Change font and text size

Introduction

It is possible to change both the font and text size of all our pages. Below are details of how to do this in Internet Explorer and Firefox. It is possible to change text size, but not font in Safari. Where possible we have given the keyboard shortcuts, shown in brackets.

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Zoom

The quick way to change font size in Internet Explorer (7 and above), Firefox and Safari is to use the zoom function:

To zoom in Ctrl + +
To zoom out Ctrl + -
To reset to the default Ctrl + 0

However, the three browsers behave differently when you do this:

Internet Explorer 7+ keeps everything in proportion, increasing and decreasing page width and image size. Therefore if you zoom in you need to scroll the page sideways to read a complete line.

Firefox increases and decreases text and image size, but keeps the page width fixed, so the text flows onto a new line when needed. This saves the need to scroll sideways when zooming in.

Safari increases and decreases the text size, but does not change the image size. It also keeps the page width fixed, so the text flows onto a new line when needed. This saves the need to scroll sideways when zooming in. The way Safari works means that it is much quicker to increase text size using zoom than it is to use the instructions below.

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Internet Explorer

Font

From the tool bar, select Tools (Alt + T).
Select Internet Options (Shift + O). This will open a new window:

Select Fonts (Alt + N). This will open a new window.

Screen shot of the IE accessibility window.

Select the webpage font you want (Alt + W then use the up and down arrow keys).
Select OK. This will shut the window.
Select Accessibility (Alt + E). This will open a new window.

Check 'Ignore font styles specified on web pages' (Alt + S). This will put a tick in the box.
Select OK. This will shut the window.
Select OK. This will close the last of the new windows and the page should be in the font you have just set.

From the tool bar, select either Page or View (Alt + P or Alt + V). This will make a drop down box appear.
Select Text size (Shift + X). This will make a box appear at the side.
Select the text size you want (Shift + G for largest; L for larger; M for medium; S for smaller; A for smallest). This will close the lists and the text should be in the size you have just set.

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Firefox

Font

From the tool bar, select Tools (Alt + T).
Select Internet Options (Shift + O). This will open a new window.
Select Content on the top bar of this new window (use the left and right arrow keys).

Screen shot of the Firefox options window.

Select Default font, either Alt + D then use the up and down arrow keys or click on the down arrow next to the font box. This will make a list of fonts appear, then click on the font you want. This will make the list disappear.
Select Advanced (Alt + A). This will open a new window.

Screen shot of the Firefox advanced font window.

Uncheck 'Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of my selections above' (Alt + A). This will remove the tick from the box.
Select OK. This will shut the window.
Select OK. This will close the last of the new windows and the page should be in the font you have just set.

Select Size, either Alt + Z then use the up and down arrow keys or click on the down arrow next to the font size box. This will make a list of sizes appear, then click on the size you want. This will make the list disappear.
Select OK. This will close the window and the text should be in the size you have just set.

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