Getting Started: Using JW Library with VoiceOver
Install JW Library
You will need to know your Apple ID and password, or have the App Store setup to remember it and use Face or Touch ID to install apps.
Open App Store. Find and double tap the Search tab. It will be the right most tab. Tabs are at the bottom of the screen on iPhone, but on the top of the screen on iPad.
Find the "Games, apps, Stories, and more, search field" near the top of the screen. Either double tap there to type in JW Library using the keyboard, or swipe right and double tap the "Dictate button" to say JW Library. After dictating double tap with 2 fingers.
If JW Library wasn't what was entered, double tap the clear button, and try again.
JW Library should be the first search result. Make sure it has a high number of stars from many thousands, or K, of people. If the ratings are lower it isn't the correct app. Double tap the Get button right after it.
The Store will ask you to confirm purchase of the app even though it is free. Enter your password or authenticate by touching the Home Button for touch ID, or double press the Lock button for Face ID.
When the app is downloading the "Get button" will become a loading button. When installation is complete it will become an "Open button."
First time opening JW Library
To open JW Library either find its name on the Home screen and double tap it, or tell Siri, "Open JW Library."
The First time you open JW library it will display a Wellcome message followed by a user agreement you must read and accept. Even if you read to the end of the agreement using Voiceover you may have to double tap the Scroll Down button to get the application to make the Accept button active, so you can successfully double tap it.
You will likely hear "Checking for publications" when the app first opens.
The 1st time JW Library is run it will ask if you want to receive notifications. Swipe right until you hear the "allow button" and double tap it. Mine has never actually given me a notification but I assumed it would be important to receive it if it ever did. Of course, you can choose the "Don't Allow button" if you would prefer.
Next you will likely hear a "what's new" message. Swipe right several times until you find the "got it" button and double tap it. This will only happen the first time you run JW Library or after a JW Library update has been installed.
At some point you will get a message saying "Highlighting is not available while VoiceOver is running." Swipe right and double tab the okay button. This means underlining while using VoiceOver is not possible, so just as it always has been with braille or audio publications, your memory or notes are the only options.
Full Screen
If you are a Voiceover user you will immediately want to change one default setting in JW Library. Having it set to full screen display will often hide the controls at the top and bottom of the screen. Sighted users can just touch at the top or bottom to make those necessary controls reappear, but it usually doesn't work with Voiceover running.
You will have to risk experiencing the problem before you can fix it, because it is not in the "TB Settings" on the Home tab.
You will have to download and open a publication like the Daily Text. Then find the More button in the top right corner of the screen just below the status bar.
Make sure you are in a publication that is showing an article or some other content text, because the option doesn't appear in the More menu if you are only in the table of contents or some other navigation feature.
After double tapping the More button swipe left through the options until you hear "Full Screen." If it is on, double tap to turn it off.
Now double tap the Done button in the top right corner to return to the publication.
Using JW Library
When you open JW Library you will often hear "JW Library Home Heading." This means Voiceover focus is at the top of the screen in the first tab of the app.
There are 5 tabs across the bottom of the screen. They are:
Voiceover will say "TabBar" and then the name of the tab you have landed on when you touch it. If you touch another spot on the TabBar VoiceOver will only say the tab's name without saying TabBar.
The tab that is currently open will have the word "Selected" spoken in front of it.
To select a different tab touch it and then double tap.
You can switch between tabs without losing your place.
For example: you could look up a Scripture in the Bible tab and then double tap the Library tab to read a publication or play a video. When you double tapped the Bible tab again you would find the scripture you looked up was right where you left it. This behavior obviously can be extremely useful.
Note that double tapping a tab that is already selected will bring you out of whatever you were reading in that tab and back to the beginning.
For example: in the Bible if you had looked up a scripture you would no longer be at that verse or even in any chapter or book. You would be back at the list of books.
Getting Help
Other pages on this site will explain more about how to use JW Library with VoiceOver, but don't consider this official documentation. If you have any trouble using JW Library with VoiceOver or Zoom please ask one of the elders in your local congregation to provide you with the phone number for the blind help desk at the World headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses.