How to Make Text Bigger on iPhone
If you find yourself squinting or holding the phone at arm's length, you don't have to. The iPhone can make text much larger, make it bolder, and even enlarge the icons and buttons. Here are all the ways, from a quick bump to going really big.
Quickest fix
Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size and drag the slider to the right. The sample text at the top grows as you drag. That's enough for most people.
Option 1: Bigger text (the standard way)
- Open Settings.
- Tap Display & Brightness.
- Tap Text Size.
- Drag the slider at the bottom toward the right until it's comfortable.
This affects most apps that support Apple's standard text, which is the great majority of them.
Option 2: Even larger text
If the standard slider doesn't go big enough:
- Open Settings > Accessibility.
- Tap Display & Text Size.
- Tap Larger Text.
- Turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes at the top.
- Now drag the slider; it goes much further than before.
Option 3: Make text bold
Bold text is often easier to read than just bigger text. In Settings > Display & Brightness (or Accessibility > Display & Text Size), turn on Bold Text. Try combining a moderate size bump with bold; many people find that the sweet spot.
Option 4: Make everything bigger with Display Zoom
Text size only changes text. If the icons and buttons are also too small, use Display Zoom:
- Open Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Scroll down and tap Display Zoom.
- Choose Larger Text (instead of Default), then tap Done and confirm.
The whole interface scales up: bigger icons, bigger keyboard, bigger everything. The phone restarts to apply it.
Option 5: A quick shortcut for one app
Want big text in your reading app but normal elsewhere? Add a Text Size control to Control Center:
- Go to Settings > Control Center and add Text Size.
- Open the app you want, then swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
- Tap the Text Size button (the small/large A's).
- Drag the slider, and choose Only [App Name] at the bottom to apply it just there, or All Apps for everywhere.
A couple of related tips
- Zoom into anything: Settings > Accessibility > Zoom lets you magnify part of the screen by double-tapping with three fingers.
- Bigger in Safari: while reading a web page, tap the "AA" in the address bar to enlarge just that page.
- Reduce eye strain: turn on Night Shift and a slightly higher brightness in good light.
Video walkthrough
Video by Anthony English on YouTube
Want your phone set up to be easy on the eyes?
Isaac is happy to dial in text size, bold, zoom, and brightness so your iPhone is genuinely comfortable to read, then show you how to change it yourself.