How to Change the Font size on a MacBook

The default font size on a MacBook can be rather small. If you need to increase the size of the font for better readability, follow these steps.

Prerequisites: Basic navigation of settings 

Difficulty Level: Member • Nerd • Platypus

Estimated Time: <1 minute

Expected Outcome: Font size is adjusted for better readability

Tools Required: Apple MacBook

The steps are similar for MacBooks with Retina displays and MacBooks with non-Retina displays

Steps to Perform (with Retina)

1. Click the Apple icon  in the top left corner of the screen
2. Select System Preferences from the menu
   
3. In the System Preferences window, click Displays
   
4. On the Displays screen, verify the Display tab is selected
   
5. Select the Scaled checkbox
   
6. Select the Larger Text option
   
7. In a pop-up box, you'll see “Are you sure you want to switch to this scaled resolution? When using this scaled resolution, some applications may not fit entirely on screen.” Select OK to confirm.
8. Click the Close (red) button in the top left corner of the System Preferences window

Steps to Perform (non-Retina)

1. Click the Apple icon  in the top left corner of the screen
2. Select System Preferences
   
3. In the System Preferences window, click Displays
   
4. On the Displays screen, verify the Display tab is selected
   
5. Select the Scaled checkbox
   
6. The typical display resolution is 1366 × 768 although this depends on the type of display you are using with your computer - yours may have a different setting. To make text bigger, change your resolution to a value lower than the current setting.
   
7. When you are finished, click the Close (red) button in the top left corner of the System Preferences window