# How to make all fonts on the web larger?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 24, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651 "2011-06-24T01:56:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/1 "2011-06-24T01:56:34Z")
Hi all…
I’m going through a bizarre neurological condition that has lasted several months. It’s similar to an optical migraine aura that is constant and does not change (well, except to get worse.) One doctor has already said that he’s never seen anything like it. Well, anyway… the point is, it’s making it difficult to read. There MUST be some way to automatically make the print much larger and easier to read on all web pages. Can’t this be done just as some kind of auto setting? I can’t find anything like that on the control panel. There’s the Magnifier which docks at the top of the page, but that’s really kind of annoying. This condition may eventually go away or be treatable, but until then… HELP!!
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### Author:  [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/2 "2011-06-24T02:02:36Z")
What web browser and operating system are you using?
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### Author:  [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/3 "2011-06-24T02:04:55Z")
control and plus sign (ctrl+) usually do the job as a shortcut.
In Firefox, you can also do View / Zoom / Zoom In (which shows ctrl-+ as the shortcut). Explorer will probably be something similar.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/4 "2011-06-24T02:07:01Z")
[http://www.w3.org/WAI/changedesign](http://www.w3.org/WAI/changedesign)
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### Author:  [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/5 "2011-06-24T02:08:02Z")
On most browsers holding down Ctrl and then using + will increase the font size, keep hitting + until you get the size you want. If you are on a Mac, it’s Command and +. To make the font smaller use Ctrl and -. Firefox saves this setting, so I don’t have to do the command each time.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/6 "2011-06-24T02:10:31Z")
Firefox add on No Squint is really nice.
[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/)
I keep it set at 115%
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/7 "2011-06-24T02:17:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Firefox add on No Squint is really nice.
>
> [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/)
>
> I keep it set at 115%
I also love NoSquint. I set it at 110%, but 120% for the Dope and a couple other sites.
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### Author:  [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/8 "2011-06-24T02:18:23Z")
With Chrome, just hold control and spin your mouse wheel.
Task complete.
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### Author:  [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/9 "2011-06-24T02:25:46Z")
Both computers are Vista Home Premium; the laptop has IE7 and the desktop has IE8. Oh, please, don’t get too geeky on me! (scared look) I don’t have any geeks around right now. Unless somebody wants to fedEx me one. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/10 "2011-06-24T02:27:46Z")
I like the control + shortcut, btw. Thanks! (Squinting makes it even worse though, so that “No Squint” name doesn’t really cover everything…)
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/11 "2011-06-24T04:23:05Z")
> [@Anise](#):
>
> I like the control + shortcut, btw. Thanks! (Squinting makes it even worse though, so that “No Squint” name doesn’t really cover everything…)
I actually use NoSquint to reduce the size of the pages, while increasing the size of the font to compensate. For me, it’s more of a NoScroll, since my small monitor can’t handle 1024x768, the standard web resolution.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/12 "2011-06-24T04:28:31Z")
If you want all text on your PC to appear bigger (at all times) use the built-in Accessibility options provided. Follow this link for easy instructions on how to change the font settings: [Windows help & learning](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Make-the-text-on-your-screen-larger-or-smaller)
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### Author:  [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/13 "2011-06-24T18:22:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Firefox add on No Squint is really nice.
>
> [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/nosquint/)
>
> I keep it set at 115%
Thank you! This is the best thing since sliced bread!
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### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/14 "2011-06-24T19:09:06Z")
Ctrl plus the mouse scroll will work in most Microsoft applications including IE and Outlook.
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### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/15 "2011-06-24T20:21:19Z")
For most other things (besides web browsers), the View menu will have something like “Zoom” or “Resize” as an option – adjusting this to what gives you the best results is a good move. E.g., I do proofreading for a dyslexic friend who writes; I need to set his Open Office text at 128% or so of where he prefers it to be able to read it clearly without squinting.
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [June 25, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-make-all-fonts-on-the-web-larger/586651/16 "2011-06-25T03:40:50Z")
> [@Skammer](#):
>
> Ctrl plus the mouse scroll will work in most Microsoft applications including IE and Outlook.
Yep, definitely a good shortcut to know.
If you’d like to increase size overall, you can reduce your screen’s resolution. Depending on the quality of your monitor, video card, and version of Windows, this can wind up looking awful, but it will upsize all the visual elements on the screen.