How do I make text bigger and easier to read?

Every device has these settings and most people never open them, so they squint at a default chosen for a marketing photograph. Changing them once fixes the problem everywhere.

Step by step

1. Start with the system accessibility settings.Accessibility on both phone platforms, Ease of Access or Accessibility on computers. Changing it here affects everything, rather than one app at a time.
2. Increase the text size.Both phone platforms have a text size slider, and most have a separate "larger text" option that goes considerably further.
3. Turn on bold text.Often more effective than size alone. Thin modern fonts are the real problem for many people, not the size.
4. Increase contrast."Increase contrast" or "high contrast" darkens text and strengthens boundaries. Grey-on-white design is unreadable for a lot of people.
5. Use browser zoom on a computer.Ctrl and plus, or Cmd and plus. Most browsers remember the level per website, so you set it once per site.
6. Set a minimum font size in the browser.Browser settings let you set a floor that websites cannot go below. It fixes sites that use tiny text.
7. Try a reader mode.Most browsers have one that strips a page back to text at your chosen size. Excellent for articles and recipes.
8. Turn on magnifier for occasional needs.Every system has a zoom or magnifier for reading something small temporarily, without changing everything.

Tips

• Display size or display zoom is a separate setting from text size on phones — it scales everything including buttons, which often helps more.
• Dark mode helps some people and hinders others. Try both rather than assuming.
• If you are setting this up for someone else, sit with them and adjust until they say it is comfortable. Do not guess.

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