The quickest way to resize text in Notes

Open the note you want to edit, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Text Size. A slider appears at the bottom of the screen — drag it left to make text smaller or right to make it larger. The change applies only to that single note, not to all your notes at once.

If you do not see the three dots, make sure you are in edit mode by tapping inside the note first. The menu only appears when you have a note open and ready to change.

This method works on iPhone running iOS 15 or later. If your iPhone is older, the text size option may not be available in Notes. You can check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the Software Version number.

Key Takeaways

  • Text size changes are made one note at a time using the three-dot menu and Text Size slider at the bottom of the screen.
  • You can also change the default font size for all new notes in Settings > Notes > Default Font Size, choosing from Small, Medium, or Large.
  • The Text Size feature requires iOS 15 or later, and the default setting syncs across all your Apple devices using the same iCloud account.
  • Text size adjustments do not affect how the note looks when shared with someone else — they will see it in their own default size.

Changing the default font size for all new notes

If you want every new note you create to start at a larger or smaller size, you can set a default. Go to Settings on your iPhone, scroll down and tap Notes, then tap Default Font Size.

Choose from Small, Medium, or Large. This setting only affects notes you create after you change it — existing notes keep their current size unless you adjust them individually using the three-dot menu method.

This default applies across all your Apple devices that use the same iCloud account, so changing it on your iPhone will also change the default on your iPad or Mac. If you use multiple iCloud accounts on different devices, each account maintains its own default size setting.

Why your text size option might not appear

The Text Size feature requires iOS 15 or later. If you have an older version of iOS, you will not see the three-dot menu or the Text Size option in Notes. To check your iOS version, go to Settings > General > About and look at the Software Version number.

If your iOS is up to date but you still do not see the option, try closing Notes completely and opening it again. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to show all menu options. You can also try restarting your iPhone, which often resolves menu display issues.

Another reason the three-dot menu might not appear is if you are viewing a note in a shared folder or a note that someone else created and shared with you. In some cases, shared notes have limited editing options.

Text size changes and sharing notes

When you share a note with someone else, the text size you set does not travel with it. The person who receives the note will see it in whatever default size they have set on their own device. This means you can make your personal copy large and straightforward to read without forcing that size on anyone else.

If you are sharing a note with someone and want them to see it at a specific size, you will need to tell them to adjust it themselves using the same three-dot menu method. The size they choose on their device will not affect your copy of the note.

Using system-wide text size settings

Your iPhone also has a system-wide text size setting that affects many apps, including Notes. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and use the slider to change the default text size across your phone.

This system setting is separate from the Notes-specific text size option. Both can work together — if you increase the system text size and then increase the text size within a specific note, the note will be even larger. If you decrease one or both, the text gets smaller.

The system text size affects how text appears in Mail, Messages, Calendar, and many other built-in apps, so changing it will have effects beyond Notes. If you only want to adjust Notes, use the Notes-specific settings instead of the system-wide option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the font size for just part of a note?

No. The text size slider in Notes changes the entire note at once, not individual words or paragraphs. If you need to highlight or emphasize specific text, you can use bold, italic, or underline formatting instead, which you can explore to selected text.

Does changing text size in Notes affect how it prints?

Yes. If you print a note from your iPhone, it will print at the size you set in the app. Larger text in the note means larger text on the printed page, which may mean the note takes up more pages.

What if I change the default font size and want to go back?

Go back to Settings > Notes > Default Font Size and select the size you prefer. This only affects new notes you create after the change — notes you already created keep their current size.

Can I set different default sizes for different types of notes?

No. The default font size setting applies to all new notes you create. You can only set one default size at a time. If you need different sizes for different notes, you will need to adjust each note individually after creating it.

Will my text size changes sync to my iPad or Mac?

The default font size setting syncs across devices using the same iCloud account, so changing it on your iPhone changes it on your iPad and Mac. However, text size adjustments you make to individual notes do not sync — each device maintains its own version of each note with its own text size.