Make Text Bigger in Windows 7 [How To]

By Rich on January 15, 2009 (37 Comments)

With screen resolutions always increasing, it can be harder to read the small writing on the screen. To increase accessibility for Windows 7, you can increase the size of screen fonts to make things easier to read.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to increase the font size in Windows 7.

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Increase the Size of Windows Text

To increase the size of the text and other items in Windows:

1. Click the Start button, type font, and click on Make text and other screen items larger or smaller

2. On the Display screen, select Medium or Large and click Apply

3. When prompted, click Log off now to apply the changes and refresh your desktop:

4. Log back in and the fonts will now be larger and easier to read

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About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix the problems he creates.

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Comments

elwoode
thanks I need this as using the computer far too much – my eyes are taking a hammering!
elwoode
thanks I need this as using the computer far too much – my eyes are taking a hammering!
elwoode
thanks I need this as using the computer far too much – my eyes are taking a hammering!
Bill Gates
[Ctrl] + and [Ctrl] – also allows you control of font sizes.
- Cokane_88
  nice short cut
- Msuglia
  Thanks! I’ll try this.
Bill Gates
[Ctrl] + and [Ctrl] – also allows you control of font sizes.
- Noneonoe
  Wrong. Only works in IE and some other apps.
Bill Gates
[Ctrl] + and [Ctrl] – also allows you control of font sizes.
mr eller
im using my tv screen for my computer but I cannot have the high resolution, for when the text becomes too small, you can change how much, but the text is only as small,
I would be happy if they could be a suspected seen and try to do
text greater
btw my user resolution 1920 x 1080
mr eller
im using my tv screen for my computer but I cannot have the high resolution, for when the text becomes too small, you can change how much, but the text is only as small,
I would be happy if they could be a suspected seen and try to do
text greater
btw my user resolution 1920 x 1080
mr eller
im using my tv screen for my computer but I cannot have the high resolution, for when the text becomes too small, you can change how much, but the text is only as small,
I would be happy if they could be a suspected seen and try to do
text greater
btw my user resolution 1920 x 1080
LameWaytobeforcedtologin
Why only 150%? That’s typically idiotic by the idiots at microsoft – that’s not enough for some of us!
Rich
LameWaytobeforcedtologin – If it’s too small still, I recommend reducing your resolution.
LameWaytobeforcedtologin
Why only 150%? That’s typically idiotic by the idiots at microsoft – that’s not enough for some of us!
LameWaytobeforcedtologin
Why only 150%? That’s typically idiotic by the idiots at microsoft – that’s not enough for some of us!
Rich
LameWaytobeforcedtologin – If it’s too small still, I recommend reducing your resolution.
Rich
LameWaytobeforcedtologin – If it’s too small still, I recommend reducing your resolution.
IceBeam
Its a stupid suggestion, if that was possible people had probably done that already. And more and more things are starting to REQUIRE higher resolutions. Many of googles sites (which seem to have forgotten how to do resolution independent design) are hard coded to require high res, and that's just a damn website. Its even worse with programs. I'm only under XP and a lot of stuff is hardcoded to be small, you can't make them larger no matter what you try.
Guess most programmers are kids with perfect eyes (kids being under 35 – just wait until they hit 45 and their eyes start going as well – of course by then there are new generations of kids not giving a s***)
IceBeam
In windows??? Wow, that's a surprise for all.
http://richr.org/ Rich
The person has increased their fonts, they still can't see, and reducing your resolution is a “stupid” idea.
What else do you suggest (other than whining about it?)
http://mintywhite.com RSVR85
The kids at Microsoft have kindly made a tool for people in your situation using Windows 7.
Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > Magnifier.
JennyInCali
This is a horrible way to increase text size. You can also just ZOOM in on the right bottom corner of each page but you will have to do it for every webpage you open. Either way, the 125% increase made my text look better but the icons were HUGE and very annoying.
- Rmena9763
  you are so right… it is microsoft at its best… screwing up a good thing in XP and not including it in win7 that is why I use ubuntu linux
Elriana
Not in every application. But it's a handy trick in web browsers and such.
Elriana
To change windows font sizes without resizing icons, try http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1175-fonts…
Msuglia
I like the idea of this, however, I am having trouble getting it to work. Beware!
Flagmanglobal
Thanks for your help
Rmena9763
this is the most stupid solution from windows. I don’t care for larger icons, i want to increase font size. also the other recommendation is to lower the resolution…. a more stupid idea…. haven’t they learned anything from old XP?
Rudi
- OsL
  you and your STUPID comment!
Rmena9763
I didn’t know that the inquisition board had to censor my last comment…
so much for openess.
- http://richr.org/ Rich
  Patience :)
ITJoe
select inside the box and type it in.
Bunnyjc
When I print a recipe from FoodTV.com, the print is so small that I can barely read it – how do I remedy this problem??
Jill
i wear glasses and still can’t read on the facebook pages
- Anonymous
  Changing resolution in your browser is a different process. While on Facebook hold down the CTRL key, and tap the plus “+” sign to make bigger, or the minus “-” sign to make smaller.
  Your keyboard might also have a key that looks like a magnifying glass with a plus “+” sign in it which would work too as long as that key isn’t a designated search hotkey.
  - http://clintjcl.tumblr.com/ ClintJCL
    much easier to control + mousewheel [if you have one].. esp cause webbrowsing is associated with mousing [much less so than, say, programming]

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