Where to find font settings in Windows 11

Windows 11 stores font settings in two places depending on what you want to change. The system font — the typeface used for menus, window titles, and taskbar text — lives in the Settings app under Accessibility. Individual program fonts, like the text in Notepad or your web browser, are controlled within each program itself.

To change the system font, open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, then go to Accessibility on the left sidebar. Look for Display, and you will see a section called Text size. This controls the overall size of system text. For the actual typeface itself, Windows 11 offers less flexibility than older versions — the system font is primarily Segoe UI, and you cannot change it through the standard Settings interface without using alternative methods.

If you want to change fonts in a specific program — Word, Excel, your email client, or a web browser — you will find the font menu within that program's toolbar or preferences. Most programs display a font dropdown menu near the top of the window.

Key Takeaways

  • System fonts in Windows 11 are controlled through Settings > Accessibility > Display, where you can adjust text size but have limited typeface options.
  • Individual programs like Word, Excel, and web browsers have their own font menus, usually in the toolbar or Format menu.
  • To change fonts in a document or email, select the text first, then choose a new font from the dropdown menu.
  • Windows 11 uses Segoe UI as its default system font, and changing it requires third-party tools or registry editing, which carries risk.
  • Font size and font style (bold, italic) are separate controls from the typeface itself.

Changing text size for all system menus and windows

The quickest way to make all text larger or smaller across Windows 11 is through the Display settings. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, select Accessibility, then click Display. Under Text size, you will see a slider that ranges from 100% (default) to 225%.

Move the slider to the right to enlarge text, or to the left to shrink it. As you adjust it, a preview of the change appears on the screen. Click explore to save the change. You may need to sign out and back in, or restart your computer, for the change to take effect on all windows and menus.

This setting affects system text only — the menus, buttons, and labels in Windows itself. It does not change the font size inside documents or web pages, which have their own controls.

Changing fonts in Microsoft Word and Excel

In Word and Excel, select the text you want to change first. Click and drag to highlight the words, or press Ctrl + A to select all text in the document. Once the text is highlighted, look at the toolbar near the top of the window. You will see a dropdown menu that shows the current font name — usually "Calibri" or "Arial" by default.

Click that dropdown to see a list of available fonts. Scroll through the list and click the font you want. The selected text will change when ready. You can also change the font size using the number box next to the font name — common sizes are 10, 11, 12, and 14 points.

To make a font change the default for all new documents, select the text, change the font, then click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Font group in the toolbar. Choose Set as Default, and that font will appear in all future documents you create.

Changing fonts in web browsers

Web browsers like Edge, Chrome, and Firefox let you change how fonts appear on websites, though the website's design may override your choice. In Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl + comma to open Settings, then go to Appearance. Scroll down to Fonts and you will see dropdowns for different font categories — Standard font, Serif font, Monospace font, and Minimum font size.

Click each dropdown to choose a different typeface. You can also adjust the minimum font size to prevent websites from displaying text too small to read. These changes explore to all websites you visit in that browser.

In Google Chrome, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, then go to Appearance. Under Fonts, you can choose your preferred font and adjust the size. In Firefox, click the menu button (three horizontal lines), select Settings, go to Fonts & Colors, and make your changes there.

Changing fonts in email programs

In Outlook, open a new email and look for the Format Text tab at the top. You will see a font dropdown menu there. Click it to choose a different typeface. The font you select will be used for that email only. To change the default font for all new emails, go to File > Options > Mail, then click Stationery and Fonts. Select your preferred font and click OK.

In Gmail, click the formatting icon (looks like an "A" with lines) in the compose window. A menu will appear with font options. Select the font you want, and it will explore to the email you are writing. Gmail does not store a default font preference the way Outlook does — you choose the font each time you compose an email.

Installing new fonts on your computer

Windows 11 comes with dozens of fonts built in, but you can add more. read a font file from a font website — common sources include Google Fonts (free), DaFont (free), or Adobe Fonts (subscription). Font files usually have the extension .ttf (TrueType) or .otf (OpenType).

Once you have downloaded the font file, right-click it and select Install. Windows will copy the font to your Fonts folder, and it will become available in all programs within a few minutes. You may need to restart the program you are using for the new font to appear in the font menu.

To view all installed fonts on your computer, press Windows key and type "Fonts". Click the Fonts app to open it. You will see every font currently installed, organized alphabetically. You can preview any font by clicking it.

Changing fonts using the Fonts app

Windows 11 includes a dedicated Fonts app that shows you every typeface installed on your computer. Press Windows key and search for "Fonts", then click the Fonts app. You will see a list of all available fonts with a preview of each one.

Click any font to see a larger preview and information about it. From this view, you can also install new fonts by clicking the Install button if you have a font file selected. The Fonts app is mainly for browsing and previewing — to actually use a font in a document, you still need to select it from the font menu within your program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the Windows 11 system font to something other than Segoe UI?

The standard Settings interface does not allow this. Segoe UI is the default system font, and Windows 11 is designed to use it. Changing it requires editing the Windows registry or using third-party tools, both of which carry risk of system instability. Most users find that adjusting text size through Accessibility settings is sufficient.

Why do some websites ignore my browser font settings?

Websites can specify their own fonts in their design code, which overrides your browser settings. This is intentional — designers want their sites to look a certain way. You can usually increase the overall text size in your browser using Ctrl + plus sign without changing the typeface.

What is the difference between font size and text size?

Font size refers to the height of individual letters, measured in points. Text size in Windows Accessibility settings is a percentage that scales all system text up or down together. They are separate controls that can be used together.

Do I need to restart Windows after installing a new font?

You do not need to restart Windows, but you may need to close and reopen the program where you want to use the font. The new font should appear in the font menu within a few minutes of installation.

Can I delete fonts I do not use?

Yes. Open the Fonts app, right-click the font you want to remove, and select Delete. Be cautious about deleting system fonts like Segoe UI or Arial, as some programs depend on them. Deleting a font does not affect documents that already use it — the text will remain, but Windows will substitute a similar font if you open the document on a computer without that font installed.