Reading text on a screen can be a challenge, especially for users with visual impairments or those using high-resolution displays. Thankfully, Windows 10 and 11 allow you to change the text size across apps and system interfaces, making everything more readable and reducing eye strain. This guide walks you through how to adjust text scaling step by step.
Why Change Text Size Across Windows Apps?
- Improved Readability
- Reduced Eye Strain
- Enhanced Accessibility
- Comfort on High-Resolution Displays
- Personal Preference
Text Scaling vs. Display Scaling
- Text Size Scaling: Adjusts only the size of text in menus, dialog boxes, and supported apps.
- Display Scaling: Changes size of everything — text, icons, apps, windows — across the entire system.
This guide focuses on text size scaling only.
Step-by-Step: How to Change Text Size
- Open Settings
- Click the Start menu > Settings (cog icon), or
- Press Windows key + I
- Go to Display/Text Size Settings
Windows 11:
- Click Accessibility in the left menu
- Under the Vision section, select Text size
Windows 10:
- Go to System > Display
- Scroll to the “Scale and layout” section
- Look for “Make text bigger” or “Change the size of text, apps, and other items”
- Adjust the Text Size Slider
- Drag the slider to the right to increase text size
- A live preview appears above the slider
- Apply Changes
- Click Apply
- Windows will momentarily update the interface
- Observe the Changes
- Text will appear larger across system menus and compatible apps (e.g., File Explorer, Edge, Settings, Mail)
Considerations & Troubleshooting
- Restart Applications: Some apps may need to be closed and reopened
- Third-Party Apps: Not all apps support system-wide scaling
- Use Display Scaling: For resizing everything, consider display scaling (Settings > System > Display)
- Monitor Resolution: Use a comfortable resolution for optimal text visibility
- Accessibility Tools: Explore Magnifier, Narrator, and others in Accessibility settings for further help
Personal Experience
After upgrading to a 4K monitor, I found the default text size nearly unreadable. Changing display scaling helped a bit but made some app elements blurry. When I used the “Make text bigger” setting in Windows 10, the improvement was immediate and clear — readable text without fuzzy icons. It’s a small tweak that made a big difference in daily comfort.
Conclusion
Adjusting text size in Windows 10 and 11 is a quick and effective way to improve screen readability. Whether for accessibility or just comfort, it’s a setting worth exploring. Tweak the slider and create a screen environment that suits your eyes.
