# MS File Explorer: Way to resize the font display? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771 "2024-03-12T22:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/1 "2024-03-12T22:00:21Z")
I’ve got a new monitor at work, and the font for File Explorer is very small. I have to squint. Is there a way to embiggen it? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/2 "2024-03-12T22:05:08Z")
Generally it should be a change for all system tools. One Option, click **Start** and type Text size and click Make Text Size bigger. Adjust the slider on this screen. Another Option: Click **Start** then type Display and choose Display settings. About half way down the page is Scale, that is one place to make changes. I’m assuming Windows 11, you didn’t say. Win 10 is similar, Win 7 might not be. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/3 "2024-03-12T22:25:43Z")
Unless they’ve changed things Right click Personalize Display should give you three font size choices ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/4 "2024-03-12T22:27:37Z")
Or even more esoteric! If you’ve accidentally made the text too small, you can hold down the control key, then run your mouse wheel up, and it increases the size of the font. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/5 "2024-03-12T22:30:31Z")
Those all work, but affects everything. That is probably what you want. But, for completeness sake, you can adjust the icon text using a tool called [Winaero Tweaker](https://winaerotweaker.com/), which adjusts some hidden settings that are still within Windows. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/6 "2024-03-28T01:14:09Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Another Option: Click **Start** then type Display and choose Display settings. > About half way down the page is Scale, that is one place to make changes. Just realised that I never thanked you for this. It worked! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/7 "2024-03-28T01:29:10Z")
Cool, glad to help. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/8 "2024-03-28T01:30:24Z")
My tired old eyes also thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/9 "2024-06-21T17:36:13Z")
Got a new computer and the mail wasn’t displaying properly. Then I thought, “The tip from What\_Exit !” Working now. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/10 "2024-06-21T20:17:00Z")
Yes, but some screens won’t display if you enlarge the display. I was trying to make an appointment at the medical clinic where I was assigned (after my GP retired) and when I clicked on the make an appointment button, there was no place to actually do that. There was also no scroll bar. Eventually, it occurred to me to try to make the scale smaller (using Ctl-scroll wheel) and there on the left was the appointment request form. Programmers have many ways to defeat you. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/11 "2024-06-21T20:31:26Z")
I’ve run into poorly designed websites like that before. I don’t know why they don’t do a check to see if important things actually fit on the screen, or test on smaller screens. Knowing that you can change the zoom puts you ahead of most people. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/12 "2024-06-22T22:25:15Z")
Curiously, the site asks for feedback and I sent them a complaint about this at least a month ago. They never answered and have made no change. Even a note to shrink the size would help. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/13 "2024-06-27T18:41:13Z")
In some places including File Explorer and web browsers, Control + mouse scroll wheel will quickly make text larger or smaller. Control + 0 (zero) will usually go back to default size. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/14 "2024-07-24T14:46:07Z")
And another Explorer question. I got a new computer recently. I have certain apps that always open when I log in: Word, Outlook, Edge, Explorer. I like them to open full screen. I work with them in full-screen all day, then close them. The next day when I log in, they open full screen Except Explorer. It always opens in a reduced screen mode, and then I have to click the button in upper right to expand to full screen. This didn’t happen with my old computer. It always opened full-screen. In terms of computer issues, this is pretty minor. (Looking at you, Crowdstrike …) But is there a setting somewhere for Explorer to make it always open full-screen? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/15 "2024-07-24T16:47:57Z")
Interesting … how are you invoking explorer ? (there appear to be several ways of doing it !) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/16 "2024-07-24T18:26:29Z")
I have it pinned to the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen and click on it. ---
**Author:** ![Petek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/petek/32/1590_2.png) [@Petek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petek)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-file-explorer-way-to-resize-the-font-display/998771/17 "2024-07-25T02:05:17Z")
I have several suggestions. Some of these probably won’t help. but are easy to try. - Right-click on the File Explorer icon on your Taskbar. You should see an option titled File Explorer. Right-click again. Doing so should bring up a menu. The Shortcut tab on this menu should contain a Run option. Change the option to Maximized and confirm the choices. If this selection works, File Explorer should now start maximized. However, it probably won’t work. - With File Explorer open and maximized, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on the X to close the program. Some say this will cause File Explorer to remember its settings. In my experience it will not, but worth a try. On my system (Windows 11 pro), File Explorer _does_ remember to run maximized after closing and reopening. Right off the top of my head, I can think of two possible explanations for this difference: - Perhaps there’s a difference in our monitors or resolution settings. My “monitor” is a 50 inch Samsung hi-def smart TV running at a resolution of 4096x2160. You could try changing your resolution to see if that makes a difference. Also make sure that your video drivers are current. - You may have a startup program, service or process that’s interfering with File Explorer. To check this possibility, run the System Configuration utility (the executable file is %windir%\system32\msconfig.exe). Select the _Diagnostic startup_ option. Confirm your choice and reboot. Does File Explorer now behave as wished? If so, and you wish to pursue, you’ll have to run the System Configuration utility again, restore normal startup and then rule out the various possibilities. It might be easier at this point with just living with having to maximize File Explorer. Another possibility is to hibernate or put your PC to sleep at the end of your session. Doing either will preserve all open programs in their current state. File Explorer should remain maximized. After further review, this option is probably best.