Change the text size

There are different ways of changing the size of the text displayed depending on which web browser you are using.
Click on your browser in this list to go to the relevant instructions:

Please note: the menu shortcut keys listed here only work in Windows

Macintosh users can use Command + (plus) to increase the text size in all browsers. Command - (minus) will reduce the text size

Change Text Size in Internet Explorer (Windows)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse or press the ALT + v keys.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select the "Text Size" option from the drop down menu. Use the mouse or press the x key.
    A sub menu option window will appear containing the following five choices: "Largest", "Larger", "Medium", "Smaller" and "Smallest".
    "Medium" is the default value.
  3. Select from among the five options by using the mouse to highlight or by pressing the appropriate keyboard letter, i.e. g for "Largest", l for "Larger", m for "Medium", s for "Smaller" or a for "Smallest."
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with your choice.

Change Text Size in Mozilla/Netscape 6+ (Windows and Macintosh)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse or Windows users can press the ALT + v keys.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select the "Text Zoom" option from the drop down menu. Use the mouse or press the z key.
    A sub menu window will appear containing three sets of options for changing displayed text size:
    1. Increase or decrease the text size by small amounts.
      Select either the "Smaller" or the "Larger" option. Use the mouse to select "Smaller" or "Larger"; alternatively, press the appropriate shortcut: CTRL - (minus) for "Smaller", CTRL + (plus) for "Larger".
      The size of text displayed in the browser window will increase or decrease by small amounts in accordance with your choice.
    2. Change the text size to one of 7 pre-defined percentages of the default: 50, 75, 90, 100, 120, 150 and 200 percent.
      Select from among the 7 pre-defined percentages. Use the mouse to highlight your choice or the appropriate keyboard short cut, i.e. 5 for 50%, 7 for 75%, 9 for 90%, z for 100% (the default), 1 for 120%, 5 for 150% or 2 for 200%.
      The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with your choice.
    3. Change the text size to an arbitrary percentage of the default, e.g. 300%, 37.5%.
      Select the "Other Options" menu item. Use the mouse to highlight your choice or press the o shortcut key.
      A pop up input window titled "Text Zoom" will appear.
      Type in the percentage amount by which you wish to change the default text size. Click on OK or press the ENTER key.
      The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with the value you enter in the input field.
    These three options may be used separately or in combination.

Change Text Size in Firefox 1.0 (Windows and Macintosh)

  1. From the Firefox Menu Bar select View>Text Size>Increase
  2. This will cause the text to display on the web page one size larger. However this is a temporary change.

Or use the keyboard:

  1. Press Ctrl & +/-, or Ctrl & scroll down/up to increase/decrease the text size.

To make a permanent font size change:

  1. From the Firefox Menu Bar,
    1. Windows: select Tools>Options.
      Select 'General'
    2. Macintosh: select Preferences.
  2. Click on 'Fonts & Colors'.
  3. Set the font sizes. Minimum font size.can also be set.

Change Text Size in Opera (Windows and Macintosh)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse to make a selection or press the ALT + v shortcut keys.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select the "Zoom" option from the drop down menu. Use the mouse or press the z key.
    A sub menu will appear containing the following options: 50, 80, 90, 100 (the default), 120, 150, 200 percent.
    In addition, there are four more options that make percentage increments or decrements to text size: -100, +100, -10 and +10 percent.
    Select from among the options by using the mouse to highlight your choice.
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with your choice.

Change Text Size in Safari (Macintosh)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse to make a selection.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select the "Make Text bigger" option from the drop down menu.
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will become bigger.
  3. Select the "Make Text smaller" option from the drop down menu.
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will become smaller.

Change Text Size in Internet Explorer (Macintosh)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse to make a selection.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select the "Text Zoom" option from the drop down menu.
    A sub menu will appear containing the following options: 300, 200, 150, 100 (the default), 90, 75, 60, 50 percent.
    In addition, there are two more options that skip between those options: larger, smaller.
    Select from among the options by using the mouse to highlight your choice.
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with your choice.

Change Text Size in Netscape 4 (Windows and Macintosh)

  1. Select the "View" option from the main menu at the top of the browser window. Use the mouse or press the ALT + v keys.
    A drop down menu will appear.
  2. Select either "Increase Font" or "Decrease Font" from the drop down menu. Use the mouse to make a selection; alternatively, press CTRL + ] to increase text size or CTRL + [ to decrease text size.
    The size of the text displayed in the browser window will change in accordance with the choice.

Change Text Size in AOL

  1. Under 'My AOL' in the AOL Toolbar, select Preferences.
  2. Then click on the WWW icon in the scrolling list on the left.
  3. On the right, click on Advanced Settings. A dialog box will appear with a collection of controls on the right and a column of options on the left.
  4. Select the Browser Display option on the left.
  5. You can set the Text Size to 'Large' or 'Largest' for more comfortable reading.
  6. Click the OK button in the Advanced Settings dialog box and then click the OK button in the Preferences dialog box to make your new settings take effect.