# NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile > Free news, magazines, and text recognition for the print-disabled. (iPhone/iPad app by National Federation of the Blind.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfb-newsline-mobile/id530470425 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [National Federation of the Blind](https://appshunter.io/developer/530470428) - Category: News, Entertainment - Price: Free - Rating: 4.30/5 from 499 App Store ratings · 53 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 3 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2012-06-04 - Data updated: 2026-08-02 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfb-newsline-mobile/id530470425/reviews.md ## What is NFB? NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile Free service for the print-disabled. Over five hundred newspapers and magazines plus weather, TV listings, and retail ads. NFB-NEWSLINE is a free service available to anyone who is blind, visually impaired, or print-disabled. It offers over five hundred publications to choose from including: - Thirteen national newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today - Thirty-three breaking news sources such as CNN, BBC, and ESPN Online - Fourteen international newspapers including Financial Times and Vancouver Sun - Seventy magazines like Reader’s Digest, Time, Rolling Stone, Guideposts, PC World, and countless state newspapers For a complete list of available publications, please visit https://nfb.org/participating-newspapers. New! KNFB Reader Basic is now a part of NFB-NEWSLINE! All of the core features you love about KNFB Reader are now free with NFB-NEWSLINE. KNFB Reader Basic gives you instant access to print anytime, anywhere, offering text recognition using your device’s camera. Use it to import or take a photo of anything containing text and the app will read the text out loud or display it on a connected refreshable Braille device. The app helps you get a good photo with special alignment tools, including spoken and vibration guidance. Additional NFB-NEWSLINE Features: - Television listings so you can keep track of your favorite shows - The latest retail ads from stores like Target and Walmart - Localized weather alerts. Have you heard the emergency alert tone on the television but are unable to read the message scrolling on the screen? Now you can simply sign into NFB-NEWSLINE and the text of the alert will be read to you on the spot. NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile uses your device’s GPS, so your weather alerts and forecasts go with you wherever you go. To use this app, you must be an NFB-NEWSLINE subscriber with a valid identification and security code. Eligible NFB-NEWSLINE subscribers may install and use this app on up to five devices. To learn more about NFB-NEWSLINE and how you can sign up, visit www.nfbnewsline.org or call 866-504-7300. NFB-NEWSLINE is a service of the National Federation of the Blind. http://www.nfb.org The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back. ## Key features - Access to 500+ newspapers and magazines - Breaking news sources - Retail advertisements - Television listings - Localized weather alerts - Text recognition with camera - Braille device compatibility ## What do users think of NFB? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - ♿ Fully accessible for blind and visually impaired users - 📰 Wide variety of newspapers and magazines available - 🆓 Free service with no complex downloads required - 📱 Convenient mobile access on-the-go - 🎙️ Excellent VoiceOver support - 🌍 Global news access from multiple sources - 📖 Includes weather, TV listings, and special content - 👍 Easy navigation and user-friendly interface - 🔄 Eliminates need for phone call-in service **Cons** - 🐛 App crashes frequently - 😤 Recent updates made app tedious and cumbersome - 📍 Difficult to change location settings - ❌ Incomplete articles from some publications - 🔐 Data privacy concerns - ⚙️ Navigation between pages is confusing - 📄 Limited article display (e.g., only 10 obituaries instead of full list) - 🔤 Apostrophes removed from article text - 🔍 Global search functionality broken - 💾 Unable to save articles to email - 📊 Excessive decimal points in weather data **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on search functionality - App crashes regularly during use - Unable to open individual articles - Global news search server communication errors - Articles display partially instead of in full - Login credentials not being saved - App requires re-initialization after reopening - Apostrophes missing from article text - Subscription section publications scrambled in iOS - Hartford Current articles not displaying fully - Returning to app resets position to top of issue **Most requested features** - Line-by-line article reading capability - Improved favorites section functionality - Better page navigation and position memory - Remove KNFB reader integration from app - Simplify weather forecast display without unnecessary decimals - Add ability to browse entire sections without opening individual articles - Improved article display from publications like Consumer Reports - User input on app changes before implementation - Better location/state management system ## Recent user reviews (10 of 53) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfb-newsline-mobile/id530470425/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Several updates in the last week or two *2026-07-25, version 4.0.3* I usually time out while waiting for information to load. It might be nice if they actually tested their updates before they issued it. Can we go back to the version three or four versions ago because that one didn’t seem to have any problems. ### 5/5 — Excellent!!! *2026-05-18, version 3.1.1* I love this app. Use it all the time. ### 4/5 — disappointed in NFB News Line and just a few ways *2026-05-09, version 3.1.1* it’s very disappointing that NFB News Line doesn’t insist that the Boston Globe lets us read by line. Also that there was a telegram and Gazette‘s content is almost nonexistent except for obituaries. You know there’s a lot going on in Worcester. We don’t even get to hear about it because you refuse to bake them, give us the content of the newspaper. ### 3/5 — Difficult to change *2026-04-03, version 3.1.1* It makes me wonder if NFB thinks we never move from one place to another. I’m having a difficult time changing it from Indiana to Kentucky. There seems to be nowhere to change my information. I really think the app is outdated and doesn’t work the way it should. And then that makes me wonder if my data is being stolen and sold. ### 2/5 — Articles from newspapers *2026-01-12, version 3.1.1* I had the Saint Paul Pioneer press as one of the periodic articles that I'd like to check out. Predominantly for the obituaries. Sundays are only 10 listed here. Why only 10 when there's Sunday has many many more?! ### 5/5 — NFB-NEWSLINE *2025-10-12, version 3.1.1* Good evening NFB-NEWSLINE team developers my name is Ulises Gomez. I am a proud NFB-NEWSLINE customer. I’ve been using the app for a long time. It is 100% accessible with VoiceOver. I would like to see updates coming into the app. Keep up the great work NFB-NEWSLINE team sincerely, Ulises a proud NFB-NEWSLINE customer three periods six!! ### 5/5 — This app is useful. *2025-05-28, version 3.1.1* This app is useful. As a blind person myself, I am able to read the news and other magazines just like everyone else. I've been subscribed to NFB Newsline since 2023 and it's awesome. ### 5/5 — NFB Newsline Review *2024-12-30, version 3.1.1* I am highly pleased with the service. Newspapers are struggling to survive and my hometown newspaper has a lot of reprinted articles from other papers so I feel fortunate to have access to The Washington Post, New York Times, etc. