How To Increase Font Size In Outlook

If you find yourself squinting at your screen to read emails, this guide is for you. Increasing the font size in Microsoft Outlook can make your inbox much more comfortable to use. This guide will walk you through all the different ways to make text bigger, whether you want a quick temporary boost for reading a single message, or a permanent change to the size of text you write and receive. We cover everything from the email content itself to the list of messages in your inbox and even the main Outlook interface.

Fast Answer

For New Emails: Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts to set your default font size.
For Reading Emails: Use the Zoom slider at the bottom-right of the Reading Pane for a quick, temporary size increase.

5-10 minutes Time needed

Easy Difficulty

Outgoing email appearance Watch out for

Before You Start

Microsoft Outlook Desktop App: This guide is for the desktop version of Outlook on Windows (part of Microsoft 365/Office). The steps for Outlook on the Web, Outlook for Mac, or mobile apps are different.
Access to Outlook Settings: In some work environments, certain settings may be locked by an IT administrator. If you can't access the options described, you may need to contact your IT department.
A Test Email Account: It's helpful to have another email address (your own personal one is fine) to send a test message to, so you can see how your new font settings look to a recipient.

Check first: Be mindful of which settings change the font only for your view and which change the font for people receiving your emails. Changing your composition font to something very large or unusual can look unprofessional.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Temporarily Change Text Size When Reading an Email

This is the fastest way to make the text of a specific email easier to read without changing any permanent settings. It's perfect for emails with tiny print or complex formatting.

The easiest method is to use the Zoom slider. Select the email you want to read in the Reading Pane. Look at the bottom-right corner of the Outlook window. You'll see a slider with a minus (-) and a plus (+). Click and drag the slider to the right to increase the font size of the email content. Clicking the percentage next to the slider will open a Zoom window with more precise options.

Alternatively, if you have the email open in its own window, click on the Message tab in the ribbon at the top, then find the Zoom group and click the Zoom icon. This opens the same settings window. This change is temporary and will reset when you click on a different email.

Tip: A keyboard shortcut for this is to hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out of the email body.

Change the Text Size in Your Message List

If you struggle to read the list of emails in your inbox (the sender, subject, and preview), you can increase the font size for this view. This does not change the content of the emails themselves.

Navigate to the View tab on the Outlook ribbon.
Click on View Settings in the 'Current View' group. A new window called 'Advanced View Settings' will pop up.
Click the Other Settings... button.
In the 'Other Settings' window, you can change the font for the Column Headings (like 'From', 'Subject', 'Received') and the Row Font (the actual email list).
Click the Font... button for the item you want to change, select your desired font style, and size, and then click OK.
Click OK on each open window to apply your changes. Your inbox list should now be much easier to read.

Set the Default Font for All New Emails You Write

This is the most common change people want to make. It sets the default font size, style, and colour for all new messages you compose, ensuring consistency and readability for your recipients.

Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of Outlook.
Select Options from the menu on the left (it's usually at the bottom).
In the 'Outlook Options' window, click on the Mail category.
Look for the button that says Stationery and Fonts... and click it.
A 'Signatures and Stationery' window will open. Under the 'Personal Stationery' tab, you will see options for:
- New mail messages: This sets the default font when you click 'New Email'.
- Replying or forwarding messages: This sets the font when you reply or forward. You can set this differently if you prefer.
Click the Font... button for each option you want to change. Select your desired font (e.g., Arial), font style (e.g., Regular), and size (e.g., 12). Click OK.
Click OK on all open windows to save your new default settings. From now on, your new emails will use this font.

Tip: For professional emails, it's best to stick with standard, easy-to-read fonts like Calibri, Arial, Verdana, or Times New Roman in a size between 11pt and 14pt.

Change the Font for Plain Text Emails You Read

Sometimes, you might receive an email sent in 'plain text' format, which has no special formatting like bolding, colours, or different fonts. You can set a default font and size for how these specific messages appear to you.

Follow the same steps as above to get to the 'Signatures and Stationery' window: File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts....

In this window, look for the section at the bottom labelled Composing and reading plain text messages. Click the Font... button here. Choose the font and size you find most comfortable for reading, then click OK to save. This will not affect HTML-formatted emails (which is the majority of emails today), but it will make any plain text messages much easier on the eyes.

Change Font Size for a Single Email You Are Writing

What if you want to make the text larger for just one important email, without changing your default settings? You can easily format the text for any individual message you are composing.

When you have a new email window open, you'll see formatting tools in the ribbon under the Message tab. This works just like it does in Microsoft Word. Simply highlight the text you want to change, and then use the dropdown menus in the Basic Text group to select a new font or increase the font size. You can make headings larger or emphasize a key point with a bigger font before you send the email.

Increase the Size of the Entire Outlook Interface

If the menus, folder list, and ribbon buttons in Outlook are too small, you can increase the size of the entire application. This change is usually made through your Windows settings, not Outlook itself, and it will affect most of the apps on your computer.

