The fastest way to make text bigger or smaller
Go to Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then tap Text Size. Drag the slider left to make text smaller or right to make it larger. This change affects most apps on your phone — Mail, Messages, Notes, and built-in Apple apps will all respect this setting. Third-party apps like Instagram or Twitter may or may not follow it, depending on how the developer built them.
If you want text even larger than the Text Size slider allows, you can turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes in the same menu. This unlocks even bigger options, though it may cause some text to wrap awkwardly or push buttons off-screen in certain apps.
Key Takeaways
- The Text Size slider in Settings > Display & Brightness changes text across most built-in Apple apps and many third-party ones.
- Larger Accessibility Sizes in the same menu offers even bigger text if the standard slider is not large enough.
- Some apps ignore the system text size setting and have their own text size controls buried in their own settings.
- You can also make text bigger temporarily by pinching outward on the screen in Safari, Mail, and some other apps.
When the Text Size slider is not enough
If the Text Size slider maxes out and you still need larger text, turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, then toggle on Larger Accessibility Sizes. This unlocks additional sizes beyond what the standard slider offers.
Be aware that very large text sizes can break the layout of some apps. Buttons may disappear off the bottom of the screen, or text may overlap in ways that make the app hard to use. Test it in the apps you use most before committing to it as your permanent setting.
Changing text size in individual apps
Some apps do not follow your system text size setting at all. Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and many others have their own text size controls. Look in that app's settings — usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines — for a Display, Text, or Font option.
If an app does not have its own text size setting, you can sometimes make text bigger by pinching outward on the screen with two fingers, the same way you would zoom in on a photo. This works in Safari, Mail, and some news apps, but not everywhere. The zoom resets when you close the app or navigate to a new page.
Making text easier to read without changing size
If you do not want to change text size globally, you can increase contrast instead. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and turn on Increase Contrast. This makes text darker and backgrounds lighter, which helps some people read more easily without making everything larger.
You can also turn on Bold Text in the same menu. This makes all text slightly thicker, which some people find easier to read than larger text. Both of these changes take effect when ready and explore system-wide.
Why some apps ignore your text size setting
Apple lets app developers decide whether to follow your system text size or use their own. Developers who follow the system setting make their apps more accessible to people who need larger text. Developers who ignore it usually do so because they want precise control over how their app looks, or because they built the app before Apple made text size settings straightforward to implement.
There is no way to force an app to follow your system text size if it does not already. Your only options are to use that app's own settings, pinch to zoom if it supports it, or contact the developer and ask them to add support for system text size.
Text size on the lock screen and home screen
The Text Size slider does not affect the size of app names on your home screen or the time and notifications on your lock screen. Those sizes are tied to your overall display settings instead. If you want the clock and notifications bigger on your lock screen, you have to make the text larger through Accessibility settings, which affects your whole phone.
App names on the home screen shrink automatically if you have a lot of apps, but you cannot manually resize them. The only way to make them easier to read is to organize your apps into folders so fewer names appear on each screen, or to use the search function to find apps instead of scrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing text size slow down my iPhone?
No. Text size is a display setting only — it does not affect how your phone processes information or runs apps. Your iPhone will work exactly the same speed whether text is small or large.
Can I set different text sizes for different apps?
Not through the system settings. You can set one text size for your whole phone, then adjust individual apps that have their own text controls. Some apps like Kindle let you change text size within that app alone, but the change does not carry over to other apps.
What if I change text size and an app breaks?
Close the app and open it again. If it still looks broken, try reducing the text size slightly. If the app is completely unusable at your preferred text size, contact the developer — they may have a bug to fix, or they may not support large text sizes yet.
Does text size affect battery life?
No. Larger text uses the same amount of power as smaller text. Battery life depends on screen brightness, how long your screen is on, and what apps you are running — not on text size.
Can I make text bigger in Safari without changing my system text size?
Yes. Open a webpage in Safari, pinch outward with two fingers to zoom in, and the text will get larger. This zoom applies only to that webpage and resets when you close Safari or navigate away. You can also change text size in Safari's settings, but that is less common than pinching.