How to Change the Size of Text on Windows 11

Whether you have trouble reading small menus or want to squeeze more content onto your screen, Windows 11 gives you several built-in ways to adjust text size. Below is an overview of each method, step-by-step instructions, and tips to help you get the perfect balance of legibility and workspace.

Change Only Text Size via Accessibility Settings

This lets you decrease or increase the size of text throughout Windows without affecting icons or apps’ scaling.

 1. Open Settings (Win + I)> Accessibility> Text size.

 2. Drag the Text size slider left or right to preview your changes live.

 3. Click Apply.

Windows will briefly log you out and back in to apply the new text size everywhere (Start menu, Settings, File Explorer, dialogs, etc.).

Adjust Display Scaling for Text, Apps & More

If you want everything on your screen, like text, icons, apps, taskbar to appear larger or smaller, use Display scaling.

 1. Open Settings> System> Display.

 2. Under Scale & layout, find Scale.

 3. Choose one of the recommended percentages (100 %, 125 %, 150 %, etc.) or click the drop-down and select a custom value.

 4. Windows may prompt to sign out and back in to finish.

Note: Higher scaling makes items bigger; lower scaling fits more content but may make text tiny.

By the way, if the preset options don’t meet your needs, Windows 11 lets you enter a precise scale value to fine-tune scaling: 

 1. In Settings >System> Display, scroll to Scale & layout.

 2. Click Scale> Custom scaling.

 3. Enter a number between 100 and 500 (percent).

 4. Hit Apply and sign out/in when prompted.

Warning: Custom scaling can cause some programs to look blurry. If that happens, revert to a preset scale.

Use the Magnifier for Temporary Enlargement

If you only occasionally need larger text (for charts, documents, web pages) without having to change other settings, try the built-in Magnifier:

 1. Press Win + + (plus) to open Magnifier.

 2. Zoom in/out with Win + + or Win + – (minus).

 3. Move the cursor in one of the screens to view. 

 4. Close Magnifier with Win + Esc.

Change Browser or App-Specific Text Size

Many apps and browsers let you adjust text size independently of Windows:

• In Microsoft Edge or Chrome: press Ctrl + + to zoom in, Ctrl + – to zoom out, or Ctrl + 0 to reset.
• In Word, Excel, and PDF readers: use each program’s View or Zoom menu.

Best Practices & Tips

• Start with Text size (Accessibility) for a quick, system-wide change that only affects fonts size. If you want to change the font type, refer to this guide: How to Change the Font on Windows 11. 
• Use Display scaling when you need everything, including icons and buttons, to grow uniformly.
• Avoid overly high custom scaling because older apps can become blurry.

Conclusion:

By mixing these options, you can tailor Windows 11’s appearance to your eyes and workflow, whether you need giant menus for easy reading or a compact desktop that shows more content. Experiment with one method at a time, then combine them until you find your perfect setup.