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How to increase the text size on a MacBook
In This Article
Struggling to read text on your MacBook? If you often find yourself squinting while using your computer then you should know that you can increase the size of your text to make reading easier.
Keep reading to follow our step-by-step guide and learn how to increase the size of the text on your MacBook.
What you’ll need:
The short version:
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How to increase the text size on a MacBook
Step1
Open System Settings in the Apple menu
We’ll be demonstrating the steps with macOS Sonoma. To learn how to increase the text size on an older version of macOS, scroll down to the Troubleshooting section of this guide.In the top left corner of your screen, you’ll see the Apple logo. Click this once and the Apple menu will appear, as shown here. Then click System Settings which will open up the app.Alternatively you can select the System Settings app from your Launchpad.
Step2
Select Accessibility in the side panel
Once the System Settings app is open, click Accessibility in the side panel. You may need to scroll down to find this.
Step3
Choose Display
Underneath the Vision subheading, you’ll find the Display option. Click here.
Step4
Select Text Size
Underneath Text you’ll see an option for Text Size, although you may need to scroll to find this.
Step5
Adjust the slider accordingly
To make the text larger, press and hold on the slider and drag it towards the right. Alternatively, you can simply press on the different notches of the scale.Be sure to test out a few different options, as you’ll see a preview of each size (as shown here). Your preferences won’t be saved until the next step.
Step6
Select Done
Once you’re happy with your new text size, select Done. This will save your preferences and set this text size across all compatible apps.
Troubleshooting
You can adjust the text size for specific apps. Follow the above steps 1 through 4 and you’ll see underneath the slider there’s a list of apps. Next to each app, there’s an option to either keep the preferred size (which is the size you’ve set above) or customise each one, as shown here.
The steps are slightly different if you’re on an older version of macOS. Before we start, it’s worth mentioning that if your MacBook is still supported by Apple then we’d recommend updating to the latest macOS Sonoma, as this will include important security updates.Otherwise, to increase the text size on an older macOS you’ll need to use your keyboard. Open up the app and hold down the Command and plus keys simultaneously. If you make the text too big then don’t worry, just hold down the Command and minus keys to decrease the size.This only works in apps such as Mail, Messages, News and Safari.
Jess joined the Trusted Reviews team early in 2024, after working for almost three years in lifestyle and technology PR. Using the skills gained from her previous role, Jess has taken on a new challen…
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
