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How to Change Text Size or Colors

The WAI website is designed to let you change the text size, text and background colors, and other display settings through standard browser settings.

This page shows you how to use some of these browser display settings.

• "Why doesn't this work with some other Web sites?" explains that these settings may not work on browsers and Web sites that do not meet accessibility guidelines.
• "Should all sites include this?" explains that including these instructions is not an accessibility requirement.

To Change Text Size

Most Web browsers include functionality to let you increase or decrease the text in a Web page. For example, to increase text size:

Browser	Example	Menu Items	Macintosh Shortcut	Windows Shortcut
Internet Explorer		View > Text Size > Largest	.	.
Firefox, Netscape		View > Text Size > Increase	Command+	Ctrl++
Opera		View > Zoom > %	Command+	+ or 0
Safari		View > Make Text Bigger	Command+	.

Why doesn't this work with some other websites?

The browser settings on this page should work when browsers and websites meet WAI guidelines and are designed for accessibility, flexibility, and user control. However, some browsers do not provide as much user control, and some websites are designed to defeat browser settings. Text resizing does not work well in browsers and websites that do not meet accessibility guidelines.

• In Internet Explorer Version 6 and earlier, the text may not resize because the Web site is designed with "hard-coded" or "absolute" text sizes. To override Web site setting:
  1. Menu items: Tools > Internet Options
  2. In Internet Options dialog box: Accessibility button (bottom right)
  3. In Accessibility dialog box:
     [/] Ignore colors specified on Web pages
     [/] Ignore font styles specified on Web pages
     [/] Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages
• In Firefox early versions, the text should resize even if the Web site text is not "coded" for flexibility. However the sections of the Web site may not resize, making it difficult to use the site with large text. This is because the Web site was designed with "hard-coded" or "absolute" sizes. Firefox does not resize images.
• Opera resizes all aspects of a Web site, including font, images, and sections. Resizing should work fairly well in Opera, even if the Web site is not "coded" for flexibility.

For a Plain Layout View

Turning off the style sheet gives a plain layout view, which:

• makes text black on a white background (or however your browser is set)
• puts all the information in one column (called "linearized")
• leaves content images
• removes background images

Browser	Example	Menu Items
Firefox		View > Page Style > No Style
Opera		View > Style > User Mode

Other Text and Color Changes

Many browsers provide functionality to set different aspects of font and color. Below are examples of how to access this functionality.

Browser	Example	To access functionality:
Firefox		Windows Menu items:Tools > Options Macintosh Menu items: Firefox > Preferences In dialog box: General (in the left pane), Fonts & Colors (button)
Opera	.	Windows Menu items: Tools > Preferences Macintosh Menu items: Opera > Preferences In dialog box: Fonts and Page Style (in the left pane)

Should all websites include instructions like this?

It is not an accessibility requirement that websites include information on changing text sizes and colors like this page. WAI chose to include this information to help people who want to know how to change their browser settings and may not know how.

Web browsers and websites should be designed following WAI guidelines so that people can easily change text sizes and colors.

Note: No Browser Endorsement

W3C WAI does not endorse specific Web browsers and does not recommend one browser over another. While some common browsers are included in this page, mention of a specific browser does not imply endorsement or recommendation.

Related Pages

• Help with the WAI Web Site includes instructions on navigating the WAI Web site and other topics