Windows sizing · Choose a setting

Which Windows sizing setting should you use?

Start with what you want to make larger. Windows’ built-in controls are often the right answer; a targeted classic font metric can help with some specific text.

What are you trying to make bigger?

Choose the closest match. You can change your answer at any time.

Text throughout Windows Everything on the screen File and folder names Desktop icon labels Menus Window title text Dialog or message text Status bar text I’m not sure

A good place to start

Windows Text size

If text across Windows is hard to read, try the built-in text-size control first. In Windows 11, open Settings → Accessibility → Text size, adjust the slider and select Apply. Apps and components can respond differently.

Text throughout WindowsWindows Text sizeSettings

Compare Text size and display scaling

Recommendations at a glance

These are starting points, not guarantees: Windows behavior varies by version, application and interface component.

Text throughout Windows: Try Windows Accessibility → Text size to enlarge text while keeping broader layout closer to its current size. Compare Text size and scaling.
Everything on screen: Use Windows Settings → System → Display → Scale when controls, spacing and the whole interface feel too small.
File/folder names or desktop labels: Try Windows Text size first. For supported classic labels, Font Size Tweak’s Icons metric changes label text, not icon graphics. File Explorer details.
Menus: Try Windows Text size. For supported classic menus, Font Size Tweak’s Menus metric may offer a targeted adjustment.
Window title text: Try Windows Text size. Font Size Tweak’s Title Bar metric applies to supported classic window captions.
Dialog/message text: Try Windows Text size. Font Size Tweak’s Message Boxes metric applies to some classic dialogs and prompts.
Status bar text: For compatible legacy interfaces, Font Size Tweak’s Status Bar metric may help. Not all apps have a status bar or use this metric.
Not sure: Begin with Windows Text size. If controls and spacing also need to grow, try Scale; if only a specific supported classic text category remains too small, consider its metric.

Know what the settings affect

Windows Text size and display scaling are built-in options and may be the most suitable answer for broad readability needs. Font Size Tweak adjusts five per-user classic metrics: Title Bar, Menus, Message Boxes, Icons and Status Bar. Newer Windows UI and apps that draw their own text may ignore them, and results vary between components and Windows builds. A sign-out may be needed to refresh compatible areas.

Font Size Tweak changes text size in supported categories; it does not resize icon graphics, app layouts or display scaling. If a change does not appear, use the troubleshooting guide.