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. Thank you. ### 3/5 — Hartford current articles are being reported partially and not full *2024-08-31, version 3.1.1* I fully support NFB-NEWSLINE, however, for the past week articles being reported in the Hartford current which is my hometown newspaper are not being reported in full and they’re indicating that if you’re subscriber, then you have to sign in or and this is not functional and it doesn’t make sense so I just wanted to express my disclosure with this issue which is going on like I said for one week ### 3/5 — Five stars when it actually works *2024-08-25* But zero stars when it doesn’t. It’s August 25, 2024, and for the last several weeks the app seems to be crashing on a regular basis. Can’t use it at all when that happens, which is terribly inconvenient. I appreciate that it’s free, but lately I’ve been getting what I paid for. ## Frequently asked questions about NFB ### What is NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile? NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile is a free service that provides access to over five hundred publications, including newspapers, magazines, and retail ads, for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or print-disabled. It also includes features like text recognition and localized weather alerts. ### What are the key features of NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile? Key features include access to a vast library of newspapers and magazines, breaking news from various sources, retail advertisements, television listings, localized weather alerts, and the KNFB Reader Basic functionality for instant text recognition using your device's camera. ### Is NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile free to use? Yes, NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile is a free service. However, to use the app, you must be an NFB-NEWSLINE subscriber with a valid identification and security code. ### What devices is NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile compatible with? The description does not specify exact device compatibility, but it is available as a mobile application. Eligible NFB-NEWSLINE subscribers may install and use the app on up to five devices. ### How can I sign up for NFB-NEWSLINE? To learn more about NFB-NEWSLINE and how to sign up, you can visit their website at www.nfbnewsline.org or call 866-504-7300. Eligibility requires being blind, visually impaired, or print-disabled. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.0.3 — 2026-07-23 Welcome to version 4.0.3 of NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile. This version of the app fixes an issue when adding or removing favorites. We've also improved the text that can be found on the iPad when an article has not been selected in the main reading area. ### 4.0.2 — 2026-07-17 Welcome to version 4.0.2 of NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile! Here's what's changed in this version of the app: - This version fixes an issue where the share sheet would not always show shared content when used while viewing an article. - iPad Users will now have the option to use the app in iPad view, or in the same layout as the iPhone. This can be found on the Settings Page. - The iPad will now route all articles through the correct sidebar and article view area. - TV Listings on iPad will now load in the reading area. - TV Listings will now support changing channels while viewing a channel as web content. - Articles will now display correctly in HTML instead of plain text. - This version of the app also includes several security updates to make sure all connections stay private while using the app. - This version adds the ability to seep your place when moving in and out of articles. VoiceOver will move focus back to the last article you selected. - Articles will now appear in correct HTML formats. Use legacy Articles option under settings if content is not showing up correctly in certain publications. ### 4.0.1 — 2026-07-07 Welcome to the latest version of NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile! Here is what's new in this version of the app: - Made fixes to how back issues work on both iPhone and iPadOS. ### 4.0 — 2026-07-05 Welcome to version 4.0 of NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile! Here's what's been added in this version of the app: - The user Interface has an all new look. many aspects of the app should be easier to read, and content will load much faster. - We've added new categories for magazines. You can now find even more of your favorite magazine content in NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile - NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile now offers a feature called Travel Mode. Enable travel mode to quickly gain access to state specific content right from the Information Sources section. ### 3.1.1 — 2022-09-08 This version of NFB-NEWSLINE Mobile adds bug fixes and app improvements. ## Apps similar to NFB | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [lire: RSS Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lire-rss-reader/id1531976425) | 4.4 (150) | $9.99 | News | | [Downcast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566) | 4.3 (2,663) | $2.99 | News | | [Newsweek](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsweek/id370903329) | 4.5 (1,261) | Free | News | | [WBUR](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbur/id379690847) | 4.9 (4,021) | Free | News | | [Radio Talking Book](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/radio-talking-book/id1483640951) | 4.3 (3) | Free | News | | [Scripps News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scripps-news/id330879884) | 4.7 (10,227) | Free | News | ## More apps by National Federation of the Blind - [NFB National Convention](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfb-national-convention/id1571774107) All apps by National Federation of the Blind: https://appshunter.io/developer/530470428 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-02.*