iOS 15 Books App Reader Customization Updates

Apple’s iOS 15 brought several key refinements to the Books app reader interface, focusing on greater personalization, reading comfort, and seamless navigation. This update enhanced how users interact with digital text by expanding visual themes, improving typography settings, and refining layout options such as vertical scrolling, allowing readers to tailor their reading experience directly from the reading view.

Enhanced Themes and Background Colors

The reading interface in iOS 15 streamlined the appearance options accessible via the text menu (the "aA" icon). Readers gained easier access to predefined themes that alter both text contrast and background tones:

  • Multiple Color Palettes: Options such as Pure White, Sepia, Gray, and Pure Black allow users to match their reading environment, whether in bright daylight or low-light conditions.
  • Auto-Night Theme Integration: The interface can automatically shift to dark tones based on the system-wide Dark Mode settings or ambient light conditions, reducing eye strain without requiring manual adjustment.

Typography and Layout Controls

iOS 15 made typography adjustments more granular and accessible without cluttering the page:

  • Expanded Font Library: Users can choose from a curated selection of typefaces, including Apple’s custom serif design (New York), San Francisco, Georgia, Palatino, and others optimized for digital readability.
  • Granular Text Sizing: The font size slider allows for immediate, real-time scaling of text to accommodate visual preferences.
  • Text Formatting: Readers can toggle between justified text and left-aligned text, as well as customize line spacing and margins on supported book formats (EPUBs).

Vertical Scrolling Mode

In addition to the traditional horizontal page-turning animation, iOS 15 improved the Vertical Scrolling toggle within the reader settings:

  • Enabling vertical scroll converts the book into a continuous, seamless feed.
  • This feature provides a web-style reading experience that allows for rapid scanning and smooth one-handed navigation on iPhone screens.

Streamlined In-Book Controls

The surrounding user interface elements received visual and functional refinements to minimize distractions:

  • Minimalist Chrome: Tapping the center of the screen quickly dismisses or summons the controls, maximizing screen real estate for the text.
  • Reading Progress Indicators: Page numbers, chapter titles, and remaining reading time are displayed more cleanly at the top and bottom of the page without interfering with the primary text body.