Question how to increase font size on Windows 11 ?

[paulpinix]

Hello, I bought a new laptop, an Asus vivobook (windows 11). I'm nearsighted, the characters in the settings of an application/software (vlc, comicrack...) are too small, I changed the font sizes and the scale size, but that doesn't change anything. Do you please have any idea how to change the size?

 

[mikeymikec]

Changing the scale setting has always worked for me and I'd expect VLC to respect that setting too. Very occasionally do I see an app that ignores it, and usually it's an ancient app.

Can you please confirm whether changing the scaling as described here:

View display settings in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to use the Settings app to view and change display settings in Windows.

support.microsoft.com

(I would recommend against playing with the screen resolution setting unless you absolutely have to)

... makes any difference at all to how your screen looks?

 

[C1]

I use it and with Win 10 (22H2) & it works great. Save your original registry keys (ie, using built-in regedit's export) before for reference plus just in case.

https://winaero.com/download-winaero-tweaker/

 

[paulpinix]

Hello MikeyMikec. Yes to change the scaling I did exactly as described here. By changing the screen resolution, it's certainly better but it doesn't really change.

 

[paulpinix]

Hello C1. Sorry but I really don't know anything about computers. You want me to save my original registry keys via regedit, and after that I use the Winaero Tweaker application, right? What is Winaero Tweaker, an enlargement application? This crashes a lot, is that why you're asking me to save my original registry keys?

 

[mikeymikec]

Hello MikeyMikec. Yes to change the scaling I did exactly as described here. By changing the screen resolution, it's certainly better but it doesn't really change.

To be explicit though, are you saying that altering the scaling setting in Windows changes absolutely nothing on the desktop, start menu, settings app etc, or are you saying that one or two apps are unaffected by the change?

 

[C1]

In my situation. I install Winaero, make the desired changes (eg, in your case to icons, menu fonts, etc.) then uninstall Winaero then save the mod-ed registry keys.

So after that, I have everything. I have the OEM registry saved (via export) and the desired Winaero registry version saved. If there's any issue, I just restore/import the desired saved registry keys. No need to mess with Winaero anymore.

Why do this?

Because, just the other day picked up a nice Dell UZ2315Hf monitor at a church sale & tested it as external monitor (off my Win 10 ver 22H2 Lenovo laptop).

While doing this, my Winaero modified registry display settings were changed thru messing with testing the external monitor off the Lenovo laptop external video port. After completing testing, it is/was simple to just re-import the desired saved registry keys, then reboot. No need to install anything.

Ordinarily after using Winaero, there's not any issue, at least for me with Win 10 22H2 on Lenovo T420.

Oh ya, BTW, the whole Winaero thing for me came up similarly because of screen/eye sight issues. Beginning in Win 10, selective font controls (eg, type, size & bolding, etc.) were removed from the OS. Ya, I set to 125%, but use of Winareo to make individual/selective increase font size & make bold for icons, etc. really really really helps. (Com'in up Oct 1st Im gonna be 80 years old !)

 

[paulpinix]

To be explicit though, are you saying that altering the scaling setting in Windows changes absolutely nothing on the desktop, start menu, settings app etc, or are you saying that one or two apps are unaffected by the change?

yes it changed the size of windows (the desktop, the Start menu), but for applications/programs the sizes did not change

 

[paulpinix]

In my situation. I install Winaero, make the desired changes (eg, in your case to icons, menu fonts, etc.) then uninstall Winaero then save the mod-ed registry keys.

So after that, I have everything. I have the OEM registry saved (via export) and the desired Winaero registry version saved. If there's any issue, I just restore/import the desired saved registry keys. No need to mess with Winaero anymore.

Why do this?

Because, just the other day picked up a nice Dell UZ2315Hf monitor at a church sale & tested it as external monitor (off my Win 10 ver 22H2 Lenovo laptop).

While doing this, my Winaero modified registry display settings were changed thru messing with testing the external monitor off the Lenovo laptop external video port. After completing testing, it is/was simple to just re-import the desired saved registry keys, then reboot. No need to install anything.

Ordinarily after using Winaero, there's not any issue, at least for me with Win 10 22H2 on Lenovo T420.

Oh ya, BTW, the whole Winaero thing for me came up similarly because of screen/eye sight issues. Beginning in Win 10, selective font controls (eg, type, size & bolding, etc.) were removed from the OS. Ya, I set to 125%, but use of Winareo to make individual/selective increase font size & make bold for icons, etc. really really really helps. (Com'in up Oct 1st Im gonna be 80 years old !)

ok tomorrow I'll test, sorry for not having responded sooner but having photophobia the stormy weather doesn't allow me. Since you told me about Winaero Tweaker, I learned that there were size enlargement applications (Zoomtext, Supernova, Magic). Do you know these applications?

 

[mikeymikec]

yes it changed the size of windows (the desktop, the Start menu), but for applications/programs the sizes did not change

Ok, that rules out a graphics driver problem then. There is the 'advanced scaling settings' option beneath the standard scaling combo box but I can't imagine that will alter the scaling using a different technique, just allowing a scaling figure that's not in the combo box.

The latest version of VLC on my Win10 install is definitely affected by the standard scaling setting though not 100% consistently; it alters the menu bar text and the volume figure but I'm fairly sure it doesn't affect the playback control bar (except the text volume figure).

https://www.reddit.com/r/VLC/comments/ql983v

There's a user called RageEquity who suggested changing the program compatibility settings and playing with the custom DPI setting; I tried it here quickly and it seemed to do the trick. I didn't try their further suggestion to unblur the controls.

 

[C1]

re: Zoomtext, Supernova, Magic

Not familiar with the aforementioned apps.

However, regarding legibility, it's not just size you want control over, but also includes font type selection & bolding.

The thing, at least for me, is that with right font & bolding, I can live with smaller fonts and/or display size (eg, use ctrl +/- when using browser) there-by allowing more screen display information.

Good luck

 

[paulpinix]

Hello everybody !



Thanks to MikeyMikec, and also to C1, for helping me. I used the Winaero Tweaker application which recommended C1. It was very long, and a little hard, but it's okay, it's perfect. Thanks again to both of you for helping me, for being kind, and for being very quick to respond. You are the best !


Sincerely!