The fastest way to change font size on your Mac
You can change font size in two places: system-wide in System Settings, which affects menus and text throughout macOS, or inside individual apps like Mail, Safari, and Word. System Settings controls only the interface text — the words in menus and dialog boxes. To change the size of text you read in apps, you usually adjust settings within each app itself.
The system-wide change takes 30 seconds. Open System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, select Display, and move the Text Size slider to the right to enlarge or left to shrink. The change takes effect when ready across most of macOS.
Key Takeaways
- System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Text Size controls menu text and interface labels across macOS, not document text inside apps.
- Most apps like Safari, Mail, and Word have their own font size controls in the View menu or app preferences.
- Zoom (magnification) enlarges everything on screen at once, while text size changes only the words in menus and some app interfaces.
- Some apps like Notes and TextEdit use standard Mac keyboard shortcuts: Command and Plus to enlarge, Command and Minus to shrink.
Changing system interface text size in System Settings
Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top left corner and selecting System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, click Accessibility. Then click Display in the list below Accessibility.
You will see a slider labeled Text Size with a small "A" on the left and a large "A" on the right. Drag the slider to the right to make menu text, button labels, and dialog box text larger. Drag it left to make them smaller. The change applies when ready to most of macOS, including Finder, Mail, System Preferences, and Safari.
This setting does not change the size of text inside documents, emails, or web pages — only the text that labels buttons and menus. If you need larger text in a specific app, you will need to adjust that app's own settings.
Enlarging text in Safari and web pages
In Safari, use the View menu to change text size. Click View in the menu bar at the top, then click Make Text Larger or Make Text Smaller. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command and Plus to enlarge or Command and Minus to shrink. Each click increases or decreases the size one step.
This setting applies only to the current website. If you visit a different site, it will display at the default size unless you adjust it again. Safari remembers your preference for each individual website, so the next time you return to that site, the text will be the size you left it.
If you want all websites to display larger by default, you can change the default font size in Safari preferences. Click Safari in the menu bar, select Settings, click the Websites tab, then click Reader in the sidebar. Adjust the font size slider there, and it will explore to all websites that support Safari's Reader view.
Changing font size in Mail and email messages
Open Mail and click Mail in the menu bar, then select Settings. Click the Viewing tab. You will see a dropdown menu labeled Standard Font Size. Click it and choose Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large. This changes the size of email text you read, not the text you type.
To change the size of text you are composing, open a new message and click Format in the menu bar. Select Font, then select Show Fonts. In the Fonts window that appears, select your font and adjust the size using the size field. This applies only to the current message unless you set it as your default in Mail settings.
Adjusting text in Word, Google Docs, and other office apps
In Microsoft Word, select the text you want to enlarge, then click the font size dropdown in the toolbar — it usually shows a number like 12 or 14. Click the number and choose a larger size, or type a custom size. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command and Shift and Greater Than to enlarge selected text.
In Google Docs, select your text, click Format in the menu, select Text, then click Font Size and choose a new size. In Apple Pages, select text and use the Format panel on the right side to adjust size, or use the keyboard shortcut Command and Plus.
If you want to change the default font size for all new documents in these apps, look for a Default Font or Default Formatting option in the app's preferences or settings menu. This varies by app, so check the Help menu if you cannot find it.
Using zoom to enlarge everything on screen
If you need text larger across your entire screen rather than in a single app, use the Zoom feature in Accessibility settings. Open System Settings, click Accessibility, then click Zoom. Toggle Zoom on, and you can magnify your entire screen by holding Control and scrolling up with your trackpad or mouse wheel.
Zoom enlarges everything — text, images, buttons, and icons — at once. It is different from changing text size, which only affects words. Zoom is useful if you have vision difficulties or need to focus on a small area of the screen. You can set a maximum zoom level and customize how the zoom follows your cursor.
Keyboard shortcuts for quick text size changes
Many Mac apps support the standard keyboard shortcuts for text size. In Notes, TextEdit, Mail, and some web browsers, press Command and Plus to enlarge text one step, or Command and Minus to shrink it. Command and Zero resets the text to the default size.
These shortcuts work in most Apple apps and many third-party apps, but not all. If the shortcuts do not work in an app you use, check the View menu or the app's preferences for a font size option. Some apps like Slack and Discord have their own text size settings in preferences rather than supporting the standard shortcuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did changing text size in System Settings not make text bigger in my app?
System Settings text size only affects macOS menus and interface labels, not the content inside apps. To enlarge text in Mail, Safari, Word, or other apps, you need to adjust that app's own settings. Check the View menu or Preferences within the app.
Can I change the font size for all websites at once?
In Safari, you can set a default font size for Reader view in Safari Settings under the Websites tab. However, not all websites support Reader view. For websites that do not, you will need to adjust the size individually using Command and Plus, and Safari will remember your choice for that specific site.
What is the difference between text size and zoom?
Text size changes only the words in menus or app content. Zoom magnifies your entire screen, including images, buttons, and icons. Use text size to read documents more easily, and use zoom if you need to enlarge everything on your screen at once.
Does changing text size in System Settings affect documents I have already created?
No. System Settings text size only affects how macOS displays its own menus and labels. It does not change the font size inside documents, emails, or files you have already created. You must adjust the font size within each document individually.
How do I make text larger in a PDF on my Mac?
Open the PDF in Preview, click Tools in the menu bar, then select Zoom. Use the zoom controls to enlarge the page. In other PDF readers like Adobe Acrobat, look for a zoom or magnification option in the View menu or toolbar.