How to Change Text Size on Android

Make text easy to read in seconds

By
Matthew S. Smith
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Matthew S. Smith
Writer
  • Beloit College
Matthew S. Smith has been writing about consumer tech since 2007. Formerly the Lead Editor at Digital Trends, he's also written for PC Mag, TechHive, and others.
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Updated on August 22, 2021
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
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Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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What to Know

  • Change Android's text size by going to Settings > Display > Advanced > Font Size. Use the slider to make the text bigger.
  • You can also access the font size setting by going to Settings > Accessibility > Font Size.
  • Android Magnification feature: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnification. Tap the slider to turn it on.

This article will help you change Android's system-wide text size and offer alternatives to increase the text size further or improve readability.

How Do I Change the Font Size on My Text Messages on Android

If you find it difficult to read text on your Android phone or think that larger text would be more comfortable, there's good news: it's easy to change the text size on an Android.

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap Display.

  3. Tap Advanced, which should be the last option in the Display section.

  4. An expanded list of options will appear. Tap Font Size.

    A screenshot of Android's font size setting

  5. A new screen will appear to show a preview of the font size currently selected. The default is the second smallest of its four available settings. Use the slider at the bottom of this screen to make Android's text size larger or, if desired, smaller.

    The new font size takes effect as soon as you move the slider.

  6. Tap the Back button or return to the Home screen.

You can also access the font size setting through the Accessibility menu: Settings > Accessibility > Font Size.

How Do I Change the Size of My Text with Magnification?

Android's system-wide magnification tool complements system-wide font size setting is complemented by a.

This feature technically doesn't increase the font size on your Android device, but it has a similar effect in practice. It can be helpful when the font options don't meet your needs or aren't working.

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Tap Accessibility.

  3. Tap Magnification.

    A series of screenshot showing how to turn on Android's magnification feature


  4. A screen will appear with a slider that controls the Magnification feature. Tap it to turn the feature on.

    This screen also provides introductions for using the feature.

Once enabled, you can access Magnification by tapping the Accessibility shortcut, an icon of a person, on the Android Navigation Bar.

More Ways to Make Text Easier to Read on Android

Increasing Android's font size, or magnifying the font, isn't the only way to make the text easier to read. Several other settings can improve readability even while they don't increase the size of the font.

Increase display size, which is in the Settings app under both Display and Accessibility. Changing this setting will make some visual elements larger, including icons, and it pairs nicely with changing Android's font size.

Turn on the dark theme. The dark theme is in the Settings app under Display and Accessibility. Some Android users find dark mode easier to read, while others report it's less tiring to view for long periods.

Turn on High contrast text, which is under Accessibility. High contrast text will tweak fonts so it appears darker or brighter against its background. However, this is currently an experimental feature, so it may not work in all situations or with all apps.

FAQ
  • How do you print a text message on Android?

    There's no feature for printing out text messages built into an Android phone, but some workarounds exist. For example, you can copy and paste the text into a document and print the document. You can also share the text to Google Drive and print it from there.

  • How do you save text messages on Android?

    You can download an app like SMS Backup & Restore to save your text messages. It exports your SMS messages, MMS messages, and call logs. The app can also import a backup you made.

  • How do you retrieve a deleted text message on Android?

    You can try to retrieve that text message you deleted using software like DiskDigger. If you have automatic backup turn on, search for your texts in Google Drive. But, in general, it's difficult to recover a text once you delete it, as there's no recycle bin or undo button like on a PC.

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