diff --git a/configuration.c b/configuration.c
index f2715660d1..b661bb67ff 100644
--- a/configuration.c
+++ b/configuration.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 #include "switch_performance_profiles.h"
 #endif
 
-#if TARGET_OS_TV
+#if IOS
 #include "ui/drivers/cocoa/apple_platform.h"
 #endif
 
@@ -2880,6 +2880,11 @@ void config_set_defaults(void *data)
    load_timezone(settings->arrays.timezone);
 #endif
 
+#if IOS
+   configuration_set_bool(settings,
+         settings->bools.accessibility_enable, UIAccessibilityIsVoiceOverRunning());
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_MENU
    if (first_initialized)
       configuration_set_bool(settings,
diff --git a/ui/drivers/cocoa/apple_platform.h b/ui/drivers/cocoa/apple_platform.h
index 018aa5e36d..7c27dbac94 100644
--- a/ui/drivers/cocoa/apple_platform.h
+++ b/ui/drivers/cocoa/apple_platform.h
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #ifndef COCOA_APPLE_PLATFORM_H
 #define COCOA_APPLE_PLATFORM_H
 
+#if TARGET_OS_IPHONE
+/* this comes from UIKit but you cannot #include UIKit from C */
+extern bool UIAccessibilityIsVoiceOverRunning(void);
+#endif
+
 #if TARGET_OS_TV
 #include "config_file.h"
 extern config_file_t *open_userdefaults_config_file(void);