Font size and zoom - increase the size of web pages

Revision Information
  • Revision id: 194718
  • Created:
  • Creator: jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Comment: Add about:preferences info for Firefox 73's default zoom control
  • Reviewed: Yes
  • Reviewed:
  • Reviewed by: AliceWyman
  • Is approved? Yes
  • Is current revision? No
  • Ready for localization: No
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Revision Content

The zoom controls allow you to increase or decrease either the size of a whole web page or just the size of all the text in order to improve readability. We'll explain how it works.

Zoom in and out of a website

Here's how you can zoom in and out of individual websites.

  1. Click the menu button Fx57Menu on the right. The customization menu will open and you will see the zoom controls at the top.
    font controls 57
  2. Use the + button to zoom in, and the - button to zoom out. The number in the middle is the current zoom level - click it to reset the zoom to 100%. You can also see the current zoom level in the address bar:
zoom level in ab 57
Keyboard shortcuts: You can also use the zoom controls without a mouse. Press and hold commandCtrl while pressing &#43 to zoom in, - to zoom out, or 0 to reset.
Tip: To set the default zoom level for all websites, you can try an add-on such as Fixed Zoom or Zoom Page WE

Setting a default zoom level for all sites

Here's how you enlarge or reduce text for most sites in one step.

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the General panel.
  3. Under Zoom, use the drop-down menu for Default zoom to select the zoom level to apply to pages. Firefox will still remember individual site zoom levels you set.
    Fx73settings-Zoom
  4. Close the Settings page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.

How to only change the size of the text

Instead of changing the size of everything, you can just change the size of the text.

  1. Press the Alt key to temporarily bring up the traditional Firefox menus. On the menu at the top, click View, then go to Zoom.
  2. Select Zoom Text Only. This makes the controls only change the size of text; not images.

Set a minimum text size

You can set Firefox to automatically display all text at a minimum font size. If a web page contains text that is smaller, Firefox increases the font size of the text to this minimum.

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the General panel and go down to Language and Appearance.
  3. In the Fonts & Colors section, click Advanced....
  4. In the Minimum Font Size drop-down, select the minimum size in pixels in which all text must be displayed.
    minimum font fx38
  5. Click OK to save your changes.

See Change the fonts and colors websites use for more information.

Alternate method: If you're unable to access your font settings through the menu button, type about:config into your address bar. Search for the font.minimum-size preference and change the value to 0.