How to Make Text and Everything Bigger on a Mac
Small text is one of the most common Mac complaints, especially on laptops. The good news is that you can make almost everything bigger. That includes the whole screen, individual app text, the mouse pointer, or just the bit you're looking at.
1. Make everything bigger (display scaling)
This makes text, icons, windows and menus bigger all at once. It's the best place to start.
1. Open System Settings > Displays.
2. Under the display preview, choose a size towards Larger Text.
3. Your screen adjusts instantly. Try a few options to find what's comfortable.
2. Under the display preview, choose a size towards Larger Text.
3. Your screen adjusts instantly. Try a few options to find what's comfortable.
The trade-off is that you fit less on screen, but everything is easier to read.
2. Make text bigger across the system
1. Open System Settings > Accessibility > Display.
2. Click Text size.
3. Drag the slider to make text bigger in supported apps and system areas, such as Finder, Mail, Messages, Notes and the sidebar. You can set sizes for individual apps too.
2. Click Text size.
3. Drag the slider to make text bigger in supported apps and system areas, such as Finder, Mail, Messages, Notes and the sidebar. You can set sizes for individual apps too.
This option is available in macOS Sonoma and later.
3. Make text bigger in Safari and other apps
Most apps have their own zoom:
• Command + Plus (+) makes it bigger
• Command + Minus (−) makes it smaller
• Command + 0 resets it (in most browsers)
• Command + Minus (−) makes it smaller
• Command + 0 resets it (in most browsers)
This works in Safari, Chrome, Mail, Pages, Word and many more.
Safari tip: to make every website bigger permanently, go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Page Zoom and set When visiting other websites to a larger percentage.
4. Make the mouse pointer bigger
Losing track of the pointer?
1. Open System Settings > Accessibility > Display.
2. Scroll to Pointer.
3. Drag Pointer size to make it bigger.
4. Make sure Shake mouse pointer to locate is on. Wiggle the mouse or your finger on the trackpad and the pointer grows briefly so you can spot it.
2. Scroll to Pointer.
3. Drag Pointer size to make it bigger.
4. Make sure Shake mouse pointer to locate is on. Wiggle the mouse or your finger on the trackpad and the pointer grows briefly so you can spot it.
You can also change the pointer's outline and fill colour here to make it stand out.
5. Zoom in on part of the screen
Zoom works like a magnifying glass for anything on screen.
1. Open System Settings > Accessibility > Zoom.
2. Turn on Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom. Then:
• Option + Command + 8 turns zoom on or off
• Option + Command + = zooms in
• Option + Command + − zooms out
3. Or turn on Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom. Hold Control and scroll with two fingers on the trackpad (or the mouse wheel) to zoom in and out.
2. Turn on Use keyboard shortcuts to zoom. Then:
• Option + Command + 8 turns zoom on or off
• Option + Command + = zooms in
• Option + Command + − zooms out
3. Or turn on Use scroll gesture with modifier keys to zoom. Hold Control and scroll with two fingers on the trackpad (or the mouse wheel) to zoom in and out.
6. Hover Text: magnify what's under the pointer
Turn on System Settings > Accessibility > Zoom > Hover Text. Then hold Command while hovering over any text, and a large, high-resolution version appears in a bubble.
Other helpful display settings
In System Settings > Accessibility > Display, you can also:
• Increase contrast to make buttons and borders clearer
• Reduce transparency so menus and sidebars are solid, not see-through
• Use Dark Mode (in System Settings > Appearance) if you find it easier on the eyes
• Reduce transparency so menus and sidebars are solid, not see-through
• Use Dark Mode (in System Settings > Appearance) if you find it easier on the eyes
Wrapping up
Start with Displays > Larger Text. That one change fixes things for most people. Then add a bigger pointer and the Control + scroll zoom for anything that's still tricky to read.
