How to change the font size in Windows Vista

Sun, 09/23/2007 - 21:10 — Ciprian

Some people might have problems reading the text of the icons and menus in Windows Vista. The font size can be too small and making it bigger might help. Windows Vista gives users the possibility to make the text and other items easier to see by making them larger.
This can be done by increasing the so called Dots per inch scale or DPI. To adjust it, just follow the steps outlined below.

First, right click on your desktop and click on Personalize. Alternatively, you can go to Control Panel -> Appearance and Personalization -> Personalization.

Personalize Desktop

In the Personalization window, go to the left pane and click on Adjust font size (DPI).

Personalization

If UAC is turned on you will need to make an additional confirmation so that the DPI Scaling window will launch. You can choose the default scale of 96 DPI or a larger one of 120 DPI, which makes the text more readable. If these two options are not enough you can click on the Custom DPI button and choose another size (DPI).

Personalization

In the Custom DPI Setting window you can select the desired percentage for the DPI increase. You have the following options: 100% for the normal size of 96 DPI, 125% for 120 DPI, 150% for 144 DPI and 200% for 192 DPI.

Personalization

If you set the DPI higher than 96, and you are running Windows Aero, the text and other items on the screen might appear blurry in some programs that are not designed for high–DPI display in Windows Vista. You can avoid this issue by using Windows XP style DPI scaling. Just check the appropriate option and press on OK.

Personalization

The change can be applied only after a system restart. Close all the running applications, save your open documents and then press on Restart Now. After a reboot, the font size will be changed.

Bookmark/Search this post with:

Tips & Tricks

Comments

Thu, 11/29/2007 - 01:10 — Armstrong (not verified)

Per User Settings

Someone please tell me why, in 2008, with a 3 way battle for OS Supremacy (I grant Ubuntu that it's a strong enough Linux distro to matter) - why why why can't I set font size and/or screen resolution PER USER?

/rant

Tue, 01/22/2008 - 14:32 — the loft

how to change font sizes

I am amazed that you can no longer (it appears) make the font sizes smaller on your screen. Fine if you want to make them larger as this tutorial explains (I had found this out anyway from my Desktop), but I wanted to make them smaller and also reduce the size of the huge icons, but I can't. At least I have not found a way to do it. On my old PC (Windows ME) it was no trouble at all. There are several things about Vista which is driving me up the wall and this is one of them.

Tue, 01/22/2008 - 19:44 — Ciprian

Does this help

You can often go smaller by using higher screen resolution, however there is a sweet spot for performance for each monitor.
You also can change icon size. See link below. One of the solutions shown allows you to change just the icon size independent of the font size

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/12/09/how-to-resize-and-change-vista-...

Thu, 02/14/2008 - 17:43 — Anonymous (not verified)

Also see this link from this web site

It shows how to.

http://www.vista4beginners.com/How-to-change-the-size-of-your-icons

Mon, 05/12/2008 - 20:47 — Lance

Reducing font size in Vista

I agree, this is crazy that the fonts cant be reduced - the fonts, at least in AutoCAD drive the dialog box size and they have taken over the screen.

All I can say it our children will ask what Microsoft was if they keep up this kind of idiocy.

I have XP machines with no issue, but the "new" Vista machines are a joke.

Anyone have any ideas?

Tue, 04/08/2008 - 18:23 — Ritz (not verified)

How do you change the font of Segeo of DPI

Many Thanks to those that contributed to the thread - but my immediate help needed is - "How do you change the font of Segeo of DPI" to something else say Courier?

Tue, 05/13/2008 - 22:09 — Anonymous (not verified)

Font size can be changed in Vista

Just right-click on the desktop and select "Personalize". Then select "Window Color and Appearance" and press "Open classic appearance properties". Then press the "Advanced" button and choose "Icon" from the item drop-down. Then choose a smaller size like 8 or 7 from the Size drop-down. Apply the changes and your desktop font will be the new size. Simple. :-S

Thu, 05/15/2008 - 00:18 — maroon56

font color

I'm interested in changing the COLOR of the font used in Windows Mail, not the SIZE. Presently I have a light blue motif which is almost impossible to read. When I have an attachment, I can hardly discern the "paperclip."

Sat, 06/14/2008 - 14:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

Windows Mail Font Color

Easy... Tools - Options - Compose - Font Settings - you can then change the color as well as font and font size.

User login