Skip to content 
To change
text size or colors 
Translations
About RSS
WAI Site Search[EARLY DRAFT] How to Change Text Size or Colors
Page Contents
@@ simplify, clarify, wording, more chatty, less formal@@
@@ ...sentence saying this is to help... not requried for all sites to provide this... below are tips on how to use the flexibilit yin your browser, in case you're not familiar with them... here's what you can do to maximize how to take advantage of what we've done...
This page describes example techniques to customize the way your Web browser displays text, color, and other aspects of the display.
The WAI Web site is designed following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to let you change the text size, the text and background colors, and other display settings through standard browser settings. These techniques may or may not work in other Web sites depending on whether they follow accessibility guidelines.
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 + |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Explorer | @@ | @@ |
| Firefox |  |
View > Page Style > Basic Page Style |
| Opera |  |
View > Style > User Mode |
Other Text and Color Changes
Many browsers provide functionality to customize different aspects of font and color. Below are examples of how to access this functionality.
| Browser | Example | To access functionality: |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Explorer | @@ | Menu items: Tools > Internet Options In dialog box: Accessibility button In dialog box: [/] Ignore colors specified on Web pages [/] Ignore font styles specified on Web pages [/] Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages |
| Firefox |  |
Windows Menu items:Tools > Options In dialog box: General (in the left pane), Fonts & Colors (button) |
| Opera | @@ | Windows Menu items:Tools > Preferences In dialog box: Fonts and Page Style (in the left pane) |
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