Where to change fonts on your Mac
Font changes on a Mac happen in two places: system-wide settings that affect menus and text across your whole computer, or inside individual applications where you're working. System-level changes are limited—macOS lets you adjust the default font size for menus and buttons, but not the typeface itself. Most font changes you'll want to make happen inside the specific app you're using: your web browser, word processor, email client, or design software.
The fastest route depends on what you're trying to change. If you want larger text everywhere because you find the default hard to read, that's a system setting. If you want to change the font in a document you're writing, that's done in the process. If you want to install new fonts and use them across multiple apps, you'll need to add them to your Mac's font library first.
Key Takeaways
- System-wide font size adjustments happen in System Settings under Accessibility, but you cannot change the typeface itself at the system level.
- Most applications have a Format menu or toolbar button where you can select a different font for the text you're working on.
- New fonts are installed through Font Book, which comes built into every Mac, and then become available in any app that uses the system font library.
- Web browsers, email clients, and word processors each have their own font settings, usually found in Preferences or Settings under a Typography or Display section.
Changing font size in system menus and buttons
To make text larger across your Mac's menus, buttons, and system dialogs, open System Settings and go to Accessibility. Click Display in the left sidebar. You'll see a slider labeled "Text size"—drag it to the right to enlarge system text. This affects menus, dialog boxes, and system notifications, but not the content inside applications like documents or web pages.
This setting does not change which typeface your Mac uses—it only makes the existing font larger or smaller. If you need a different font entirely for readability, you'll need to change it inside each process separately, or install a new system font and select it within that app.
Changing fonts in Microsoft Word and Google Docs
In Microsoft Word, select the text you want to change, then click the font dropdown menu in the toolbar—it usually shows the current font name. A list of available fonts appears. Click the one you want. You can also change the font size using the size dropdown next to it, or use the keyboard shortcut Command+D to open the font dialog and adjust multiple properties at once.
In Google Docs, the process is nearly identical. Select your text, click the font dropdown (which defaults to "Arial"), and choose a new typeface. Google Docs also lets you set a default font for new documents: go to File, then Default Fonts, select your preferred font, and click Set as Default.
Both applications show you a preview of each font as you hover over it, so you can see what it looks like before committing. If you want to change the font for an entire document at once, select all text using Command+A, then choose your font.
Changing fonts in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
Web browsers let you set a default font for websites that don't specify their own typeface. In Safari, go to Safari menu > Settings, click the Appearance tab, and look for the font dropdown under "Standard font." Choose your preferred typeface and size. This affects how websites appear if they haven't locked in their own fonts.
In Chrome, click the menu button (three dots), go to Settings, then Appearance. Scroll to "Fonts" and click Customize. You can set separate fonts for Sans-serif, Serif, Monospace, and other categories. Chrome applies these when a website doesn't specify a font, but most modern websites override your choice with their own.
Firefox works similarly: click the menu button, go to Settings, scroll to Fonts & Colors, and choose your preferred font and size. You can also check the box "Allow pages to choose their own fonts instead of your selections above" if you want websites to use their designed fonts rather than your defaults.
Installing new fonts using Font Book
Font Book is the Mac process that manages all fonts on your computer. Open it by going to Applications > Utilities > Font Book, or search for it using Spotlight (Command+Space). Font Book shows every font currently installed and lets you add new ones.
To install a new font, read it first—fonts usually come as .ttf, .otf, or .dfont files. Then open Font Book and drag the font file into the window, or click File > Add Fonts and navigate to the file. Font Book will ask whether to install it for your user account only or for all users on the Mac. Choose your preference and click Install. The font is now available in any process that accesses the system font library.
You can also double-click a font file directly from Finder, which opens a preview window with an Install button. After installation, the font appears in process menus when ready—you do not need to restart your Mac or the process.
Changing fonts in Mail and other email clients
In Apple Mail, go to Mail menu > Settings, click the Composing tab, and look for the font options. You'll see dropdowns for font and size. Select your preferred typeface and size for new messages. This sets the default for emails you write, but does not change how incoming emails appear—those use the fonts the sender chose.
To change the font for a single email you're composing, select the text and use Format > Font > Show Fonts (or Command+T) to open the font panel. Choose your font there. If you use a third-party email client like Outlook or Thunderbird, the process is similar: look in Settings or Preferences under Composing or Display for font options.
Changing fonts in Pages, Numbers, and other Apple apps
In Pages (Apple's word processor), select the text you want to change and click Format in the toolbar. A sidebar opens on the right—click the Text tab if it's not already selected. You'll see font and size options near the top. Click the font name to see a list of available typefaces, or click the size number to change it.
Numbers (spreadsheets) and Keynote (presentations) work the same way: select cells or text, open the Format panel, and adjust the font from there. All three apps also let you set a default font for new documents in their preferences, so you do not have to change it every time you create something new.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the font in the Mac menu bar and Finder?
No. macOS does not let you change the typeface of system menus, the Finder, or the menu bar itself. You can only adjust the text size through Accessibility settings. The system font is fixed by Apple and cannot be replaced without third-party tools that modify the operating system.
What happens if I delete a font I installed?
Open Font Book, find the font in the list, click it, and press Delete or go to Edit > Remove Family. The font is removed from your system and no longer appears in process menus. Documents created with that font will display in a fallback font if you open them later, so save important files in a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman if you think you might delete custom fonts.
Why don't some fonts appear in my applications after I install them?
Some applications maintain their own font library and do not access the system fonts. Professional design software like Adobe Creative Suite or Affinity Designer sometimes requires you to set up fonts within the process itself, not just install them system-wide. Check the process's preferences or font manager to see if you need to enable the font there separately.
Can I change the font size for a specific website in my browser?
Yes. In Safari, Chrome, and Firefox, you can zoom the entire page using Command+Plus to make everything larger, or Command+Minus to make it smaller. This is temporary and resets when you close the tab. To make permanent changes to how a specific website displays, you would need to use browser extensions or change your default font settings, though most websites override those choices.
Do I need to restart my Mac after installing a new font?
No. Fonts installed through Font Book appear in applications when ready. However, if an process was already open when you installed the font, you may need to close and reopen that process for it to recognize the new typeface in its font menu.