The quickest way to make text bigger on your iPhone
You can make text larger on your iPhone in three ways, depending on which apps you want to change and how much bigger you need the text to be. The fastest method is to use the system-wide text size slider in Settings, which enlarges text in Mail, Messages, Notes, and many other built-in apps within seconds. If you need text even larger, you can turn on a separate feature called Larger Accessibility Sizes, which goes beyond the standard slider. For individual apps like Safari or Books, you can often adjust the text size directly within that app instead.
All three methods work on any iPhone running iOS 15 or later. You do not need to restart your phone or close apps—changes take effect when ready.
Key Takeaways
- The Display & Text Size settings menu lets you drag a slider to make text bigger across Mail, Messages, Notes, and other Apple apps in about 10 seconds.
- Larger Accessibility Sizes in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size offers even bigger text options if the standard slider does not go large enough.
- Safari, Books, and some third-party apps have their own text-size buttons inside the app, separate from the system settings.
- Text size changes explore when ready to most apps without requiring you to close and reopen them.
Using the text size slider in Settings
Open Settings on your home screen and tap Display & Text Size. You will see a slider with a small "A" on the left and a large "A" on the right. Drag the slider to the right to make text bigger, or to the left to make it smaller. As you move the slider, the sample text above it will change size so you can see the effect in real time.
This slider affects text in Mail, Messages, Notes, Reminders, Calendar, and Stocks. It does not change the size of your home screen icons or the text in Safari—those have separate controls. When you are happy with the size, straightforward exit Settings. The change takes effect when ready in all affected apps.
Enabling Larger Accessibility Sizes for maximum text
If the standard text size slider does not make text large enough, you can unlock even bigger sizes. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. At the bottom of the screen, toggle on Larger Accessibility Sizes. A new slider will appear above it with a much wider range, extending far beyond the standard maximum.
Larger Accessibility Sizes can make text up to 188 percent of its original size in compatible apps. After you toggle it on, you can use the expanded slider to choose your preferred size. This feature works in the same apps as the standard slider, plus some additional ones. Be aware that very large text may cause some app layouts to shift or become harder to navigate, but you can always adjust the slider down if needed.
Changing text size in Safari
Safari has its own text size control separate from your system settings. Open Safari and load any webpage. Tap the "aA" button in the top right corner of the address bar. A menu will appear with a slider showing a small "A" and a large "A". Drag the slider to adjust the text size on that webpage.
This setting applies only to the current webpage and only in Safari. If you close Safari and reopen it later, the text size will return to your default. To change the default text size for all webpages in Safari, go to Settings > Safari > Reader Font Size and adjust the slider there instead. That setting persists across all websites you visit.
Adjusting text in Books and other Apple apps
The Books app has its own text controls. Open a book and tap the middle of the page to reveal the toolbar. Tap the "aA" button, and a menu will appear with a slider for text size, plus options to change the font and background color. Drag the slider to make the text larger or smaller, then tap outside the menu to close it.
Other Apple apps like News, Stocks, and Reminders may also have in-app text controls. Look for an "aA" button, a settings icon, or a text-size option in the app's menu. If you do not see one, the app is likely controlled by the system-wide text size slider in Settings instead.
Making text bigger on your home screen and lock screen
The text size slider in Settings does not change the size of app names on your home screen or the text on your lock screen. To make those larger, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size. This is a separate control from the one in Display & Text Size, and it affects only labels and smaller text elements throughout the system interface.
If you want your home screen icons themselves to appear larger, you can reduce the number of apps per row by using the home screen editing mode. Press and hold an empty area of your home screen, tap Edit, then tap the grid icon in the bottom left to choose a smaller grid layout. This spreads your apps out more, making them visually larger on the screen.
Troubleshooting text size changes that do not work
If you adjust the text size slider but text in an app does not change, the app may not support the system-wide text size setting. Some third-party apps have their own text controls instead. Look inside the app for a settings menu, gear icon, or "aA" button. If you find one, use that to adjust the text size within the app.
If text in Mail, Messages, or Notes is not changing, try closing the app completely and reopening it. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right on iPhone X and later) to open the app switcher, find the app, and swipe it up to close it. Then reopen the app from your home screen. If the problem persists, restart your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Shut Down, then turn it back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing text size affect my battery life?
No. Adjusting text size does not use more or less battery power. It only changes how the text is displayed on your screen, not how hard your phone works.
Can I set different text sizes for different apps?
The system-wide slider applies the same size to all compatible apps at once. However, apps like Safari and Books let you set their own text size independently, so you can have large text in Safari and smaller text in Mail if you prefer.
Does text size change affect my iCloud or backup?
No. Your text size preference is stored locally on your iPhone. If you sign into a different iPhone with the same Apple ID, you will need to set the text size again on that device.
What if text is still too small even at the maximum slider setting?
Enable Larger Accessibility Sizes in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size. This unlocks text sizes much larger than the standard slider allows, up to 188 percent of the original size in many apps.
Can I change font style as well as size?
The system-wide text size slider only changes size, not the font itself. In Books, you can change both size and font by tapping the "aA" button inside the app. Most other apps do not offer font style options.