Right-click on your Windows desktop and select Display settings.
Look for the Scale or 'Scale and layout' section.
You will see a dropdown menu under 'Change the size of text, apps, and other items'. The recommended setting is usually 100% or 125%.
Try selecting a higher percentage, like 150%. Your screen will instantly adjust.
Open Outlook to see if the interface is more comfortable. Find a scaling level that works for you.

Another option within Outlook is to change the spacing. At the top right of the ribbon, look for a dropdown menu called Touch/Mouse Mode. If you select Touch, Outlook will add more space around buttons and commands, making them larger and easier to click, which can also help with visibility.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
Reading a single, hard-to-read email	Zoom Slider (bottom-right corner)	It's a quick, temporary fix that doesn't change any settings.
Making text bigger in an email you're writing now	Font tools (Message tab)	Allows you to override your default font for one specific message.
Changing the font for all future emails you send	File > Options > Stationery and Fonts	Sets a new, permanent default font and size for professional consistency.
Scanning your inbox message list is difficult	View > View Settings > Other Settings	Makes sender and subject lines larger and easier to read at a glance.
The entire Outlook program is too small (menus, buttons)	Windows Display Settings > Scale	Increases the size of everything in the application for better accessibility.

Common Problems When You Increase Font Size In Outlook

My font settings aren't saving.

This can happen for a few reasons. If you are using a work computer, your company's IT department might have policies in place that prevent users from changing certain settings. These policies can override your personal choices each time you restart Outlook. In this case, you should contact your IT support team. Another possible cause is a corrupted Outlook profile or a conflicting add-in. You can try starting Outlook in Safe Mode (hold the Ctrl key while clicking the Outlook icon) to see if the problem disappears. If it does, an add-in is likely the culprit.

The font looks different to the person I sent it to.

You can never have 100% control over how your email appears on someone else's screen. The recipient's email client (e.g., Gmail, Apple Mail), their own font settings, their screen resolution, and their device (phone vs. desktop) all play a role. To ensure the best possible consistency, stick to web-safe fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, and Georgia, and use a standard size like 12pt. Avoid obscure or decorative fonts that the recipient may not have installed on their computer.

Changing the 'Plain Text' font setting doesn't seem to do anything.

This is a common point of confusion. The vast majority of emails sent today are in HTML format, which allows for rich formatting like images, links, and different fonts. The 'Plain Text' font setting in Outlook only applies to the small number of emails that are sent without any HTML code. If you change this setting and don't see a difference when reading your mail, it's because your emails are formatted in HTML, where the sender's chosen font usually takes priority.

Advanced Tips for How To Increase Font Size In Outlook

Use Conditional Formatting: Make important emails stand out in your inbox. Go to View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting. Here you can create rules, for instance, to make any email from your manager appear in a larger, bold font. This helps you spot crucial messages instantly.
Create and Use Styles: If you frequently need different text sizes for headings and body text within a single email (like a newsletter), use the Styles feature. In the new email window, go to the Format Text tab and look at the Styles gallery. You can create and save your own styles (e.g., 'My Heading 1' with a 16pt bold font) for quick and consistent formatting.
Use the Immersive Reader: For an uncluttered reading experience, open an email in its own window, go to the Message tab, and click Immersive Reader. This tool will open the email in a full-screen, distraction-free view where you can easily control text size, spacing, and even have the email read aloud to you.

How To Increase Font Size In Outlook FAQ

How do I increase the font size in Outlook on a Mac?

The process on a Mac is slightly different. Open Outlook, and from the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Outlook > Preferences. In the preferences window, select Fonts. Here you will find options to change the default fonts for new mail and for plain text, similar to the Windows version.

How do I change the font size in the Outlook web app?

For the web version of Outlook (Outlook.com), click the Settings gear icon in the top right. Then click View all Outlook settings. Navigate to Mail > Compose and reply. You will find a 'Message format' section where you can set your default font and size for new messages you write.

Can I set a minimum font size for all emails I read?

Unfortunately, Outlook's desktop client does not have a built-in feature to enforce a minimum font size on all incoming HTML emails, unlike some web browsers. The sender's formatting choices usually take precedence. The most effective way to handle emails with small fonts is to use the Zoom feature on a case-by-case basis.

Final Checklist for How To Increase Font Size In Outlook

Decide your goal: Are you looking for a temporary fix for reading (use Zoom) or a permanent change for writing (use Options)?
Set composition fonts: Go to File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts to set your default font size for new messages and replies.
Adjust your inbox view: Use View > View Settings to make the list of messages easier to scan.
Consider plain text: Update the plain text font setting, even if it's used less frequently.
Send a test email: Email yourself or a colleague to check how your new default font looks to others.
Remember recipient differences: Accept that your font may look slightly different on the recipient's end and stick to standard fonts for important communications.