How to Make Text Bigger on Android

Menus, messages, and web pages on the phone need arm's length to read. The font size slider is the setting most people find, and on its own it leaves buttons, icons, and app layouts at their original size, which is why the change often feels too small to be worth it. Two sliders sit on that screen, not one.

Open the text and display size settings

Open Settings, Display, then Display size and text. On older versions, Font size and Display size are listed as separate items under Settings, Display.

On Samsung phones. The same controls live under Settings, Display, Font size and style and Settings, Display, Screen zoom.

Drag the font size slider

Drag Font size to the right and watch the preview text at the top of the screen. Most phones offer four steps above the default. Some phones also carry a Font size tile in quick settings, reachable by swiping down twice from the top of the screen.

Raise the display size as well

Drag Display size. This scales buttons, icons, and app layouts along with the text, so fewer items fit on screen and lists become taller. A moderate setting on both sliders usually reads better than pushing either one to its limit, which can crop labels and push buttons off screen.

Turn on bold text

On the same screen, turn on Bold text. Thicker letterforms raise contrast against the background and often help more than another size step, especially in light gray interface text.

Scale text in Chrome

Pinch outward on any web page to zoom in on that page. For a setting that sticks, open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, Accessibility, and drag Text scaling until the sample paragraph is comfortable.

Some apps ignore the system font size. Apps that draw their own text, including certain games, readers, and banking apps, hold their own size setting instead. Check inside that app's settings, usually under a display or appearance section.

Magnification covers the rest. For labels and images that never grow, open Settings, Accessibility, Magnification and turn it on. A shortcut button or a triple tap then enlarges any part of the screen for as long as it is needed.