Mac browsers

Choose from the following Mac web browsers for step-by-step instructions on how to increase the size of the text on any web page you are viewing:

Note: Mac key convention: ' Ctrl ' is used for 'Control', ' Apple ' is used for 'Command' and ' Alt ' is used for the 'Option' key.

Note: For keyboard access make sure ' Full keyboard access ' is turned on - you can turn it on or off; by pressing ' Ctrl ' + ' F1 ' at any time.

• Making text larger in Firefox.
• Making text larger in Safari.
• Making text larger in Opera for OS X
• Making text larger in Internet Explorer for OS X

Making text larger in Firefox

• Open the ' View ' menu with the mouse.
• Click ' Text Size ' and choose to 'increase' or 'decrease' the text size.
• Click on ' Increase ' or ' Decrease' to change the text size or press the right arrow to expand the ' Text Size' menu options and use the up and down arrow to select ' Increase ' or ' Decrease' and then press ' Enter '.
• Alternatively you can press ' Apple ' + ' + ' (plus) to increase the text size, ' Apple ' + ' - ' (minus) to decrease the text size.

Follow these steps to set a minimum text size for all pages you visit:

• Click the ' Firefox ' menu with the mouse or press ' Ctrl ' + ' F2 ' to highlight the menu bar and then press the right arrow to highlight the ' Firefox ' menu
• Click on ' Preferences' or press the down arrow to highlight ' Preferences ' and then press ' Enter '.
• Make sure the ' General ' tab is selected, if not click on it. (no keyboard shortcut available).
• Click the ' Fonts and Colors ' button, (no keyboard shortcut available).
• Click on ' Minimum font size ' box and select your desired minimum font size, (no keyboard shortcut available).
• Click on ' Always use my:' 'Fonts ' checkbox, (no keyboard shortcut available).
• Click the ' OK ' button or press ' Enter ' twice to return to Firefox.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

Back to top

Making text larger in Safari

• Open the ' View ' menu with the mouse or by pressing ' Alt ' + ' V '.
• Click 'Make text bigger ' or 'Make text smaller' to change the text size.
• Alternatively you can press ' Apple ' + ' + ' (plus) to increase the text size, ' Apple ' + ' - ' (minus) to decrease the text size.

Follow these steps to set a minimum text size for all pages you visit:

• Click on the ' Safari ' menu with the mouse and then then click on ' Preferences ' or press ' Apple ' + ,' (Comma).
• Click on the ' Appearance ' icon or press ' Ctrl ' + ' F5 ' to highlight the ' General ' icon and then press the right arrow key to highlight ' Appearance ' then press the ' Spacebar '.
• Click on ' Select ' next to ' Standard font: ' box or press ' Tab ' once to highlight the ' Select ' button and then press the ' Spacebar '.
• This will bring up the ' Fonts ' window click on font size you want under the ' Sizes ' heading or press ' Ctrl ' + ' F6 ' then ' Ctrl ' + ' F7 ' then ' Tab ' twice to enter the ' Sizes ' box were you can type in the font size you want.
• Click on the ' Fonts ' box close button or press ' Esc '.
• Click on the ' Appearance ' window close button or press ' Esc ' to return to Safari.
• On pages that support it the text size should now have changed.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

Back to top

Making text larger Opera for OS X

Unlike in Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, Opera can increase the size of images as well as text.

• You can quickly increase or decrease the size of both text and graphics using the numberpad ' + ' (or ' 0 ' ) and ' - ' (or ' 9 ' ) keys. Each press will increase or decrease the size by 10%.
• However these changes will not be remembered next time you open Opera.

Follow these steps to set a minimum text size for all pages you visit:

• Click on the ' Opera ' menu and then click on ' Preferences... ' or press ' Apple ' +',' (comma).
• Click on the ' Web pages ' tab or press ' Alt ' + ' Tab ' until the ' Web pages ' tab is selected.
• Click on the ' Page Zoom ' option box and select your zoom size or press the ' Tab ' key twice to select the page zoom option box and use the up and down arrow keys to select your zoom size.
• Select the ' OK ' button with the mouse or press ' Enter ' to return to Opera.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

Back to top

Making text larger in Internet Explorer for OS X

• Click on the ' View ' menu with the mouse.
• Hover your mouse over ' Text Zoom ' and choose a different text size from the listed options.
• Alternatively, increase or decrease the text size with ' Apple ' and ' + ' (plus) and ' Apple ' and ' - ' (minus).

Follow these steps to set a minimum text size for all pages you visit:

• Click on ' Explorer ' menu with the mouse and then then click on ' Preferences ' or press ' Apple ' + ' ; ' .
• If you cannot see a list of bulleted options under ' Web Browser' click the arrow next to ' Web Browser' to expand the options list, or highlight ' Web Browser' using the up arrow and then press ' Apple + ' Right arrow ' key to expand the options.
• Click the ' Language/Fonts ' section with the mouse or press the ' down ' arrow until it is highlighted.
• Under the ' Fonts and Size ' heading click on the box next to ' Size:' and select the font size you want. (No keyboard shortcut).
• Click the ' OK ' button with the mouse or press ' Enter ' to return to Internet Explorer.

Note: If this does not work it could be because your computer settings cannot be changed due to local IT policies - contact your local IT support for further help.

Back to top