# Why did my font size shrink on Internet Explorer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 23, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754 "2003-06-23T13:26:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754/1 "2003-06-23T13:26:00Z")

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I didn’t change any settings. It isn’t on any other application. It doesn’t affect SOME websites.

But on all message boards, I now see the font as INCREDIBLY small.

Yet when I hit the reply button, the font INSIDE box you type your message is normal.

Yet, the font to the left (like where it says

"See Forum Rules (below) for  
more information about what  
codes you are allowed to use  
in your posts. "

Is so small, I could hardly read it.

HELP!

Why does this happen and how can I fix it?

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754/2 "2003-06-23T13:39:47Z")

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Do you have a wheel mouse? Hold down the CTRL key and rotate the mouse wheel, It with change the size of many fonts. If this doesn’t work, check the **View/Text Size** menu, you can adjust your font sizes there also.

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754/3 "2003-06-23T13:42:23Z")

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Argh! My font was so small, I posted in the wrong freakin’ forum.

Mods, please move to General Questions (I pray that IMHO is not the appropriate place as that would mean my situation is hopeless!)

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754/4 "2003-06-23T13:44:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \*  
> \*\*Do you have a wheel mouse? Hold down the CTRL key and rotate the mouse wheel, It with change the size of many fonts. If this doesn’t work, check the **View/Text Size** menu, you can adjust your font sizes there also. \*\*

HUZZAH! I can see again.

Thank You.

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-font-size-shrink-on-internet-explorer/183754/5 "2003-06-23T13:50:51Z")

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**Moderator’s Note:** Since the question has evidently been asked and answered, I’ll just close this. (Or we _could_ have a nice rousing round of “Well, if you’d just use Linux…”)