How to make the text bigger on your phone

Before you start

• You can open the Settings app. On both iPhone and Android it is the grey gear icon.
• Have a message or web page open in another app, so you can check the new size straight away.
• Remember that none of these changes deletes anything, and you can change them back at any time.

0 of 3 done. Ticking just helps you keep track; nothing is saved or sent.

Steps

Start with step 1 and stop when the text is comfortable to read. Menu names vary between versions and makers, especially on Android, so if you can't see an option, use the search box at the top of Settings.

On an iPhone or iPad

1. 1

   Change the text size

   Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then Text Size. Drag the slider to the right until the sample text is comfortable.

2. 2

   Make it even bigger if you need to

   Open Settings, then Accessibility, then Display & Text Size, then Larger Text. Turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes and drag the slider further.

3. 3

   Turn on bold text

   In Settings, then Display & Brightness, turn on Bold Text. Many people find bold text easier to read than larger text.

4. 4

   Enlarge everything on the screen

   In Display & Brightness, tap Display Zoom, choose Larger Text and tap Done. Icons and buttons get bigger too. This option is not available on every model.

5. 5

   Use the Magnifier for small print

   Swipe down on the Home Screen, search for Magnifier and open it. Point the camera at a label, menu or letter and drag the slider to zoom in.

On an Android phone or tablet

1. 1

   Change the font size

   Open Settings and search for "font size". On many phones it is under Display, then Display size and text. On Samsung phones it is under Display, then Font size and style. Drag the Font size slider to the right.

2. 2

   Turn on bold text

   On the same screen, turn on Bold text (or Bold font on Samsung phones).

3. 3

   Enlarge everything on the screen

   On the same screen, drag the Display size slider to the right. On Samsung phones, look for Screen zoom under Display. Icons and buttons get bigger as well as the text.

4. 4

   Use magnification for small print

   Search Settings for "magnification" to find a shortcut that zooms into any part of the screen. Many Android phones also have a Magnifier app, or one you can download from Google Play, that uses the camera to enlarge printed text.

Inside apps and websites

Some apps have their own text size setting, usually in the app's settings or display options. On a web page, you can often spread two fingers apart on the screen to zoom in.

If this happens

• Some words are cut off or don't fit

  The text size may be too large for that app. Try one step smaller, or use bold text instead.

• The iPhone screen is suddenly zoomed in and won't move

  The Zoom accessibility feature may be on. Double-tap the screen with three fingers to zoom back out.

• An app ignores your text size

  Not every app follows the phone's setting. Look for a text size option inside the app.

• You can't find the setting on your Android phone

  Use the search box at the top of Settings and try "text", "font" or "display size".

• Everything looks too big now

  Go back to the same setting and drag the slider to the left. Nothing is lost.

Things to be careful about

• Change one setting at a time. It makes it easier to undo something you don't like.

• Leave other accessibility settings alone unless you need them. Features such as VoiceOver on iPhone and TalkBack on Android change how you tap and swipe, which can be confusing if turned on by mistake.

• Never let an unexpected caller change your settings for you. Nobody genuine needs remote access to your phone to make the text bigger.