it out loud to you.
The Google Lens App Google Lens is like a magnifying glass with a brain. It is likely already on your Android phone, or you can download the Google app on your iPhone. When you open it and point your camera at a menu, it does more than just show you the picture.
You can tap the "Text" button, and it will highlight the words on the paper. From there, you can make the text larger on your screen or tap the "Listen" button to have a pleasant voice read the menu options to you. This is wonderful for restaurants with fancy scripts or low light. It can even translate foreign menus if you are traveling.
The Built-In "Magnifier" If you just want things bigger, you don't need a fancy app. Both iPhones and Androids have a hidden "Magnifier" tool. Unlike your regular camera, which might get blurry when you zoom in close, this tool is designed specifically for reading text.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Control Center and add "Magnifier." Then, swipe down and tap the magnifying glass icon. You can slide a bar to zoom in incredibly close, turn on a flashlight specifically for the menu, and even freeze the image so you can pull the phone closer to your face without holding your hand steady over the table.
Seeing AI (For Reading Aloud) For those who prefer listening over reading, "Seeing AI" is a fantastic free app from Microsoft. It was built for people with low vision, but it is useful for everyone.
You select the "Short Text" mode and simply hold your phone over the menu. It will immediately start reading whatever words it sees. You don't even need to take a picture—it reads in real-time. It’s like having a friend whisper the menu options into your ear.
These tools restore your independence. Instead of asking "What does this say?", you can confidently order exactly what you want.